UAS Integration Office Executive Director Jay Merkle announced that the FAA plans to release its remote ID ruling for UAS in July. The announcement came as Mr. Merkle was addressing Congress during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing about the safe integration of drones into the National Airspace System(NAS).
The remote ID rules, which is much like a license plate for drones, would allow the FAA, law enforcement and other public officials to look up a UAS by its broadcasted unique identifier and find out information about the pilot. Remote ID rules would go hand-in-hand with registration rules to prevent rogue drone flights around airports or other prohibited uses.
"We are working currently to ensure that we keep the policy component along with standards and remote id infrastructure all developed and harmonized," Merkle said during the hearing.
Everyone has been waiting for the FAA to release its verdict after it put out a request for information on the topic at the end of last year. Remote ID for drones is the first regulatory hurdle the FAA must overcome before the rules for flying drones over people or at night can be finalized.
Provisions were made for Remote ID in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 as it became clear that identifying all small UAS is essential for integrating UAS into the NAS safely. Once the FAA tackles remote ID, Merkle said, it will enable the agency to finalize more of its drone-related priorities.