Air 2 and remote ID standards

[Samm]

Does anyone know if the Air 2 (or any current DJI drone) will be capable of meeting the likely FAA remote ID standards? Seems they would via internet but what about broadcast?

 

[swooshdave]

Does anyone know if the Air 2 (or any current DJI drone) will be capable of meeting the likely FAA remote ID standards? Seems they would via internet but what about broadcast?

We Strongly Support Drone Remote ID. But Not Like This.

DJI Urges FAA To Reconsider Flawed Remote ID Rule

In essence they support it but agree with the FAA proposal, with good reasons.

 

[WobblingWillie]

We Strongly Support Drone Remote ID. But Not Like This.

DJI Urges FAA To Reconsider Flawed Remote ID Rule

In essence they support it but agree with the FAA proposal, with good reasons.

Swooshdave, I'm sure you meant: "In essence they support it but DISAGREE with the FAA proposal, with good reasons."

 

[swooshdave]

Swooshdave, I'm sure you meant: "In essence they support it but DISAGREE with the FAA proposal, with good reasons."

Yes, thank you for catching that.

I just got an email from the FAA and it looks like they are ignoring the advice of DJI. Not surprisingly.

 

[WobblingWillie]

Yes, thank you for catching that.

I just got an email from the FAA and it looks like they are ignoring the advice of DJI. Not surprisingly.

Yes, I think we all got it and I agree. They listen to $$$$ (Amazon et al).

 

[Samm]

Yes, I think we all got it and I agree. They listen to $$$$ (Amazon et al).

With that being the case, does it make any sense to purchase a drone now that may not meet the FAA ID requirements? Very confused about this. Will drones manufactured prior to the rules be grandfathered in? I realize no one can actually answer this now but I'm surprised more people aren't hesitant about buying given the uncertainty.

 

[z28lt1]

Note that the email you got were those companies that would help write the requirements for the technology, which primarily is focused on be the data service provider to accept remote id and let it be accessible to FAA and others as designated by the rule (that is not yet complete). Don't think we know if DJI had any interest or responded to the RFI, data (at least to the public) isn't their thing.

The rule is being refined for finalization simultaneously. We know DJI gave input into the rule, we'll have to see if that was taken.

 

[z28lt1]

With that being the case, does it make any sense to purchase a drone now that may not meet the FAA ID requirements? Very confused about this. Will drones manufactured prior to the rules be grandfathered in? I realize no one can actually answer this now but I'm surprised more people aren't hesitant about buying given the uncertainty.

No one knows. What we do know is:

• The rule, as proposed, gets phased in over 3 years from when it is finalized, which is months away, at minimum. It is possible, but not likely they change the 3 years in the final rule. So, it is likely, (but not definite) that the rule would not fully take effect for 3.5 years -- at least.
• DJI is ready to meet it's form of Remote ID -- where the drone reports to the mobile device, and the internet connected mobile device reports to the right database. That will likely work with the Air 2, and other current DJI drones. We don't know if that method will be one of the approved methods, but as the market leader, it is somewhat likely, at least.
• The drone world is changing rapidly, some for the better, some for the worse with all these regulations. Your choices will be to sit it out and wait a while to see what happens, or jump and and recognize that what you have today might not be legal forever.

By the way, while the rule not being implemented for 3+ years might seem like a good thing, for some it is, for some, it's not. The FAA sees remote ID as a key need before allowing more things such as night flights, beyond VLOS, over people, etc... Some of that is related to commercial delivery drones and such, but it surely will help the single person flyer as well.

 

[swooshdave]

I don't think DJI wanted to respond to the RFI, it might be considered a conflict of interest.

Whatever happens we can can rest assured that the FAA will select the most cumbersome, expensive and inefficient method.

 

[Kylis]

Would be nice if it were a ping like system where it doesn't have to broadcast but one can request info from said drone in the area and it sends the info back. That aside I think even that would have to be relegated to law enforcement and the like to be able to do that. I also wish drone hobbyists and individual 107 legislation was completely separate from the commercial drones companies like amazon have in mind where they are completely autonomous and there is a fleet of them. Hobbyists and individual 107 (few drones, user controlled flight, like for aerial photography and such) are completely different beasts to the fleets of drones these companies want for deliveries and should be treated differently.

