Updated June 17, 2026.
Most drone pilots think about NOTAMs the first time a manned helicopter crosses their job site at 300 feet. Filing one tells every nearby pilot where you are flying and when, which is the entire point: shared airspace runs on shared information. This guide covers how to file a NOTAM for drone operations, when you actually need one, and the exact details Flight Service will ask for.
Start with the name, because it changed. NOTAM stands for Notice to Air Missions, not the older "Notice to Airmen." The FAA updated the wording on December 2, 2021 so the term covers uncrewed aircraft and balloons alongside traditional flights. The function stayed the same: a NOTAM is a time-bound notice that warns pilots about temporary hazards or activity in a defined area.
Here is the distinction that trips up new operators. A NOTAM informs, it does not authorize. If your flight needs LAANC approval or a Part 107 waiver, you secure that separately. The notice only broadcasts your presence once you already have permission to fly.
Quick answer: To file a NOTAM for a drone flight, most Part 107 operators submit a free Unmanned Aircraft Operating Area (UOA) online through Leidos Flight Service, or call Flight Service to file by phone. You provide the date, time, location in latitude and longitude, altitude, operational radius, and a contact number. Filing is recommended best practice for Part 107, not a legal requirement, and it never replaces airspace authorization.
Table of contents
- Do you actually need to file a NOTAM?
- UOA vs Distance NOTAM: which one you file
- How to file a UOA online
- How to file a NOTAM by phone
- Information you need before you file
- When to file and how long it lasts
- Common NOTAM filing mistakes
- NOTAMs for COA, BVLOS, and Part 108 operations
- Filing NOTAMs outside the United States
- Keeping NOTAM records for compliance
- FAQ
Do you actually need to file a NOTAM?
This is the first question, and the honest answer surprises people. For standard Part 107 operations, filing a NOTAM is not legally required. The FAA treats it as recommended best practice, a way to make your flight visible to manned pilots who read briefings before they take off.
A notice earns its place when your operation could surprise another aircraft. Filing makes sense for:
- Flights near an airport, heliport, or known helicopter routes
- Operations in open rural airspace where crop dusters and air ambulances fly low
- Events that draw aircraft or crowds, like fireworks displays or public demonstrations tied to public safety work
- Any flight where a manned pilot genuinely benefits from knowing you are there
Recreational flyers at a fixed site follow a different path, requesting a standing notice through their community-based organization rather than the per-flight process below. NOTAMs also pair with Remote ID: one broadcasts your position live, the other warns pilots in advance, and together they make a small aircraft far easier to plan around.
UOA vs Distance NOTAM: which one you file
Drone operators have two formats, and picking the right one saves a phone call.
A UOA, or Unmanned Aircraft Operating Area, is the modern drone-specific option. You file it online, it appears on the same flight briefings manned pilots read, and it suits routine Part 107 work inside a defined area. No phone call, no specialist, immediate confirmation.
A Distance NOTAM describes a hazard by its distance and bearing from a known reference, such as an airport or a VOR navigation aid. You file it by phone with Flight Service. It fits operations that do not map neatly onto one small area, or activities beyond routine drone work.
Both end up in the Federal NOTAM System and reach manned pilots the same way, so the choice is about how you file, not whether other aircraft see it.
How to file a UOA online
Online filing is the fastest route for standard drone work and takes about ten minutes once your account exists.
- Create a free account at Leidos Flight Service
- Open the UAS tab, then the Planning section
- Complete the UOA form with your operation details
- Review every field, paying closest attention to location and times
- Confirm your area appears correctly on the sectional chart preview
- Submit and save the confirmation reference number
The map preview is the step pilots skip and later regret. A single transposed coordinate can place your notice miles from the real site. Check it against the airspace you expect before you submit.
How to file a NOTAM by phone
Phone filing connects you to a Flight Service specialist who formats the notice for you. It is the right choice for Distance NOTAMs, complex operations, or anything that needs coordination.
Call Leidos Flight Service at 1-800-WX-BRIEF (1-800-992-7433) and say you want to file a NOTAM for a small UAS operation. If you are unsure whether your flight needs one at all, the FAA UAS Support Center at 844-FLY-MY-UA (844-359-6982) can point you to the right office.
Have everything ready before you dial. Specialists are knowledgeable and helpful, but they cannot file without complete information, and a half-finished call just means calling back. Write down the reference number they give you, because you will need it to amend or cancel later.
Information you need before you file
Accurate details are what make a notice useful instead of noise. Gather these before you start, whether you file online or by phone:
| Field | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Latitude and longitude in degrees, minutes, seconds | Phone filing also wants distance and heading to the nearest airport or navigation aid |
| Operational radius | Nautical miles | A 1/4 NM radius covers most single-site jobs; large sites may need 1/2 NM |
| Altitude | Feet, labeled clearly as AGL or MSL | Mixing the two is a frequent error |
| Times | Start and end | Filed in UTC, so convert from local time |
| Dates | Single day or range | Multi-day work may need separate filings |
| Aircraft | Number of UAS operating | |
| Contact | A reachable phone number | For real-time coordination during the operation |
Fold this list into your pre-flight checklist so it becomes routine instead of a last-minute scramble. Pull the altitude and area straight from your mission plan rather than retyping them, since every manual copy is a chance to introduce an error.
