Public safety agencies that fly drones near airports can now ask for FAA airspace authorization from inside DroneSense, the drone operations platform they already use. Versaterm, which owns both DroneSense and Aloft, said in an October 7 release from Mesa, Arizona, that it has built Aloft's LAANC authorization directly into DroneSense. DroneDJ reported the integration on October 10 and described it as a way to cut the steps between a 911 call and FAA clearance for police drones operating near airports.
The announcement describes the deal one way. The FAA's own list of LAANC suppliers describes it another way, and the difference matters to agencies deciding which vendor actually handles their authorizations.
What Versaterm Announced
Versaterm says DroneSense now has native LAANC capability, so drone-as-first-responder (DFR) programs no longer have to leave the app to get airspace approval. DroneDJ reports that the integration links three things agencies have usually handled separately: computer-aided dispatch (CAD), drone flight operations and regulatory compliance. According to both Versaterm and DroneDJ, the system offers near-real-time authorization processing and automatic compliance reporting.
Existing DroneSense customers get the feature at no extra cost, according to Versaterm and DroneDJ. The release quotes Versaterm CEO Steve Seoane on the integration. It also includes a statement from an FAA spokesperson, who said partnerships like this one demonstrate how technology can support public safety operations while maintaining the safety and security of the airspace.
The product link reflects a corporate one. Versaterm's release and DroneDJ both note that Versaterm bought DroneSense in July 2025 and Aloft in February 2026. Within about eight months of the Aloft purchase, one company's authorization pipeline now runs inside the other company's operations software.
Who Actually Holds the FAA Approval?
The company's wording is precise. Versaterm describes DroneSense as "an FAA-approved LAANC Secondary Data Service Provider through its connection with Versaterm Aloft." The release also calls Aloft "the leading FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier (USS), processing the majority of LAANC authorizations." That is Versaterm's own claim, and none of the sources here confirm it independently.
The FAA's UAS Data Exchange (LAANC) page, last updated September 29, 2026, is consistent with that description. Under "Companies Providing Public LAANC Services," the page lists 12 FAA-approved UAS Service Suppliers: AirMatrix, Airspace Link, Aloft, AstraUTM, AutoPylot, Avision, Flightloop, FlightReady, Flyfreely, SkedFlex, UASidekick and Wing. A separate group, ANRA Technologies, ATA, AX Enterprize, CAL Analytics and The Longbow Group, is listed under "Companies Not Offering Public LAANC Services."
Aloft is on the list. DroneSense is not on either list. That is what you would expect if DroneSense reaches LAANC through Aloft instead of holding its own supplier approval. The FAA page does not define the term "Secondary Data Service Provider," and nothing on it describes how such an arrangement works or is overseen. So the safest reading is narrow: the FAA lists Aloft as an approved supplier, and Versaterm says DroneSense customers reach LAANC through Aloft.
What LAANC Does and Doesn't Do
According to the FAA, LAANC is available at 726 airports. It gives drone pilots access to controlled airspace at or below 400 feet through FAA-approved UAS Service Suppliers, and the FAA says pilots planning to fly under 400 feet in controlled airspace around airports must receive an airspace authorization before they fly. For a police department whose area surrounds a commercial or general aviation airport, that airspace can cover a large part of the territory a DFR program is meant to serve.
The FAA also says LAANC provides airspace authorizations only. Pilots must still check NOTAMs and weather conditions and abide by all airspace restrictions. An approval in the app does not mean a flight is otherwise cleared.
DroneDJ adds a similar caution: an integrated authorization workflow does not guarantee approval for every flight, and operators must still meet applicable FAA requirements. Moving the request into DroneSense shortens the steps between a 911 call and a submitted request. The FAA's checks of that request against its airspace data stay the same.
Why It Matters
DFR programs depend on speed. Their value comes from getting a drone over an incident quickly. Any manual step between dispatch and launch, such as opening a separate authorization app, re-entering location data or logging compliance by hand, costs time. Versaterm is offering to fold those steps into software agencies already use for dispatch and drone operations, at no added cost to current DroneSense customers. That will appeal to departments running lean drone units.
The deal also shows how the public safety drone software market is consolidating. Versaterm now sells a CAD product, a drone operations product and, through Aloft, an FAA-listed LAANC supplier. Agencies that buy into that stack may get tighter integration, and they may also become more dependent on one vendor.
For buyers checking the claims, the FAA list is the reference to use. If a procurement document or a sales pitch says DroneSense is "FAA-approved" for LAANC, the FAA's public list supports a narrower statement: Aloft is the listed supplier, and Versaterm says DroneSense's access runs through it. The FAA page does not define what "secondary" status means, so agencies should ask Versaterm directly what that relationship covers.
