The FAA policy, for exercising discretion in determining whether to take enforcement action for drone operators found in breach of the Remote ID Rule, ended on March 16, 2024.
Drone operators in the USA can now face fines and suspension or revocation of their drone pilot certificate if found not to be in compliance with the FAA’s Remote ID Rule.
The FAA developed standards for remotely identifying operators and owners of drones following direction from Congress.
Remote ID lays the foundation of the safety and security groundwork needed for more complex drone operations. It acts like a digital license plate and is designed to support the FAA, law enforcement, and other federal agencies, in locating the drone control station when an unmanned aerial system appears to be flying in an unsafe manner or within restricted airspace.
Pilots who operate drones that are required to be registered, must comply with the Remote ID Rule. This video by the FAA provides additional information:
The FAA is committed to working towards fully integrating drones into the National Airspace System (NAS). All drones manufactured after December 16, 2022 must have built-in Remote ID. Drones built before this date must be retrofitted with a third-party Remote ID Broadcast Module.
The Remote ID serial number attached to a Remote ID broadcast module must registered with this FAA, further details are available here on the FAA website.
All drones flown in the USA for recreation, business, or public safety, must comply with the rule on Remote ID, unless operated within a FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA).
Military UAS, and leisure drones weighing less than 250g / 0.55lbs, are not subject to this ruling and it does not apply to unmanned aerial vehicles operated outside of the USA.
