Airport operations for drone pilots: traffic patterns, runways, signs and lights
Traffic pattern legs and altitude, runway numbers and markings, airport signs, beacons and VASI lights, and where to find airport data for Part 107.
Checked against the rules in force on 2026-10-01You do not need to land at airports to be tested on them. The Part 107 test wants you to know how manned aircraft move around an airport so your drone never gets in their way. Section 107.43 forbids interfering with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport or seaplane base.
The traffic pattern
A standard pattern has left turns unless a chart or segmented circle says otherwise. After takeoff the legs are departure (upwind), crosswind, downwind, base and final. Light aircraft fly the pattern at about 1,000 feet AGL unless otherwise published. At non-towered airports, pilots usually join the downwind leg at a 45° angle, abeam midfield.
On a sectional, RP followed by runway numbers means right-hand traffic for those runways.
Runways
Runway numbers are the magnetic direction rounded to the nearest 10°, without the last zero: runway 13 points about 130°. Parallel runways add L, C or R.
- A displaced threshold (white arrows before the threshold bar) may be used for takeoff and for landing from the opposite direction, but not for landing in this direction.
- Yellow chevrons mark a blast pad or stopway that cannot be used for takeoff, landing or taxiing.
- An X on a runway means it is closed.
Signs
- Red background, white letters: mandatory instruction, such as a runway holding position.
- Black background, yellow letters: your location.
- Yellow background, black letters, arrow: direction or destination.
- Black background, white number: runway distance remaining in thousands of feet.
The runway holding position marking is four yellow lines, two solid and two dashed. Aircraft approaching from the solid side must hold there.
Lights
A rotating beacon flashing white and green marks a lighted civilian land airport. A two-bar VASI shows red over white when an aircraft is on the glidepath, all white when high and all red when low. Runway end lights are red toward the runway.
Where to find airport data
The Chart Supplement lists each airport's elevation, runways, frequencies, airspace and remarks such as bird hazards. Check it, NOTAMs and the sectional before flying near any airport.
Sources: FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 11 · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 14 · 14 CFR 107.43
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A runway is numbered 13. What is its approximate direction?
At night you see a rotating beacon flashing white and green. What does it indicate?
(Refer to Figure 31.) What is the field elevation of Coeur d'Alene–Pappy Boyington Field?
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