A filled-in example you can copy
Below is the same information filled in for a routine mapping flight. Paste it into your pre-flight notes, swap in your own values, and you have a fill-in-the-blanks template that works for both online and phone filing:
UAS NOTAM / UOA - INFORMATION TO HAVE READY
Operation: Aerial mapping, single quadcopter
Date: 14 Jul 2026 (single day)
Times: 1400Z to 1900Z (0900 to 1400 local, EDT)
Center point: 41°18'45"N 072°55'30"W
Radius: 0.25 NM
Nearest airport: 2.4 NM SW of KXYZ
Altitude: Surface to 760 ft MSL (340 ft AGL, field elev 420 ft)
Aircraft: 1 sUAS, DJI Matrice 350 RTK
PIC contact: J. Reyes, 555-0142 (reachable on site)
Altitude is the line worth getting exactly right, because it causes more filing errors than the rest combined. The form wants mean sea level (MSL), but Part 107 caps you at 400 feet above ground level (AGL), and the two only match at sea level. Add the site's field elevation to your AGL ceiling: a 340-foot AGL flight at a site sitting 420 feet above sea level files as 760 feet MSL. Read the field elevation off the sectional chart, do the addition once, and label the result so no pilot has to guess which reference you used.
When to file and how long it lasts
Timing decides whether anyone actually sees your notice. File more than 24 hours ahead, with 24 to 48 hours as the practical sweet spot. Manned pilots check briefings during flight planning, often the day before, so a notice filed an hour before takeoff helps almost nobody.
Filing too early carries its own cost. A notice sitting for two weeks goes stale, and weather may move your operation anyway. Check the METAR for your window and tie live weather data to your plan before you commit to a time, because a scrub means refiling.
For recurring work at the same location, a predictable filing pattern helps local pilots learn your rhythm. The reference number you receive is time-bound, so file close to the actual window and extend or refile if the schedule slips.
Common NOTAM filing mistakes
Most useless or rejected notices fail for a short list of repeat reasons.
Location errors top that list. An obsolete airport identifier or a flipped coordinate sends the notice to the wrong place entirely. Verify every reference against a current sectional chart before you submit.
Altitude confusion comes next. Stating AGL when the form wants MSL, or never specifying which, produces a notice pilots cannot trust. The worked example above shows the conversion.
Time zone slips create real risk. NOTAM times run in UTC, and a daylight-saving error puts your notice a full hour off. Use a conversion tool rather than mental math.
Treating a notice as permission is the most dangerous habit of all. A NOTAM is a heads-up, not a clearance. Controlled airspace still needs authorization, and entering a no-fly zone stays illegal no matter what you filed.
NOTAMs for COA, BVLOS, and Part 108 operations
Standard Part 107 covers most commercial flights, but some authorizations carry their own notice requirements.
Public aircraft operators flying under a Certificate of Authorization (COA) often have NOTAM language written directly into the authorization. Read the COA closely, because some specify exact wording or coordination with a named air traffic facility, and missing that can put the whole authorization at risk.
BVLOS operations almost always warrant a notice, since they carry more risk to other aircraft. Detailed flight paths, observer positions, and emergency contacts belong in the filing, and a BVLOS waiver may dictate the exact procedure you follow.
The new Part 108 framework for routine BVLOS is set to formalize how these operations notify other airspace users. Expect notification to become a structured requirement for advanced work rather than the optional courtesy it is today.
Filing NOTAMs outside the United States
The US process does not travel. Other countries follow the broad ICAO framework but implement it their own way, with different portals, lead times, and language rules.
Research the specific country well before you fly. Some require weeks of notice or special authorization for foreign operators, and a few want filings in the local language. Europe coordinates much of this through U-space services, which fold digital notification into broader airspace management.
When the procedure is unclear, work with a local operator or the national aviation authority directly. They know the steps the manual leaves out.
Keeping NOTAM records for compliance
A filed NOTAM is also a compliance artifact. Save the reference number, the filing time, and the exact details you submitted for every operation.
Records matter most after something goes wrong. If you ever need to demonstrate a pattern of responsible operation, a clean history of notices and confirmations does the work memory cannot. Keeping that history next to your live tracking and flight data means one operation produces one searchable trail instead of three scattered ones.
Tie filing into your wider compliance and flight logging records so the paperwork supports you rather than the other way around.
This is where risk assessment and incident reporting connect to notification: the same details that justify a NOTAM also feed your operational safety case.
FAQ
Do I need to file a NOTAM to fly my drone under Part 107?
No. The FAA does not require a NOTAM for standard Part 107 flights. It is recommended best practice, especially near airports or in open airspace where manned aircraft operate low. You still need separate authorization to enter controlled airspace, which a notice does not provide.
How far in advance should I file a NOTAM?
File more than 24 hours before your operation, with 24 to 48 hours as the practical target. That gives manned pilots time to see it during flight planning. Filing more than a week ahead risks the notice going stale or your plans changing.
What is the difference between a UOA and a NOTAM?
A UOA (Unmanned Aircraft Operating Area) is the drone-specific notice you file online for routine Part 107 work. A Distance NOTAM is filed by phone and describes a hazard relative to a known reference point. Both appear on the same flight briefings that manned pilots read.
Does filing a NOTAM give me permission to fly?
No. A NOTAM only informs other pilots of your activity. You still need any required authorization, such as LAANC for controlled airspace or a waiver for night or over-people operations, before you launch.
Bottom line
Filing a NOTAM is one of the cheapest safety habits in commercial drone work, and for Part 107 it is voluntary, so the operators who do it stand out as the careful ones. Use the online UOA for routine flights, call Flight Service for anything complex, file 24 to 48 hours ahead, and keep the reference number on record. Above all, remember the notice tells other pilots you are there; it never grants you the right to be.
Ready to keep airspace notices part of every flight?
A NOTAM only helps when filing is built into how your operation runs, not bolted on the night before. DroneBundle ties airspace planning, weather, and flight records to the same mission, so the details you need to file are ready before takeoff and the confirmation lands in your audit trail.
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