Glossary of Terms
AAO: Acronym for “Authorized Area of Operation”
A volume of airspace that will require aircraft flying specific mission profiles, such as BVLOS, to meet minimum standards established by the FAA related to its CNS capability and overall performance. An AAO may be established in areas of dense UAS traffic or other circumstances that increase the overall risk to flight operations.
AGL: Acronym for “Above Ground Level”
One of two measures commonly used in aviation for altitude: the height of the aircraft above the local terrain. Contrast with “MSL.”
ATC: Acronym for “Air Traffic Control”
A system established by FAA to maintain separation between aircraft operating in the NAS and to make efficient use of airspace. The backbone of this system are the human controllers in airport control towers and regional centers that monitor the position of aircraft using radar and communicate with their pilots using radio. With certain, rare exceptions, ATC interacts exclusively with crewed air traffic.
BVLOS: Acronym for “Beyond Visual Line of Sight”
UAS flight operations conducted