I just wish I knew of the proposals before I got into drone flying (end of march), I would have written in (though from the sound of it, not like they would listen).

 

[GadgetGuy]

I just wish I knew of the proposals before I got into drone flying (end of march), I would have written in (though from the sound of it, not like they would listen).

It's kind of a moot point, as most drone flyers upgrade their equipment every 1-2 years, so the MA2 will be independently obsolete by the time any such regulations go into effect anyway. It is also a bit naive to assume that pilot error won't cut your drone's life short between now and then. Drones crash. The more you fly, the bigger the risk, but the more fun you will have. Drones are consumables. Few own them forever!

 

[Kylis]

It's kind of a moot point, as most drone flyers upgrade their equipment every 1-2 years, so the MA2 will be independently obsolete by the time any such regulations go into effect anyway. It is also a bit naive to assume that pilot error won't cut your drone's life short between now and then. Drones crash. The more you fly, the bigger the risk, but the more fun you will have. Drones are consumables. Few own them forever!

No I meant I missed the boat to write in to the legislators to voice our opinions, because I got into drones after that window closed.

 

[GadgetGuy]

No I meant I missed the boat to write in to the legislators to voice our opinions, because I got into drones after that window closed.

By the time public comment is being solicited, the decisions have already been made. The public comment period is a legal requirement, whose real purpose is to give the illusion that they will consider and value your input. In point of fact, they ignore it, and go ahead a do exactly what they had already decided to do before any of the public comments were received. Sad, but true!

 

[Samm]

By the time public comment is being solicited, the decisions have already been made. The public comment period is a legal requirement, whose real purpose is to give the illusion that they will consider and value your input. In point of fact, they ignore it, and go ahead a do exactly what they had already decided to do before any of the public comments were received. Sad, but true!

That's incredibly cynical and just not true.
Not sure about the FAA but comment periods have had an impact on environmental rules for many years. Having worked in the environmental field for over 30 years I can tell you that public comments can have a major impact. It's all about the numbers. One way to insure you have no impact is to not comment and then complain that no one listens.

 

[Reelman67]

With that being the case, does it make any sense to purchase a drone now that may not meet the FAA ID requirements? Very confused about this. Will drones manufactured prior to the rules be grandfathered in? I realize no one can actually answer this now but I'm surprised more people aren't hesitant about buying given the uncertainty.

I thought I read somewhere here on the forum, that UAVs manufactured prior to the new requirements will be relegated to flying only in designated areas (to be determined). No doubt, with onerous restrictions, in ultimately boring locations, and strict VLOS.

 

[bigslam51]

I thought I read somewhere here on the forum, that UAVs manufactured prior to the new requirements will be relegated to flying only in designated areas (to be determined). No doubt, with onerous restrictions, in ultimately boring locations, and strict VLOS.

Regulated by what?

 

[Reelman67]

Regulated by what?

FAA

 

[bigslam51]

FAA

Will they make the drones somehow unable to fly except in certain areas?

 

[Vaideeshwar]

This may be a very sophomoric statement to make (perhaps even stupid), but I will do it anyway because I am not sure if you guys have the MA2 in hand already.

I think the MA2 might already have Remote ID. There is infact an option in the Fly App that by default turns on the UUID ( dont know what that is) before every flight. Although I am unable to view what my UUID is, there is very much an option and maybe DJI will add more into the "Remote ID" section of the app in the future when the govt pushes hard on the regulation.

 

[Reelman67]

I fly a Mavic 2 Pro, for what it's worth. Hate to see it regulated to the point of inoperability. It needs a lot of space to fly. I fly well below 400 Ft AGL, and I fly safe. Perhaps in 3 years time, I will be ready to retire it, but in the mean time, I am going to fly it a lot.