Come September 16, 2022, and the new drone Remote ID regulation that impacts both drone manufacturers and pilots will take effect in the US. Are Skydio drones prepared for the change?
Remote ID refers to the ability of an airborne drone to broadcast its identification and location information. The FAA likens it to a “digital license plate” for a drone because it will help law enforcement and other federal agencies receive information including the aircraft’s takeoff location. Authorized public safety officials will also be able to request the identity of the drone’s owner from the FAA.
As per the FAA mandate, any drone that is manufactured on or after September 16, 2022, must be Remote ID compliant. But drone pilots are not required to broadcast a Remote ID signal until September 16, 2023.
Read: FAA’s Remote ID rule for drones is constitutional, DC court rules
One type of Skydio drone that is exempt from this rule is the X2D because it is used by the Department of Defense.
Accordingly, Skydio says any new drone it produces beginning next week will have Remote ID built in, with the exception of the Skydio X2D aircraft. And all Remote ID compatible drones will be clearly identified with a special label.
The drone maker explains in a blog what the Remote ID rule means for existing Skydio drones in circulation:
If you purchased a Skydio drone that was produced prior to September 16th, 2022, you are not impacted by this change, and your drone will not broadcast Remote ID information. However, if we repair or replace your Skydio 2+ or X2E drone on or after September 16, 2022, the drone you receive back will have Remote ID built-in — regardless of its original manufacture date.
For the users of Skydio 2, 2+, or X2E aircraft that were produced prior to September 16, 2022, the drone maker says it is working to determine the best path to Remote ID compliance before the September 2023 operator deadline and plans to enable compliance via “a simple software update.”
This is similar to the approach DJI has adopted for its drones. More recently, open-source drone flight control tech company Auterion also said that all drones powered by its software can become Remote ID compliant with a single software update.
Skydio says:
Our customers are our top priority, and we are committed to helping every Skydio pilot understand what’s required to comply with the regulations. In the coming months, we will share more details for customers with non-Remote ID-enabled drones on Skydio’s plans to help them meet the operator compliance deadline before September 2023.
Read: This Blue sUAS cleared drone is now Remote ID compliant
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