Nearly every drone would be tracked under new FAA rule

A proposal to track nearly all remote-controlled drones went public Thursday.

This new rule from the Federal Aviation Administration would affect nearly all drones in the U.S., both recreational and commercial. The only exception are drones under .55 pounds, which don’t require FAA registration. 

Most photography drones, like the DJI Mavic, weigh about a pound and would need to comply with the new regulations. (FYI, the Propel Star Wars Quadcopter is 6 pounds.)

Called “Remote ID,” the new system would make it easier to track the location of nearly every drone flying, and identify its registered operator. The new process would be similar to registration for airplanes. Drone manufacturers would have to start incorporating tracking tools into their devices.

The FAA argues with 1.5 million drones and 155,000 remote pilots registered through the agency, better tracking is necessary to, well, keep track of what’s flying above. Security groups and some privacy advocates argue the plan would require drone operators to give up too much information. But a lot of people, including Congress, just want this rule to move along. 

The FAA’s system would collect information in real-time. Each drone would be connected to the network through a combined radio-internet broadcast or just an internet connection. 

The drone itself would have to push out all pertinent information. If someone doesn’t want to share their data, their drone would have to operate within 400 feet of a control station. 

Remote ID has been stuck in regulatory limbo since at least June 2017, and has been delayed multiple times since May of this year. You can read the 319-page proposal on the Federal Register website now, and fill out the form with your comments when it officially publishes on Tuesday. The public comment period will last for 60 days. 

If it’s approved, the FAA estimates a three-year process to get the Remote ID system up and running.