How does RID work?

[Berf]

If my controller is connected to the internet via WiFi, does it transmit my RID info over the internet to some server? Or is RID only transmitted by the drone itself when it gets pinged? And how exactly is the signal "broadcast"? I see references to both WiFi and Bluetooth. I don't understand how it could use WiFi unless it is working through your controller. Can someone better explain the mechanics of it?

 

[msinger]

Or is RID only transmitted by the drone itself when it gets pinged?

If flying an RID enabled DJI drone, the RID data will be automatically broadcast from the drone via Wi-Fi. Or you can attach an external RID module to the drone to handle that functionality.

 

[Berf]

My drone is not connected to WiFi, only my controller. There are no WiFi hotspots in the air for it to connect to. This is why I'm corn-fused.

Are you just saying it uses the same frequencies as WiFi to transmit on?

 

[msinger]

Are you just saying it uses the same frequencies as WiFi to transmit on?

Correct. It doesn't connect to Wi-Fi, it emits a Wi-Fi single for nearby RID receivers to receive the RID broadcast.

 

[Berf]

Correct. It doesn't connect to Wi-Fi, it emits a Wi-Fi single for nearby RID receivers to receive the RID broadcast.

Ok, thanks, that makes more sense.

I've heard there is some sort of app being developed to see the RID. Does this only work if you're in close proximity to the drone and can actually receive its signal, or is the RID also transmitted through the internet from the controller to show its location?

 

[msinger]

Does this only work if you're in close proximity to the drone and can actually receive its signal

Yes. Depending on the type of antenna attached to the receiver, the signal can probably be received from quite a distance.

is the RID also transmitted through the internet from the controller to show its location?

While this would be possible too, I doubt this is going to be a common use case.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Wifi is simply a radio broadcast specification, defining frequency and what the signal looks like. It has nothing to do with the internet, per se.

In essence when your drone is broadcasting RID information it is acting as a member or an ad-hoc wifi network, and can be connected to by any other device capable of joining an ad-hoc network (your smartphone can).

 

[Daytona500]

WiFi definition and meaning. Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet access. A common misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity," however Wi-Fi is a trademarked phrase that refers to IEEE 802.11x standards.

 

[Droning on and on...]

WiFi definition and meaning. Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet access. A common misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity," however Wi-Fi is a trademarked phrase that refers to IEEE 802.11x standards.

Hmmm... where did you get that definition? I'm having issue with the reference to internet access in particular.

 

[msinger]

Or ask ChatGPT:

"A Wi-Fi signal, also known as a wireless signal, refers to the radio waves used to transmit data wirelessly between electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and routers. The term "Wi-Fi" stands for "Wireless Fidelity" and is a technology that allows devices to connect to the internet or communicate with each other without the need for physical wired connections.

A Wi-Fi signal operates within the radio frequency range, specifically in the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 5 gigahertz (GHz) bands. These frequencies are unlicensed and available for public use, which allows for widespread adoption and use of Wi-Fi technology.

When a device, such as a laptop or smartphone, is equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter or chipset, it can receive and transmit data using these radio waves. The data is typically encoded and modulated into the radio waves, which are then transmitted through the air. A Wi-Fi router acts as a central hub that receives data from connected devices and relays it to other devices or to the internet through a wired connection."

 

[Droning on and on...]

Well there you have it. AI has spoken.

 

[DJ Wes]

Or ask ChatGPT:

"A Wi-Fi signal, also known as a wireless signal, refers to the radio waves used to transmit data wirelessly between electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and routers. The term "Wi-Fi" stands for "Wireless Fidelity" and is a technology that allows devices to connect to the internet or communicate with each other without the need for physical wired connections.

A Wi-Fi signal operates within the radio frequency range, specifically in the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 5 gigahertz (GHz) bands. These frequencies are unlicensed and available for public use, which allows for widespread adoption and use of Wi-Fi technology.

When a device, such as a laptop or smartphone, is equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter or chipset, it can receive and transmit data using these radio waves. The data is typically encoded and modulated into the radio waves, which are then transmitted through the air. A Wi-Fi router acts as a central hub that receives data from connected devices and relays it to other devices or to the internet through a wired connection."

And that is why you cannot blindly trust chatgpt.

 

[msinger]

And that is why you cannot blindly trust chatgpt.

... or drive-by comments..

 

[anotherlab]

Wi-Fi is a brand and covers a series of protocols that use the IEEE 802.11 standard. Think of it as the transport mechanism that various network protocols use. Wired connections can use Ethernet to implement the networking, on Wi-Fi, they use the 802.11 protocols. Not all of the protocols require a two-connection. Wireless routers and access points broadcast their SSID to any device that wants to connect. RID is also a one-way broadcast protocol.

RID is just a protocol that can go over 802.11. There is a proposed standard called Drone Remote ID Protocol (drip), that is being designed for all of the civil aviation authorities worldwide, not just the FAA. DRIP defines the RID message packets that can be sent over 802.11 (and also Bluetooth).

This means that on a device with enough low-level access to the networking stack, anyone could write or install an app that could pickup and decode DRIP RID messages. Like this one for Android.

 

[Daytona500]

Hmmm... where did you get that definition? I'm having issue with the reference to internet access in particular.

I googled wi-fi definition

 

[Dave Maine]

As mentioned already, WIFI is simply a radio frequency standard for signals broadcasting and receiving at either 2.5 MHz, or 5.8 MHz with some specific protocols for use.

It is relatively short range and is easily interfered with by other strong signals. By itself, it doesn’t connect to anything else. Other applications, also using the same frequency and channel can receive and transmit information on it. They, in tern can initiate additional actions like relaying some or all of the information on, for instance, to the internet.

 

[Berf]

Disregarding the WiFi definition discussion: If a cell phone that is connected to the internet is running an app and can ping your drone and get it's RID info, then does that same phone then send that data over the internet to a server somewhere that then enables other users of the app to also see the data?

Another words, if one person is in close enough proximity to ping your drone and get its RID, then can all other users of the app also see its location and info?

 

[Dave Maine]

It depends on what that app is programmed to do. iOS itself does not. Don't know about android or the other systems used on phones.

 

[msinger]

Another words, if one person is in close enough proximity to ping your drone and get its RID, then can all other users of the app also see its location and info?

Could that happen? Certainly. Will it happen? That depends on the features built into the application being used to collect the data. I suspect most (all?) existing applications do not share collected data today.

 

[IronSky1]

There is no real setup to remoteID (which is just like a transponder in aircraft) the manfacture does that. You can login via a 192 ip range however, no need to just turn it on. Then run an app like OpenDroneID for Android (not sure if they have IOS) and you will see your ID on location map. Here is snap of mine on my Matrice . Very simple nothing to do. Eventually we will need to add to USA FAA registration we use for our plus 249gram drones.