How to read sectional charts for Part 107

A sectional chart is a layered information product, not a simple picture of where aircraft are. First verify the chart name, effective date, scale, and legend. Use latitude and longitude or a precise map reference to locate the work site, then inspect the airspace around and above it. The chart's printed altitude values normally refer to mean sea level (MSL) unless marked otherwise; Part 107 operating limits are often expressed AGL. Terrain elevation therefore matters when converting a chart floor to height above the ground.

The chart supplement provides airport-specific details that may not fit on the map. The FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide explains symbology, but an old study figure may no longer show current boundaries or frequencies. The FAA's 2026 testing advisory says UAG image questions are moving to embedded current chart images beginning October 26, 2026; for exam preparation, learn to interpret the figure itself and the legend rather than memorizing a recycled screenshot.

Solid blue rings commonly outline Class B shelves; solid magenta rings commonly outline Class C; dashed blue boundaries commonly indicate Class D; and dashed magenta boundaries commonly indicate Class E surface areas. Floors and ceilings are printed in compact notation and require careful reading. In a common Class B shelf label, 100 over 30 places the 10,000-foot MSL ceiling above the 3,000-foot MSL floor. Check any printed exclusion marker and the chart legend before deciding whether a boundary altitude is included. Verify the chart legend and sectional supplement for the precise conventions used.

Class E extensions and shelves may lie beside or above other classes, while Class G occupies the uncontrolled airspace below the applicable controlled-airspace floor. A nearby airport icon does not prove the drone site is inside controlled airspace, and a tower frequency does not by itself establish the boundary. Identify the site in plan view, trace all boundaries that overlap the planned location, then compare intended altitude with vertical limits. Airspace class and FAA authorization are related but not identical questions: the applicable rule tells you whether approval is required.

Sectionals depict airports, terrain and obstacle information, but charted heights and symbols have specific meanings. Obstacle elevations are often shown as MSL height and height above ground; do not swap those values. Towers, antennas, and other obstacles can be a collision hazard even when no controlled-airspace authorization is needed. Airport symbols, runway layout, traffic-pattern information, and frequencies help identify activity; consult the Chart Supplement for current airport data and CTAF information.

Charts are revised periodically and NOTAMs communicate changes or temporary conditions between revisions. Before a flight, use a current chart, check NOTAMs and TFRs, and verify current authorization through FAA systems. For a test figure, answer from the depicted date and legend; for a real mission, do not assume the test figure remains operationally current. If a boundary or symbol cannot be resolved, cross-check another official FAA reference rather than guessing from color alone.