Remote ID: What It Is and What You Need to Do About It
Remote ID is basically a digital license plate for your drone. While you’re flying, your drone broadcasts identification and location data that anyone with a receiver app can pick up — law enforcement, FAA inspectors, even bystanders with the right app on their phone. The FAA has been moving toward this for years, and as of 2025-2026, it’s fully enforced.
Three Ways to Comply
You’ve got three options, and the right one depends on your equipment:
Built-in Remote ID: If your drone was manufactured after mid-2022, it probably has Remote ID baked into the firmware. DJI, Autel, and Skydio all shipped compliant updates. Check your drone’s settings — there’s usually a Remote ID status indicator in the app. Make sure your firmware is current.
Broadcast module: For older drones, you can bolt on an external broadcast module. These are small, relatively cheap ($50-150), and register separately through FAA DroneZone. I had to add one to my Mavic 2 Pro since it didn’t get a firmware update for built-in compliance.
Fly at a FRIA: FAA-Recognized Identification Areas — usually model aircraft club fields and similar designated locations — don’t require Remote ID equipment. Practical for hobbyists who fly at a club, but useless for commercial work.
What Gets Broadcast
Your drone sends out a packet of data while flying: its unique registration identifier, GPS coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude), ground speed, your control station location or takeoff point, and a timestamp. All of this is receivable by anyone within Bluetooth or Wi-Fi range using an app like OpenDroneID.
Enforcement Is Real
The FAA’s discretionary enforcement period ended in 2025. Flying without proper Remote ID compliance outside of a FRIA can result in fines up to $27,500 per violation, certificate suspension for Part 107 holders, or both. The cost of a broadcast module is a lot less than any of those penalties. Get compliant if you haven’t already.
