If you are in the U.S. If you intend to fly a drone in, you have to pay attention: The agency has been interested in the first technology since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued one of the largest sets of changes to American drone law. With the right license, you will soon be able to fly at night and on people. But the biggest change is this: in 2023, it may be illegal for you to fly some drones At all Unless you recreate them with their own broadcast devices.
In 2022, U.S. The government will need every new mass-produced drone weighing over 0.55 pounds (0.25 kg) to transmit your location – and I mean not just the space of your drone. You will also be able to transmit an identification number that law enforcement can cross-reference with your registration number, as well as the speed and altitude of your drone.
It’s all part of the new “remote ID” standard designed to give the FAA and law enforcement a handle on what’s really flying in the sky, and it makes sense that we just need to slap it in light of the existing system. A sticker on your drone that no one will be able to see while flying in the air. In this way, law enforcement can theoretically figure out which given drones are flying dangerously and can shut them down.
But the remote ID rule doesn’t just apply to newer drones: in 2023; Without the same broadcast your existing drone flight would be illegal. There’s no grandfathering clause for an old drone, no exemption for a home built racing drone, and it doesn’t matter if you’re flying it for entertainment or if it’s just flying indoors. You will need to re-provide it with a new broadcast module or simply fly it into a specially designated drone flying zone called the “FAA Accreditation Identification Area” according to the new rules. No such areas exist yet – the FAA will accept applications for new zones in 2022.
It is also noteworthy that the FAA does not say Exactly how Or How far These drones need to transmit their identities, mostly leaving it to manufacturers to find the best way to do it in the next 18-20 months, while U.S. The new drones sold in will have to comply. The spokesperson writes, “At this time, no compliance instrument has been FAA-approved.
For a DJI-style drone that already packs a lot of tech pac g and is already connected to your smartphone, it may theoretically be as simple as sending an extra signal every time, but that’s what the FAAA finally decides to allow. Depends on it. The DJI declined to comment for this story, which makes me wonder if I was wrong.
Notably, while the DJI opposed the FAA’s original proposal, which would require each drone to transmit their remote IDs over the Internet, the final rules clearly do not require an Internet connection and suggest that manufacturers may use shorter distances. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Here is a statement from self-flying drone maker Skydio: “We are reviewing the FAA’s new rule on remote identification, which has been in effect for about 30 months. There is no immediate effect on Skydio customers. We are working closely with the FAA and taking steps to ensure our current and future products comply with the new structure. “
If these broadcasts prove difficult to add. Or if people are worried about revealing their location, they could change the way drones are made and sold. Companies like DJI are already trying to keep some drones under the 0.55 pound weight limit so buyers don’t have to legally register them with the FAA. Now, more drones are convenient, and manufacturers of cheap flying toys may think twice about crossing that weight limit. Even racing drones designed to lose as much weight as possible may now need to build a potential remote ID transmitter in their build.
And just because you’ve got a remote ID transmitter doesn’t mean you can keep an eye on your drone, by the way. The line of sight rule still applies. “People who operate drones with remote ID broadcast modules should be able to see their drones at all times during the flight,” an FAA spokesman wrote. Edge There is no discount for drones built at home. “[FAA-Recognized Identification Areas] “Manned aircraft (drones and radio-controlled model aircraft) can only operate without the transmission of remote ID message elements without other FAA authorization,” he wrote.
If you’re a professional, licensed drone operator, there’s some very interesting and long-awaited news today, along with the remote ID rule, though: The FAAA has finally decided to allow you to fly drones over people, at night, and in some. . Also the case of moving vehicles without applying for special exemption.
Flying at night requires extra training and anti-collision lights “It can be seen for 3 law miles and has a sufficient flash rate to avoid collisions.” Flying over people depends on how dangerous your drone is in terms of weight and sharp propeller blades. There are four classes of drones:
A Category 1 qualified small unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 0.55, include all items on board or otherwise attached, and must not have any exposed moving parts that draw human skin. No FAA-approved Means of Compliance (MOC) or Declaration of Compliance (DOC) is required.
A Category 2 character should not injure a human in a small unmanned aerial vehicle that has a magnitude of injury greater than or equal to the displacement of an 11-foot pound of dynamic energy at the impact of a hard-to-fly, no open rotation. Parts that can lead to human skin due to human impact, and have no safety defects. FAA-approved means of compliance and FAA-approved declaration of compliance are required.
A Category 3 character should not injure a human in a small unmanned aircraft that has a magnitude of injury greater than or equal to the displacement of a 25-foot pound of dynamic energy at the impact of a hard-to-reach, no open rotation. Parts that can lead to human skin due to human impact, and have no safety defects. FAA-approved means of compliance and FAA-approved declaration of compliance are required.
A Class 4 qualified small unmanned aircraft must have a weather certificate issued under Part 21 of FAA regulations. Must be operated in accordance with operating operating limits specified in the approved flight manual or otherwise specified by the operator. Limit operating limitations should not prohibit operation on humans. There must be maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations or inspections in accordance with the specific requirements of the final rule.
You cannot fly a small Category 1 or Category 2 drone over people unless you have a remote ID transmitter, while a Category 3 cannot be flown over “human open-air assemblies”, only in private areas where people are under either. covered structures or warned that the drone will fly over. Regardless, you will need a 107-piece permit to fly at night or on all people, which means taking a test and getting a license. These specific rules should be implemented in about two months.
There is a full text of the FAA’s Executive Summary (PDF) and Remote ID Rule (PDF) on Flight to People so you can read it for yourself. The FAAA has noticed a lot of public comments and suggestions out there, so if you’re wondering why they chose to go this way, it’s worth reading.
