3 Remote ID questions

[journo]

Hi all, I'm a journalist in Seattle with a 107 and recurrent certificate; I've been flying drones commercially since 2019. I am still confused on a few things regarding remote ID implementation. I have two drones: a Mavic Mini (original gen1) and a Mavic 3.

1) As of today, 9/12/22 do I need to enable remote ID on my Mavic 3 and buy a transponder for my Mini?

2) Am I understanding correctly that my Mavic 3 already has remote ID capability?

3) What is the best transponder brand to get for my Mini, where should I attach it and do I need to sync it with DJI Fly and or Aloft (which is what I use to gain controlled airspace permissions)?

Thanks so much for any information, corrections to my knowledge and clarifications. I am very appreciative to MavicPilots and its participants. I've gained much by this board.

 

[GFields]

Hi all, I'm a journalist in Seattle with a 107 and recurrent certificate; I've been flying drones commercially since 2019. I am still confused on a few things regarding remote ID implementation. I have two drones: a Mavic Mini (original gen1) and a Mavic 3.

1) As of today, 9/12/22 do I need to enable remote ID on my Mavic 3 and buy a transponder for my Mini?

2) Am I understanding correctly that my Mavic 3 already has remote ID capability?

3) What is the best transponder brand to get for my Mini, where should I attach it and do I need to sync it with DJI Fly and or Aloft (which is what I use to gain controlled airspace permissions)?

Thanks so much for any information, corrections to my knowledge and clarifications. I am very appreciative to MavicPilots and its participants. I've gained much by this board.

There are many threads on the Remote ID subject. Look here and perhaps you'll find the answer

 

[CaseyGuy]

Hi all, I'm a journalist in Seattle with a 107 and recurrent certificate; I've been flying drones commercially since 2019. I am still confused on a few things regarding remote ID implementation. I have two drones: a Mavic Mini (original gen1) and a Mavic 3.

1) As of today, 9/12/22 do I need to enable remote ID on my Mavic 3 and buy a transponder for my Mini?

2) Am I understanding correctly that my Mavic 3 already has remote ID capability?

3) What is the best transponder brand to get for my Mini, where should I attach it and do I need to sync it with DJI Fly and or Aloft (which is what I use to gain controlled airspace permissions)?

Thanks so much for any information, corrections to my knowledge and clarifications. I am very appreciative to MavicPilots and its participants. I've gained much by this board.

FAA publishes a list of drones that meet the rule for remote identification. The Mavic 3 is on the list. The 1st gen Mavic Mini is not.
The remote ID regulation for drone pilots doesn’t go into effect until September 2023. So you have lots of time to research a broadcast module for your Mini.

 

[journo]

FAA publishes a list of drones that meet the rule for remote identification. The Mavic 3 is on the list. The 1st gen Mavic Mini is not.
The remote ID regulation for drone pilots doesn’t go into effect until September 2023. So you have lots of time to research a broadcast module for your Mini.

Thank you!

 

[journo]

There are many threads on the Remote ID subject. Look here and perhaps you'll find the answer

Thanks!

 

[Glenh]

Threads are inconclusive. They go around and around. Can you give us a definitive repository of regulations and procedures?

 

[BigAl07]

Threads are inconclusive. They go around and around. Can you give us a definitive repository of regulations and procedures?

Have you tried searching the FAA website at all?

 

[Vic Moss]

Hi all, I'm a journalist in Seattle with a 107 and recurrent certificate; I've been flying drones commercially since 2019. I am still confused on a few things regarding remote ID implementation. I have two drones: a Mavic Mini (original gen1) and a Mavic 3.

1) As of today, 9/12/22 do I need to enable remote ID on my Mavic 3 and buy a transponder for my Mini?

No, not until 9/16/23.

2) Am I understanding correctly that my Mavic 3 already has remote ID capability?

Yes, but only the Method of Compliance has been accepted, it is not active yet.

3) What is the best transponder brand to get for my Mini, where should I attach it and do I need to sync it with DJI Fly and or Aloft (which is what I use to gain controlled airspace permissions)?

There aren't any transponders available yet. You don't need to worry about it until the 2023 date.

Thanks so much for any information, corrections to my knowledge and clarifications. I am very appreciative to MavicPilots and its participants. I've gained much by this board.

You are NOT alone in your confusion. With the DJI release, the confusion went off the charts.

For not, there is nothing anyone needs to do (or can do) when it comes to any drone and Remote ID.

 

[Vic Moss]

Threads are inconclusive. They go around and around. Can you give us a definitive repository of regulations and procedures?

See my comment above.

 

[Jiffen]

It seems to me the Fed is overstepping its authority. If I purchase a perfectly legal drone, I do not think the Fed can legally make it illegal, at my expense. Is there any precedent for this?

 

[Vic Moss]

It seems to me the Fed is overstepping its authority. If I purchase a perfectly legal drone, I do not think the Fed can legally make it illegal, at my expense. Is there any precedent for this?

Plenty of precedent, vehicle license plates, N numbers for aircraft, ADS-B for aircraft.

Nothing overstepping at all. Access to the NAS is a privilege, not a right. I'm not in 100% agreement of how this has been handled, but it's here to stay.

The Feds aren't making your drone illegal, they're simply requiring the ability to track it. The DC Court of Appeals have found RID 100% legal under the RDQ ruling. It's here, and it's not going anywhere.

