Drones and planes share the skies at the world's busiest airport

The first federally-approved drone flights have begun at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Drones are generally not allowed in Class B airspace -- the type of airspace that surrounds Hartsfield-Jackson and other busy commercial airports -- without special permission.

But last December the Federal Aviation Administration began allowing the first Class B drone flights to take off.

In Class B airspace around the Atlanta airport -- the world's busiest -- drones have already been used to capture images of a quarry and to create a 3D model of airport parking garages, and will soon be used to get a good view of the airfield to prepare for runway repairs.

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

To read more about how the first drone flights at Hartsfield-Jackson were done safely while airline flights took off and landed, and why drones are being used, get the full story on MyAJC.com.

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