Remote ID Broadcast Module Update

Remote ID Broadcast Module Update

Remote ID Broadcast Module Update

By Tyler Dobbs, Senior Director of Government Affairs | tylerd@modelaircraft.org

As seen in the June 2023 issue of Model Aviation.

AS A REMINDER, recreational fliers will need to comply with Remote ID requirements starting September 16, 2023. There are three ways to comply:

  • Standard Remote ID
  • Adding a broadcast module to your aircraft
  • Flying at an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA)

Many operators who plan to use the broadcast module option are wondering when they will be able to purchase one in order to be ready for the compliance date. There are a few broadcast modules currently available:

There are still many months before you will need to comply with the Remote ID rule. AMA expects that additional modules will be available before the September deadline and hopes a more cost-efficient solution will be available soon. We will continue to monitor the release of new broadcast modules and keep our membership informed.

Notice of Availability of the Draft PEA for FRIAs

Recently, the FAA published the Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for FRIAs. This document analyzes and outlines the potential environmental impacts associated with the establishment of FRIAs.

AMA became aware of the requirement for an environmental assessment back in 2021 and immediately began working with the FAA toward a streamlined process. Thanks to this work, the FAA has preliminarily determined there will not be a significant impact to the human environment. The FAA will use this PEA to create a process and framework that will be used for "tiering" where appropriate, and only do additional analysis on flying sites when necessary.

As a result, an Environmental Impact Statement has not been initiated, and our members should not see FRIA applications denied based on environmental impact.

AMA wants to thank the Prince George’s RC Club and its members for assisting AMA and the FAA with collecting data for this environmental assessment. Your efforts were essential in this process and have not gone unnoticed.

The complete draft PEA can be viewed at www.faa.gov/uas/advanced_operations/media/FRIA-PEA.

To remain current with the most recent government-related news, regularly visit the AMA Government Affairs blog.

If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the Government Affairs department at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.

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23 comments

The RID modules I have seen (via the links AMA has provided provided) are not suitable for smaller park flyers and gliders...they are too large to fit onto or into the fuselages of most of my planes. I understand that other CBOs are trying to get the FAA to increase the weight requirement of aircraft to 1.0 Kg before the RID requirement kicks in. This would be EXTREMELY helpful to those of us who fly in non-FRIA areas occasionally. What is the AMA doing about this currently? (Hopefully something significant.) Thanks!

C.Roger, apparently you didn't look into them much. There are some that weigh 5 grams or less

Hi What are the vendors that offer RIDs that are small and light weight and cost less than $100.00 US. The price was supposed to be $50.00 US. Any news? Richard W

Why does this just look like another. bureaucratic roadblock to me? Are they just trying to justify jobs that are meaningless? We are already in the fields they are looking at and have been for many years. Leave us alone. I will vote for small government every time.

The recent submission from "Victor" that his description of a bureaucrat is someone who is working to justify his employment; I totally agree with and have felt the same for some time now. Please note my email address and understand that applies to model flying indoors. since the Nightvapor can only fly indoors, yet it's weight exceeds the weight limit required by the FAA bureaucrats makes the current FAA rule way too restrictive.

My understanding is that it IS possible to update the flight system in drones like the DJI drones that allows the drone itself to operate like a broadcast module (as opposed to the Standard Remote ID you would find in the newest drones that must comply with Remote ID). Do you know if this is possible and if any of the manufacturers plan on updating their drones to do this, such as DJI? I'd expect you guys to have the skinny on this! Thanks, James

The AMA must continue to push back against this FAA over reach. These RFID broadcast units are listed in the range of $300. Interesting the AMA article fails to mention this, when it is a significant detail. I wish the AMA leadership would advocate for non-compliance with this silliness throughout the entire AMA membership.

How do we apply for one? We are tired of all this nonsense and just want to keep flying at the field we have been using for over forty years.

The short answer is that you can't, only a CBO can apply for them. (AMA, FTCA, FPVFC, etc) Also, the FAA put out a document saying that they don't expect to approve much beyond the current AMA fields. https://www.faa.gov/uas/advanced_operations/media/FRIA-PEA "approximately 80-85 new (AMA) locations may seek FRIAs annually" You have to start a club to establish an AMA field, so what about the other CBOs? The FAA only expect to approve 100 non AMA locations, and only 4 per year after that... So don't hold your breath that you can get your regular flying location approved. :(

I don’t think the guys are going to quit flying. Most of them have decided to just keep flying and follow the AMA rules. Some of them have a lot of time and money invested and can’t get a so-called remote ID module since there are none to be found. As for me, mum is the word.

