Question 1

What is UAS SkyCheck?

Accepted Answer

UAS SkyCheck is a drone preflight intelligence tool for FAA Part 107 commercial pilots and recreational flyers. Enter a ZIP code, city, airport code, or GPS coordinates and get a complete preflight conditions overview covering airspace class, active TFRs, restricted zones, current weather, METAR conditions, solar window, GPS health, and a weighted safety score, all in one result. The pilot in command is always responsible for the final flight decision.

Question 2

Is UAS SkyCheck FAA-approved?

Accepted Answer

No. UAS SkyCheck is an independent pilot tool, not an FAA-certified product. It does not replace the official preflight actions required under 14 CFR Part 107, including obtaining LAANC authorization for controlled airspace and checking the FAA NOTAM system before commercial operations. Use it as a fast preflight reference alongside official FAA tools.

Question 3

How is this different from B4UFLY?

Accepted Answer

B4UFLY is the FAA's own app and the authoritative source for airspace class and nearby airport data. UAS SkyCheck goes further: it adds 11,184 restricted zones (national parks, wildlife refuges, stadiums, military bases, hospital helipads, tribal lands, and more), an interactive airspace map with real polygon boundaries, density altitude, solar window with civil twilight countdown, a weighted preflight safety score, and ATC tower contacts. Pilot tier adds live METAR, live TFRs, GPS health, TAF 6-hour forecasts, and wind shear analysis. Captain tier adds PDF briefing download, Automated Advisor, flight log, and NOTAM access. The two tools are complementary. Use B4UFLY for official authorization, UAS SkyCheck for a complete preflight picture.

Question 4

Do I need a Part 107 certificate to use UAS SkyCheck?

Accepted Answer

No. UAS SkyCheck is useful for any drone pilot, including recreational flyers, students, and Part 107 commercial operators alike. The tool surfaces information relevant to both Part 107 and recreational operations under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations.

Question 5

What is TRUST and do I need it?

Accepted Answer

TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) is the FAA-mandated safety test for recreational drone pilots flying under 49 U.S.C. §44809 (the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations). It is free, takes about 20 minutes, and must be completed before your first recreational flight. You must carry proof of completion and present it to FAA or law enforcement on request. TRUST is separate from Part 107: recreational flyers take TRUST, commercial operators earn a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. If you fly your drone for fun, not for money or business purposes, TRUST applies to you. If you get paid for drone work, you need Part 107 instead. Take TRUST at an FAA-approved provider: AMA (modelaircraft.org/trust), UAV Coach (uavcoach.com/trust-test), or find the full list at faa.gov.

Question 6

What are the key rules for recreational flying under §44809?

Accepted Answer

Recreational flyers under §44809 must: (1) complete TRUST before flying, (2) fly at or below 400 ft AGL in Class G airspace, (3) fly within visual line of sight at all times, (4) use LAANC or DroneZone to fly in controlled airspace (Class B/C/D/E), (5) never fly over people or moving vehicles, (6) register any drone weighing 0.55 lbs (250g) or more, (7) comply with Remote ID requirements for registered drones, and (8) fly only within community safety guidelines if operating within an FAA-recognized community organization. FRIAs (FAA-Recognized Identification Areas) are the one exception where registered drones can fly without Remote ID. UAS SkyCheck flags FRIA locations in your result.

Question 7

Does UAS SkyCheck provide LAANC authorization?

Accepted Answer

No. UAS SkyCheck tells you what airspace class you are in and whether LAANC authorization is required, but it does not issue authorization. To obtain LAANC authorization, use an FAA-approved app such as Aloft or DroneUp. UAS SkyCheck and a LAANC app are used together: check UAS SkyCheck for the full preflight picture, then obtain authorization through a LAANC app if required.

Question 8

Where does the airspace data come from?

Accepted Answer

Airspace classification is derived from FAA NASR (National Airspace System Resource) data. The airport dataset covers 1,937 airports across all 50 states, DC, and US territories, including Class B, C, D, E surface, and Class G fields. All Class D airports include tower operating hours so the system can accurately determine whether a tower is currently open and whether authorization is required.

Question 9

How current is the restricted zone data?

Accepted Answer

The restricted zone dataset covers 11,184 zones across 22 types including national parks, wildlife refuges, military operations areas, stadiums, hospital helipads, tribal lands, critical infrastructure, and more. 9,278 zones use real polygon boundaries for accurate containment. It is updated regularly as part of ongoing data expansion. Live TFRs (Pilot+) are fetched directly from the FAA NOTAM API at runtime and merged with 31 known permanent TFRs, keeping TFR data current to within 30 minutes.

