Eight companies selected to help establish requirements for future Remote ID suppliers

May 6, 2020 | AUVSI News

On Tuesday, May 5, the FAA announced the eight companies that will help the Federal government establish requirements for future suppliers of Remote Identification (Remote ID). With Remote ID, UAS will be able to provide identification and location information while operating in the nation’s airspace.

Through a Request for Information process in Dec. 2018, Airbus, AirMap, Amazon, Intel, One Sky, Skyward, T-Mobile, and Wing have been selected to develop technology requirements for future Remote ID UAS Service Suppliers (USS).

“The FAA will be able to advance the safe integration of drones into our nation’s airspace from these technology companies’ knowledge and expertise on remote identification,” says U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

This initial group will support the FAA in the development of technology requirements for other companies to develop applications needed for Remote ID. The applications will provide safety and security authorities with UAS identification and location information while these systems are in flight.

The technology is being developed simultaneously with the proposed Remote ID rule. Once the final rule is published, application requirements will be announced, and the FAA will begin accepting applications for entities to become Remote ID suppliers. The FAA will provide updates when other entities can apply to become qualified Remote ID USS on FAA.gov.

The FAA says that its ability to develop Remote ID technology simultaneously with the rule allows it to continue to build on a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system that has demonstrated global leadership through the small UAS rule and the implementation of the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), which automates the application and approval process for most UAS operators to obtain airspace authorizations.