Drone Remote ID requirements apply to every drone that is registered or required to be registered with the FAA, including drones flown for business, public safety and recreation. Under 14 CFR Part 89, you can comply in one of three ways: fly a Standard Remote ID drone with built-in broadcast capability, attach an FAA-accepted Remote ID broadcast module, or fly a drone without Remote ID equipment inside an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA). Because Part 107 requires registration regardless of weight, every commercial drone must meet one of these options.
What Is Remote ID?
The FAA describes Remote ID as the ability of a drone in flight to provide identification and location information that other parties can receive through a broadcast signal. The agency compares it to a digital license plate: it helps the FAA, law enforcement and other federal agencies locate the control station when a drone appears to be flying unsafely or where it is not allowed to fly.
The operating requirement took effect on September 16, 2023. The FAA then allowed a six-month period of enforcement discretion, which ended on March 16, 2024. Since then, operators who do not comply can face fines and the suspension or revocation of their drone pilot certificates. The FAA’s Remote Identification of Drones page is the official starting point for current guidance.
Which Drones Must Comply With Remote ID?
Section 89.101 applies the rule to anyone operating an unmanned aircraft that is registered or required to be registered under 14 CFR Part 47 or Part 48, and to foreign civil drones flown in the United States. The deciding question is registration, not the purpose of the flight.
Part 107 Operations
Part 107 requires every civil small drone to be registered before it flies, and the small-drone registration exception covers only aircraft of 0.55 pounds (250 grams) or less flown exclusively for recreation. That means a drone used for real estate photography, inspections, mapping, agency work or any other non-recreational purpose must be registered and must meet Remote ID requirements, even if it weighs less than 250 grams.
Recreational Flyers and Drones Under 250 Grams
A recreational flyer whose drone weighs 250 grams or less on takeoff is not required to register it and therefore is not required to use Remote ID. However, the FAA states that drones which are registered must comply, so a sub-250-gram drone that has been voluntarily registered is covered. If you are unsure whether a flight is recreational or commercial, our guide to FAA drone license requirements explains the difference.
Three Ways to Meet Drone Remote ID Requirements
Part 89 sets out three compliance paths, each with its own operating conditions.
| Option | What it is | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Remote ID drone | A drone produced with built-in Remote ID that broadcasts identification and location for both the drone and the control station | Serial number listed on an FAA-accepted declaration of compliance; broadcasts from takeoff to shutdown; Remote ID must not be disabled |
| Remote ID broadcast module | A separate device attached to a drone without built-in Remote ID that broadcasts the drone’s identification, location and take-off location | Module listed on an FAA-accepted declaration of compliance; pilot must be able to see the drone at all times; module checked before takeoff |
| FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) | A defined area where drones without Remote ID equipment may fly | Drone and pilot stay inside the FRIA boundaries for the whole flight; visual line of sight is required |
What a Standard Remote ID Drone Broadcasts
Under 14 CFR 89.305, a Standard Remote ID drone must be able to broadcast its identity (a serial number or, in the future, a session ID), the latitude, longitude and geometric altitude of both the drone and the control station, the drone’s velocity, a UTC time mark and its emergency status. It must also self-test before takeoff and must not be able to take off if Remote ID is not working.
What a Broadcast Module Broadcasts
A broadcast module sends its own serial number, the drone’s position, altitude and velocity, the take-off location and elevation, and a time mark. It reports where the drone took off rather than where the pilot is standing, and it must broadcast directly from the drone.
When a FRIA Makes Sense
Only FAA-recognized community-based organizations and educational institutions can request a FRIA, and once approved it is available to anyone with permission to access the site. For most commercial work a FRIA is not practical, because jobs take place at client sites rather than fixed flying fields.
How to Register a Remote ID Drone or Broadcast Module
Registration and Remote ID are linked. For a Standard Remote ID drone, your Certificate of Aircraft Registration must include the drone’s Remote ID serial number. For a drone using a broadcast module, the registration must include the module’s serial number.
First, confirm in the FAA’s Declaration of Compliance system that your drone or module is on an FAA-accepted declaration, and locate the Remote ID serial number, which may be on the aircraft, the controller or a start-up menu. The FAA’s steps for a new Part 107 device are:
- Log in to, or create an account on, FAADroneZone and select Launch Drone Owners and Pilots Dashboard.
- Confirm that you are on the Part 107 Dashboard, then open Manage Device Inventory.
- Select Add Device and answer Yes to the Remote ID question.
