Special Use Airspace
~11 min read · Separate prohibited, restricted, MOA, alert and warning areas — and who may enter.
Special use airspace is the chart's 'here be dragons' layer. The exam tests one distinction above all: Prohibited and Restricted areas can bar you outright, while MOAs, Alert, and Warning areas demand only extra vigilance.
Prohibited and Restricted areas
Prohibited areas (P-xx) ban flight, period — national-security sites like the White House (P-56). Restricted areas (R-xx) contain invisible hazards such as artillery fire, aerial gunnery, or guided missiles; entry when the area is active requires permission from the using or controlling agency. Both appear on sectionals with blue hatched borders and identifiers; the chart margin (or FAA resources) lists altitudes, times of use, and the controlling agency.
- P = never (no sUAS entry)
- R = only with permission when active; check times of use
- Blue hatched boundaries with P-/R- numbers on the chart
MOAs, Alert, Warning, and CFAs
Military Operations Areas separate military training (air combat maneuvers, low-level flying) from IFR traffic — VFR/sUAS entry is legal but demands maximum vigilance. Alert areas (A-xx) mark high volumes of pilot training or unusual activity — legal to enter, see and avoid. Warning areas (W-xx) are Restricted-like hazards over international waters starting 3 NM offshore. Controlled Firing Areas never appear on charts because activities stop when spotters see approaching aircraft.
- MOA: legal entry, military traffic — vigilance
- Alert: legal entry, concentrated training
- Warning: offshore hazard area (3+ NM out)
- CFA: uncharted — activity halts for traffic
Other chart hazards for sUAS
Military Training Routes (MTRs) print as gray lines labeled VR/IR plus digits: routes with 4-digit numbers are flown at or below 1,500 ft AGL — exactly where drones live; 3-digit routes include segments above 1,500 ft. Also respect National Security UAS Flight Restrictions over sensitive facilities, stadium TFRs, and national parks rules (launch/land restrictions come from the Park Service, not the FAA).
Worked example
A pipeline survey route crosses (1) an MOA active weekdays 0800–1700, (2) the corner of R-5701 marked 'intermittent by NOTAM', and (3) an MTR labeled VR1207. The flight is Saturday morning. What clearance work does each segment need?
MOA: Saturday is outside the charted active times, and even when active, entry is legal with vigilance — no permission required, but check for NOTAMs. R-5701: restricted areas are entered only with permission from the controlling agency when active; 'intermittent by NOTAM' means you must check NOTAMs, and if active, obtain permission or reroute. VR1207: four digits = at or below 1,500 ft AGL, high-speed military traffic possible at your altitude; it is legal to cross but scan aggressively and minimize time on the route. Only the restricted area can actually stop the mission.
Common exam pitfalls
Treating an MOA like a restricted area.
MOA entry is legal without permission — the requirement is vigilance, not clearance. Only P and (active) R areas bar entry.
Ignoring MTR digits.
Four digits (VR1207) = the route runs at or below 1,500 AGL, in the sUAS altitude band. Three digits = segments above 1,500.
Assuming an 'intermittent' restricted area is inactive.
Intermittent means check NOTAMs every time — status changes by activation, not by schedule alone.
P stops everyone, R stops you when hot, MOA and Alert just raise your heartbeat, W is R at sea.
Recap
- Prohibited: no entry ever
- Restricted: permission required when active; verify times/NOTAMs
- MOA and Alert areas: legal entry, heightened vigilance
- Warning areas: offshore hazard zones from 3 NM out
- CFAs are uncharted because activity stops for aircraft
- MTRs: 4-digit routes fly at/below 1,500 AGL — drone altitude
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