Drone Remote Identification – Rule is Taking Effect

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Final rules took effect in the US on April 21 for remotely identifying drones and allowing operators of small drones to fly over people and at night under certain conditions.

The ruling is a response to the expanding drone market. In 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), through Part 107 of its rules, started granting waivers for commercial entities to operate drones in the U.S., which resulted in exponential growth in the U.S. drone industry. Now the FAA is implementing a new rule section, Part 89, which will create a regulatory environment wherein drone operations can be fully integrated into U.S. airspace and enable greater commercial operational capabilities of drones, while promoting safety and security. 

The Remote Identification (Remote ID or RID) rule provides for identifying drones in flight and the location of their control stations, reducing the risk of them interfering with other aircraft or posing a risk to people and property on the ground. 

Remote rule would allow authorized people to identify any drone in the airspace and connect them with a pilot, much like an automobile license plate identifies a vehicle and that vehicle’s owner.

The rule provides crucial information to national security and law enforcement partners and other agencies charged with ensuring public safety. It applies to all drones that require FAA registration.

“Today’s rules are an important first step in safely and securely managing the growing use of drones in our airspace, though more work remains on the journey to full integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS),” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, as cited by ajot.com.