Question 10

Where does the weather data come from?

Accepted Answer

Forecast weather comes from Open-Meteo, a free and open weather API using NOAA and ECMWF models. METAR observations come from the FAA/NOAA aviationweather.gov API and reflect the most recent hourly or special observation from the nearest reporting airport. TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) 6-hour outlooks and wind shear analysis also come from aviationweather.gov. Space weather (Kp index and GPS health) comes from NOAA SWPC.

Question 11

What is the safety score and how is it calculated?

Accepted Answer

The safety score is a 0-100 conditions indicator calculated by the UAS SkyCheck backend. It applies penalty points across seven categories: weather conditions (up to -40 points), airspace class and restricted zone type (up to -35), daylight window (up to -25), altitude restrictions (up to -20), space weather (up to -8), proximity to restricted zones (up to -5), and density altitude (up to -5). A higher score means fewer conditions are flagged; a lower score means more are. UAS SkyCheck does not publish a threshold score that means 'safe to fly'. What the score means for your specific flight depends on your experience, aircraft, mission, and factors the app cannot see. The score is one planning input. The pilot in command is always responsible for the go/no-go decision.

Question 12

Can I fly if my score is above a certain number?

Accepted Answer

UAS SkyCheck does not tell you whether to fly. That decision belongs to the pilot in command, and the app is intentionally designed that way. The safety score tells you how many conditions are flagged and how severe they are. A score of 90 with a single minor penalty looks very different from a score of 90 in a different airspace environment. The fly status (CLEAR, LAANC REQUIRED, RESTRICTED) reflects airspace legal status, a legal question and not a safety recommendation. Use the score, the penalty breakdown, the METAR, and the fly status together as planning inputs. Then apply your own judgment, check NOTAMs at 1800wxbrief.com or the FAA NOTAM System, and verify conditions on-site before every flight.

Question 13

Does UAS SkyCheck use AI or a language model like ChatGPT?

Accepted Answer

No. UAS SkyCheck does not use any external AI model, large language model, or machine learning system. The safety score, advisor text, and preflight briefing are generated entirely by deterministic Python code running on our own servers using weighted penalty calculations and rule-based text generation based on FAA regulations. No data from your flight checks is sent to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or any other AI provider. This means the results are fully auditable, consistent, and not subject to hallucination or third-party API outages. The word 'Automated' in 'Automated Advisor' reflects exactly that: automated rule-based analysis, not AI inference.

Question 14

What are FRIAs and how does UAS SkyCheck handle them?

Accepted Answer

FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs) are designated locations where drones without Remote ID capability may operate. UAS SkyCheck includes 711 FRIAs across all 50 states, DC, and 6 territories. Every preflight check shows whether your location is inside a FRIA boundary.

Question 15

Does checking UAS SkyCheck satisfy my Part 107 preflight requirements?

Accepted Answer

No, and this is important. Part 107 requires the remote PIC to assess conditions at the time of flight, obtain airspace authorization where required, and check FAA NOTAMs before commercial operations. UAS SkyCheck helps you complete those steps efficiently, but it is a tool, not a substitute. For commercial operations, always cross-reference with the FAA NOTAM system and obtain LAANC authorization through an approved provider.

Question 16

Can I use UAS SkyCheck as documentation for an insurance claim?

Accepted Answer

UAS SkyCheck generates a timestamped preflight record with airspace class, TFR status, restricted zone warnings, and weather conditions. Captain tier users can download this as a PDF briefing. Whether this constitutes adequate documentation for an insurance claim depends on your specific policy. Consult your insurer. That said, having a documented preflight record is always better than none.

Question 17

What should I do if UAS SkyCheck says GO but conditions change before I fly?

Accepted Answer

Do not fly. The check reflects conditions at the time it was run. TFRs can be issued with little notice, weather can deteriorate, and tower status can change. Always assess actual conditions at the flight location before launching, regardless of what a prior check showed. If you are on-site and conditions have changed materially since your last check, run a new check.

Question 18

Does UAS SkyCheck cover operations outside the United States?

Accepted Answer

No. UAS SkyCheck is designed for US operations only. The airspace data, restricted zone dataset, METAR sourcing, FRIA data, and regulatory references all apply to the US national airspace system. For international operations, consult the relevant civil aviation authority for the country where you plan to fly.

