As an airplane pilot, you’re familiar with NOTAMs, but have you encountered a DROTAM? Short for “Drone Notice to Airmen,” a DROTAM is a specialized NOTAM issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to alert you about drone activity in the National Airspace System (NAS). With drones increasingly sharing the skies, understanding DROTAMs can enhance your situational awareness and safety. Here’s what you need to know.
DROTAMs exist to bridge the gap between manned and unmanned aviation. They notify you when and where drone operators—think utility companies or filmmakers—are flying, typically at low altitudes (below 400 feet AGL). Unlike traditional NOTAMs that might warn of runway closures or hazards, DROTAMs focus on drone-specific operations. They’re not airspace restrictions, but rather a heads-up to help you spot potential traffic in your flight path.
So, how do you access them? Before your next flight, check platforms like SkyVector or the FAA’s NOTAM Search tool (notams.faa.gov). Filter for UAS Operating Areas (UOA) to see active DROTAMs. Each entry includes the drone’s location (e.g., a 1-mile radius around a latitude/longitude point), altitude, and operating times. For example, a DROTAM might read: “UAS activity within 1 NM of 39.1234N/076.5678W, 200 ft AGL, 0800-1700 local.” This tells you to watch for drones during your low-altitude maneuvers, like takeoff or landing.
What should you do with this info? Treat it as advisory—adjust your scan pattern or altitude if needed, especially near small airports or rural areas where drone use is rising. You won’t file DROTAMs yourself (that’s for drone operators), but staying informed keeps you ahead of the game. Next time you’re preflighting, pull up those DROTAMs and fly with confidence, knowing you’ve got the full picture of the airspace!
We, here at CFI Academy, operate in the central valley of California, which is mostly a rural community. We do get occasional DROTAMs here, which are usually for upto 400′ AGL. The image about is for several DROTAMs from southern California, and those are going all the way up to 13,000′ AGL.