Please update us on AMA's efforts to convince congress to mandate to the FAA, during the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023, to raise the lower boundary weight restriction to 1 Kilogram or 2.2lbs.

I'm assuming that the AMA will be providing RemoteID modules for each of my aircraft free of charge. Correct? If you think that I'm going to pay $300 per aircraft, you got another thing coming.

Our 2 mile across dry lake bed we've flown on for years had been closed by the lawyers because some morons complained about dust that we were NOT making. All my big, 80" wing size are gone. now the government wants to control even the small park planes I can fly locally. I've been flying since the mid 70's. I'm done. Going to throw all my radio equipment in the trash. Stupid government.

Why don't you take your planes, batteries and radios, drive to DC and throw in the FAA"s front yard.

So the RID go from expensive, to backordered, to "ask us for pricing", to one of the sites just straight up having broken HTTPS certificates? What a joke... As far as flying at a FRIA, it sounds like the total approved sites is still 0. Not only that, but the FAA put out a document recently that they only plan to approve a couple dozen non-AMA fields initially, and a half dozen more per year after that. So... as an AMA member that doesn't live near a club field, I'm basically screwed. Great advocacy for your members that just fly little foamy park fliers. :(

If when these "drones" first came out, had the AMA N O T endorsed these aircraft, in attempt to gain membership, we might not be in this ridiculous, buerocratic, nightmare. Many of us wrote to indicate our concerns that this would adversely affect us recreational pilots. It appears we were right. This whole situation of lumping fixed wing, and helicopter aircraft with "drones" could very well have been avoided. I guess THANKS AMA is in order.

I disagree with you on endorsing these aircraft...because every type of aircraft we modelers fly can be considered a drone...not just the quad copter type aircraft. We are all modelers no matter what we fly. Its like the Harley vs Honda or Ford vs Chevy debate. I agree with you though that the AMA did not support their membership on this. Way back when this started coming to light I could not believe the AMA was letting it happen with very little if any push back. Its disappointing for sure.

I have been flying RC since the 70"S and a AMA member for a good period of that time. also a privet pilot for 35 years. and i can see now that AMA will not buck the FAA like the AOPA (Aircraft owners pilot association .) AOPA fights hard to keep the FAA from over stepping it bounds . I don't see this with the AMA! so I will not be renewing my member ship to the AMA, I don't just want a modelers magazine for my member ship i want some one to represent me in this sport. I agree with a previous comment, is the AMA going to supply us with Remote ID? this is absolutely ridicules!!!! it will end my fun of the Hobby Next you will have to have remote ID on a kite to fly it, sorry kids, now more kites. Thank you AMA

Everyone seems to be forgetting that its not the FAA, it's Congress who mandated the FAA to do this. If you keep voting for Democrats and their ever expanding government overreach, it's only going to get worse!!!

This Remote ID for line of sight flying is totally stupid, The FAA is way out of line on this. Many decades of line of sight safe flying has never been a problem. As the hobby declines the FAA kills it with this absurd rule. Free flight planes are heavy and fly high and can't get out of the way, yet they are not regulated?? At least Line of sight RC flyers can avoid if necessary. This is just absurd. Who is going to enforce this craziness??

Agree 100% Line Of Sight flying doesn't need a remote Id module to find the pilot. Where is the risk and safety assessment to justify this draconian rule? My belief is that there isn't one, or if one was done it didn't result in metrics that would justify this Remote Id rule. Those of us who fly safely, LOS and away from the general population don't need it. Those who fly without regard to safety or for some illegal prupose are not going to equip their RC aircraft with Remote ID. Remote ID is a solution without a problem to solve.

Everyone seems to be forgetting that its not the FAA, it's Congress who mandated the FAA to do this. If you keep voting for Democrats and their ever expanding government overreach, it's only going to get worse!!!

I just recently purchased two beginner planes to start getting into this hobby and nobody spoke one word of this new regulation to me. I found out about it when I went to register the planes I received. I didn't even know they needed to be registered with the FAA. If I had known this, I likely would have decided it was not a hobby for me. I understand the need for safe airspace and if it is not the possiblility of mass casualties is there, but geese and other large birds weigh more than 0.55 lbs and don't have remote ID and they don't stay within sight when flying. Shoot the birds out of the sky? I feel that this rule should be reserved for commercial drones and all recreational flying should remain as is.

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