Legal Definitions - navigation easement

A navigation easement is a type of easement that allows for unimpeded aircraft flights over a servient estate. An easement is an interest in land owned by another person, consisting of the right to use or control the land for a specific limited purpose. The land benefiting from an easement is called the dominant estate, while the land burdened by an easement is called the servient estate.

For example, if an airport is located near a residential area, the airport may have a navigation easement over the nearby properties to ensure that aircraft can fly over them without obstruction. This easement allows the airport to regulate navigable airspace, even if it interferes with private property rights.