A new proposed rule will require all drones in U.S. airspace to be identifiable remotely.
The Remote ID requirement is the next step in theU.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) goal for safe integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly called drones.
“As a pilot, my eye is always on safety first,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson in a statement. “Safety is a joint responsibility between government, pilots, the drone community, the general public and many others who make our nation so creative and innovative.”
Nearly 1.5 million drones and 160,000 remote pilots currently are registered with the agency. Remote ID would apply to all drones that are required to register with the FAA (recreational drones weighing under 0.55 pounds are not required to register), as well as to persons operating foreign civil UAS in the U.S.
Equipping drones with remote identification technologies would build on previous steps taken by the FAA and the UAS industry to safely integrate operations, including the small UAS rule, which covers drones weighing less than 55 pounds, and the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), which automates the application and approval process for most UAS operators to obtain airspace authorizations, according to the agency.
“Remote ID technologies will enhance safety and security by allowing the FAA, law enforcement, and federal security agencies to identify drones flying in their jurisdiction,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao reiterated in a statement.
The agency will seek input on the new proposed rule. It will be accompanied by a 60-day comment period to receive public feedback and help the FAA develop a final rule to enhance safety in the skies over the U.S, according to the agency.
These efforts lay the foundation for more complex operations, such as those beyond visual line of sight at low altitudes, as the FAA and the drone industry move toward a traffic management ecosystem for UAS flights separate from, but complementary to, the air traffic management system, the FAA stated.