FAA Seeks Input For Remote ID Rule To Enhance Airspace Safety

“This is not futuristic technology; it exists today, and this is called our WISDM system. It can be attached to a drone and will send that registration information for the drone owner to officials,” said WhiteFox Strategic Advisor Brett Velicovich at CES 2020.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a rule that would require Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly called drones, to be identifiable remotely by other parties.

“The FAA [is requiring] every single drone to have a Remote Identification (Remote ID) system and we’ve got one of those here already developed,” said WhiteFox Strategic Advisor Brett Velicovich at CES 2020. “This is not futuristic technology; it exists today, and this is called our WISDM system. It can be attached to a drone and will send that registration information for the drone owner to officials.”

The FAA’s website states: “Remote ID would assist the FAA, law enforcement and Federal security agencies when a drone appears to be flying in an unsafe manner or where the drone is not allowed to fly.”

“It’s a big deal that this has come out, and the FAA has to deal with the largest, the most congested airspace in the entire world. What Remote ID would be able to do is to be able to fix that and let people know, ‘Hey, you’re not allowed to be operating in this airspace,’ and it gives security officials the ability to restrict that access remotely.”

The Remote ID proposal is now available for review and public comment in the Federal Register through March 2, 2020.

Watch CRNtv to find out how commercial users are taking advantage of counter-drone technology.