 

[journo]

No, not until 9/16/23.

Yes, but only the Method of Compliance has been accepted, it is not active yet.

There aren't any transponders available yet. You don't need to worry about it until the 2023 date.

You are NOT alone in your confusion. With the DJI release, the confusion went off the charts.

For not, there is nothing anyone needs to do (or can do) when it comes to any drone and Remote ID.

Excellent Vic. Thank you so much!

 

[CaseyGuy]

Threads are inconclusive. They go around and around. Can you give us a definitive repository of regulations and procedures?

I found the full text of Remote ID regulations here:
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-89

 

[Vic Moss]

I've had a conversation about this with one of my FAA folks at [email protected]. I was bugging him about it, and he finally just called me. I was on Geeksvana Wednesday night, and he wanted me to have the correct info to put out for folks.

For now, there is nothing that needs to be done if you have one of the drones that DJI (or the others) have been granted a Declaration of Compliance (DOC).

If you have a drone with the DOC, at some point you'll need to edit your registration. You can now on some, but not on others. And this is only for those that are registered under 107. I'm not sure about the 44809 registration yet, I haven't heard. But I've asked. I'll pass that along.

What you do is go into your FAA Drone Zone inventory and check to see if you can edit your drone. Some you can, and some you can't. And you can edit some that aren't even RID yet. So best thing to do is just wait until it's required.

But if you're like me and want to get things done, check you inventory. For mine, all I could do is edit my Avata. My Mavic 3s have RID MOCs, but they're not set up to edit on the DZ yet.

For my Avata, you simply click the three dots on the right of the inventory and hit "edit". That brings up the edit screen. That should automatically change the serial number on you drone. In the case of the Avata, it adds "1581F4QW" to the front of your serial number. Each of the models is different. Once that's done, you simply reprint your registration and you're good to go. I did that to my Avata, but I can't to any of the other drones I have with a DOC.

There is supposed to be a firmware update that will actually bring your drones with a DOC into compliance. But again, that's not required until 9/16/23.z

So don't panic. I've been told that FAA IT is working on getting the DZ updated, but since we have a full year, it's not a priority for them. Once it is ready, I have no doubt they'll get the word out. So stay tuned. I know we'll push it out.

I'll also pass along any more info I get from them about the how hobbyists will re-register.

Everyone have a great weekend, and fly safe!

 

[lookout]

I would figure that the manufacturer date has been sent back to December, but shouldn't general compliance also be pushed back as well?

And a mini is less than 250g, so it is not under rid unless you are using it for 107.

 

[Vic Moss]

I would figure that the manufacturer date has been sent back to December, but shouldn't general compliance also be pushed back as well?

And a mini is less than 250g, so it is not under rid unless you are using it for 107.

For now the FAA has no plans to push back the 2023 compliance date. And if you think about it, it's unlikely it will be needed. By then all manufacturers will have their drones RID compliant, and if your's can't be updated via firmware update, there will be dongles.

So it's unlikely to need to be pushed.

 

[lookout]

For now the FAA has no plans to push back the 2023 compliance date. And if you think about it, it's unlikely it will be needed. By then all manufacturers will have their drones RID compliant, and if your's can't be updated via firmware update, there will be dongles.

So it's unlikely to need to be pushed.

They gave them what maybe 3 more months? May not be a big deal for DJI we'll see. But other manufacturers maybe longer. ADS-B got waylayed back in 2020. Even some airports aren't equipped/staffed to handle ADS-B yet. But a court case hearing on the rid might have some waiting on the ruling first. Other manufacturers like DJI have anticipated it for years, maybe even the sole/biggest lobbyist for it. That changes the aspect. And DJI stated they didn't like the FAAs implementation envisioning something different.

And what phones and mobile devices will actually be capable of picking up the broadcast? Not so many.

 

[Vic Moss]

They gave them what maybe 3 more months? May not be a big deal for DJI we'll see. But other manufacturers maybe longer.

All manufacturers have been working on RID. Autel will roll it out with v3, and many others are ready to go. They just needed to get the final MOC from ASTM. No manufacturers have been sitting on the sidelines waiting. They just need to tweek their systems and apply for a DOC.

Three months should be plenty.

ADS-B got waylayed back in 2020. Even some airports aren't equipped/staffed to handle ADS-B yet. But a court case hearing on the rid might have some waiting on the ruling first.

RDQ v. FAA was the leading cause of the delay in enforcement. The law judges took way too long to get their ruling out. That's why it was delayed.

Other manufacturers like DJI have anticipated it for years, maybe even the sole/biggest lobbyist for it.

DJI didn't lobby for RID. But they did have the foresight to put it into their drones for the last few years.

That changes the aspect. And DJI stated they didn't like the FAAs implementation envisioning something different.

The FAA should have just accepted the DJI RID as the official RID. It's simple to use, and already available on over 75% of the drone in the air at the moment. It would have been a much smoother rollout.

And what phones and mobile devices will actually be capable of picking up the broadcast? Not so many.

All it takes is an app. There is one already in the Google Play store. And more than a couple more under development. They'll be ready in plenty of time for the 9/16/23 compliance date. Not an issue.

 

[mattcaz]

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[lookout]

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UAS Declaration of Compliance

UAS Declaration of Compliance

uasdoc.faa.gov