Czech startup Dronetag has developed the small, flat Dronetag Mini transmitter that can be affixed to drones in order to ensure compliance with direct remote ID and network ID regulations being introduced around the globe.
The Dronetag Mini can be attached to any drone to share its identity and flight details with civil aviation authorities, as well as other UAV pilots. Described as being “larger than half of your favorite müsli bar” and weighing only 32 grams, the Mini is mainly targeted to operators of drones manufactured before internal remote ID tech became – or will become – obligatory by different regulators around the world. With a battery holding a charge of up to 14 hours – over 20 times longer than the average drone cell – the Mini ensures a host UAV is visible to all air traffic participants whenever it’s aloft.
Dronetag’s Mini receives the drone’s coordinates from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and EGNOS satellites. It then sends the craft’s position, along with its identification data, in real time via mobile network to the central control system operated by aviation authorities. It additionally shares that information via Bluetooth to all airspace users in the general area. The Mini also features an extension port for connecting to, and remote control of, third-party peripheral devices.
The company says that combination of tech and capabilities not only meets regulations currently being rolled out at differing paces around the world, but also makes it future-proof to modifications of those.
The Mini was developed through the European Space Agency’s ASPIRE program, which helps innovating small- and medium-sized companies develop space technologies and take them to market.
The device’s use is facilitated by a dedicated smartphone and web app that allows pilots to consult intended flight zones, plan their flights, obtain any official authorization required, and keep an interactive flight journal for an unlimited number of drones. The app can also be connected to other air traffic management systems, permitting users to see all other drones and aircraft in the same space, and receive notifications from air traffic controllers.
“The number of drones being used all over Europe has been growing very fast, leading the European Union to create new regulations,” said Dronetag CEO Lukáš Brchl. “These can be restrictive if operators don’t have the right setup. Our device and app together make it easy to comply with these regulations and will help to enable applications such as drone shows and deliveries by drone, which we expect to become increasingly common.”
Designed primarily for enterprise drone customers but also open to private pilots, the Mini is available on Dronetag’s sales page for €249, or about $285.
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