The FAA has released Remote ID, the largest regulatory changes for drones in years. Here’s what this will change… #drones #remoteid #FAA #DJI

The goal behind Remote ID is to make the airspace safer given the number of drones now operating. It requires drones to broadcast their location when they fly.

The initial Remote ID proposal required each drone to maintain an Internet connection to be able to fly. Thankfully, the FAA removed this requirement.

Drones can use a simple Bluetooth or Wifi chip to broadcast their location locally. This means that expensive yearly subscriptions are likely not required. This is a big win!

Most existing @DJI, @AutelRobotics, @SkydioHQ drones can likely become compliant with a software update. Drones that can't be updated can attach a Remote ID module to broadcast the drone's location.

Remote ID will broadcast the altitude and GPS coordinates of the drone. It will also show the location of the pilot, and the information will be publicly available to see for people who are close enough to pick up the signal. The FAA will not show the name of the pilot.

The FAA is also making flying over people and vehicles a lot simpler. This applies to Part 107 certified pilots only, and not hobbyists. Your drone has to fall into 1 of 4 categories to fly over people.

Category 1 drones are less than 250 grams. These are the easiest drones to use to fly over people. Category 2 and 3 are for drones under 55 pounds and the manufacturers must submit a lot more documentation before they are approved to fly over people.

You can potentially start flying and hovering over people with a category 1 drone as soon as March 2021. You can't fly over large open assemblies of people without a Remote ID enabled drone.

Additionally, you can now fly your drone over vehicles with a Cat 1 - 4 drone in some circumstances. You can fly over a road as long as you are in transit and not hovering over it. You can also fly directly over a car with notice to the driver and in a restricted area.

Finally, Part 107 pilots can now fly their drones at night without a waiver. They must simply complete recurrent online training and have an anti-collision light. @FAADroneZone

Overall, the @FAANews did a great job incorporating feedback from their initial Remote ID proposal. You can learn more about the Remote ID regulation in this 1.5 hour YouTube video: