Final rules for drone remote identification (remote ID) and drone operations over people went into effect on Wednesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The rules were unveiled in December 2020 and were originally supposed to take effect on March 10 but were delayed amid a regulatory freeze caused by the change in presidential administration.
“Today’s rules are an important first step in safely and securely managing the growing use of drones in our airspace, though more work remains on the journey to full integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS),” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “The Department looks forward to working with stakeholders to ensure that our UAS policies keep pace with innovation, ensure the safety and security of our communities, and foster the economic competitiveness of our country.”
According to the FAA, the remote ID rule establishes a new Part 89 in Title 14 of the code of Federal Aviation Regulations. Remote ID will work similar to a digital license plate and includes the UAS ID number, latitude, longitude, altitude, velocity, location information about the control station, emergency status, and time mark.
The final rule concerning operations over people applies to UAS pilots flying under Part 107 of the Federal Aviation Regulations and classifies flight over people and moving vehicles according to risk. This rule also provides guidelines for operations at night.
“Drones can provide virtually limitless benefits, and these new rules will ensure these important operations can grow safely and securely,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, said in a statement. “The FAA will continue to work closely with other Department of Transportation offices and stakeholders from across the drone community to take meaningful steps to integrate emerging technologies that safely support increased opportunities for more complex drone use.”