Question 19

What does the Free tier include?

Accepted Answer

The Free tier includes 5 preflight checks per day. Your first check is always instant, no account needed. Sign in free (no card) to unlock your full 5 daily checks, plus 1 saved location and 1 UAV profile. Each check includes airspace class, 11,184 restricted zone warnings, an interactive airspace map, basic weather (wind, visibility, ceiling, solar window, density altitude, TAF forecast), ATC contacts, and the full 0-100 safety score. Live TFR overlay, live METAR, and GPS health require Pilot. PDF briefing download, Automated Advisor, NOTAM access, and flight log require Captain. No credit card needed for Free.

Question 20

What does Pilot tier add over Free?

Accepted Answer

Pilot ($5.99/month or $65.99/year) unlocks live TFR overlay, live METAR, and GPS health (Kp index). It also increases your daily check limit to 10, adds a pre-flight checklist (12 items standard, 17 at night with night-specific obstacle, VLOS, and battery checks), saved locations, and UAV profiles. One month free on annual plans. PDF briefing download, Automated Advisor, NOTAM access, and flight log are available on the Captain plan.

Question 21

What does Captain tier add over Pilot?

Accepted Answer

Captain ($10.99/month or $119.99/year) increases your daily check limit to 20 and adds the flight log (save and review past briefings), the Automated Advisor (plain-language risk narrative for every check), live NOTAM access near your flight location, 5 UAV profiles, and 7 saved locations. One month free on annual plans.

Question 22

Is there a free trial for paid tiers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Pilot plan includes a 30-day free trial. A credit card is required to start, but no charge occurs during the trial period. If you cancel before day 30, no charge is made. The Captain plan does not include a trial, but includes one month free when billed annually. The Free tier is permanently free with no credit card required. You can evaluate airspace, weather, and the safety score (5 checks per day) before deciding whether a paid tier fits your operations.

Question 23

What is your refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Monthly plans are non-refundable after billing. Annual plans are eligible for a prorated refund within 30 days of purchase or renewal. See the full Refund Policy at /legal/refund for details.

Question 24

How do I cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

Log in, open your account settings, and click Manage Billing. This opens the Stripe Customer Portal where you can cancel your subscription. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You retain access until then.

Question 25

Do I need to sign in to use UAS SkyCheck?

Accepted Answer

Your first preflight check is always instant, no account needed. After that, a free account is required to run additional checks (up to 5 per day). Signing in also unlocks 1 saved location and 1 UAV profile at no cost. UAS SkyCheck uses Google OAuth, one tap with no password to create or remember.

Question 26

How do I sign in?

Accepted Answer

Tap the Sign In button in the top navigation and authenticate with your Google account. No password to create or remember -- one tap and you are in.

Question 27

Why does UAS SkyCheck only support Google sign-in?

Accepted Answer

Google sign-in is the only option by design, not by accident. When you sign in with Google, we never see or store a password. There is no password database to breach, no reset emails to send, and no credentials for an attacker to steal. Google handles the authentication entirely -- we receive only a verified identity token. For a preflight safety tool used in the field, this means faster sign-in (one tap), stronger security (Google 2FA applies automatically if you have it enabled), and one fewer thing that can go wrong. Gmail is required -- if you need access with a different email address, contact us at admin@sudokode.co and we can explore options.

Question 28

Is my data sold or shared with third parties?

Accepted Answer

No. We do not sell your data under any circumstances, including to advertisers, data brokers, or any other third party. Flight check requests, location queries, and usage data are used exclusively to operate and improve the Service. The only parties that ever process your data are our infrastructure providers (Supabase for authentication, Stripe for payments, Render for API hosting), and they operate under strict contractual obligations that prohibit using your data for their own purposes. We have no advertising partners and serve no ads. For the full picture, see the Privacy Policy at /legal/privacy.

Question 29

Does UAS SkyCheck work offline?

Accepted Answer

UAS SkyCheck is a Progressive Web App (PWA) and can be installed on iOS and Android. When offline, the app displays your last cached result with a SIMULATED DATA banner so you know the data may be stale. All live data features (TFRs, METAR, weather, space weather) require an internet connection.

Question 30

I found incorrect airspace or zone data. How do I report it?

Accepted Answer

Email admin@sudokode.co with the location, what you observed, and the official source if you have it. Data corrections are prioritized. Accurate data is the core of the product.

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