- Choose the device type, either Standard Remote ID drone or Remote ID broadcast module. For a module, list the drone’s make and model.
- Enter the Remote ID serial number, select Add Device and complete the registration.
For a drone already registered under Part 107, edit the listing, change the Remote ID answer to Yes and add the serial number. Part 107 registration costs $5 per drone and is valid for three years, and Part 107 pilots must register each Standard Remote ID drone or broadcast module separately, with a unique registration number for each device. The FAA’s drone registration page lists the current fees and requirements.
Two physical requirements also apply: the registration number must be legibly displayed on an external surface of the drone, and you must carry your registration certificate, on paper or digitally, whenever you fly.
Remote ID Preflight and In-Flight Requirements
Remote ID is an operating rule, not just an equipment rule. The remote pilot in command should build these checks into every flight:
- Before takeoff, confirm the Remote ID self-test has passed. With a broadcast module, Section 89.115 requires the person manipulating the controls to make sure the module is functioning before takeoff.
- From takeoff to shutdown, the drone or module must broadcast the required message elements.
- If the broadcast stops in flight, land as soon as practicable. Both Section 89.110 and Section 89.115 set this requirement.
- Never disable or tamper with Remote ID. A Standard Remote ID drone may be operated only if its Remote ID equipment is functional and has not been disabled.
- Keep visual line of sight. Section 107.31 requires it for Part 107 flights, and Part 89 repeats it for broadcast modules and FRIAs.
Remote ID does not replace any other Part 107 requirement. You still need an airspace authorization for controlled airspace; our guide to LAANC authorization explains how to request one.
Remote ID and Operations Over People
Remote ID also affects the operations over people rules. Under Sections 107.110, 107.115 and 107.140, a remote pilot may conduct sustained flight over open-air assemblies of people under Category 1, 2 or 4 only if the drone meets the Standard Remote ID or broadcast module requirements. Flying inside a FRIA does not satisfy this condition. Category 3 operations may not be conducted over open-air assemblies at all. Crews who cover events or crowded work sites should confirm Remote ID status during mission planning.
When You May Fly Without Remote ID
Part 89 allows only narrow exceptions to the broadcast requirement:
- Flights inside an approved FRIA, under the conditions described above.
- Operations the FAA authorizes solely for aeronautical research or to show compliance with regulations (Section 89.120), through a Remote ID Letter of Authorization. The FAA notes that some other operations, such as drone light shows conducted under an FAA waiver, may also be eligible.
Outside these cases, plan on full Remote ID compliance for every registered drone in your fleet.
Common Remote ID Compliance Mistakes
- Assuming a drone under 250 grams is exempt for business use. Under Part 107 it must be registered, so Remote ID applies.
- Not updating an older registration. If a drone was listed before it had Remote ID, update the listing so the Remote ID serial number appears on the registration.
- Moving a broadcast module without updating Part 107 records. The registration for each drone flown under Part 107 must show the module serial number used on that aircraft.
- Treating Remote ID as an airspace approval. It identifies the aircraft; it does not authorize flight in controlled or restricted airspace.
Building Remote ID Into Your Training and Procedures
Remote ID is easiest to manage as a written routine: confirm registration and serial numbers when an aircraft joins the fleet, verify the self-test on every preflight checklist, and brief crews on what to do if the broadcast fails.
Drone Universities has trained pilots since 2014. Our FAA Certified Flight Instructors travel to clients anywhere in the United States and teach one-on-one or in groups. Individuals preparing for the FAA knowledge test can start with our in-person Part 107 test preparation, and businesses and agencies can arrange corporate drone training so that every crew member follows the same registration, Remote ID and preflight procedures. To book a session, request training online or call 1.818.255.0406.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all drones need Remote ID?
No. Remote ID applies to drones that are registered or required to be registered. A drone of 250 grams or less flown only for recreation and not registered does not need it. Any drone flown under Part 107 must be registered and must comply.
How do I know if my drone has Standard Remote ID?
Look up the drone in the FAA’s Declaration of Compliance system, and ask the manufacturer if you cannot find its Remote ID serial number.
Does Remote ID broadcast my location?
A Standard Remote ID drone broadcasts the location and altitude of the control station along with the drone’s data. A broadcast module broadcasts the take-off location instead.
What happens if I fly without complying with Remote ID?
Since the FAA’s enforcement discretion ended on March 16, 2024, operators who do not comply can face fines and the suspension or revocation of their drone pilot certificates.
