It has been more than a year since the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) requirement for Remote Identification, or Remote ID, took effect. The intent of this article is to provide the current state of affairs and to inform hobbyists how to comply with the Remote ID requirement.
What Is Remote ID?
The FAA’s Remote ID requirement applies to commercial and recreational pilots of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS or RC aircraft models). This article focuses only on aspects that pertain to recreational RC pilots flying under USC 44809. (This applies to most AMA members.)
The Remote ID requirement dictates that RC model aircraft flying in the US must broadcast a signal that provides specific information. The FAA’s stated intent of this system is to provide real-time information for law enforcement officers who are investigating suspicious UAS flight activity.
What Are the Exceptions to Remote ID Requirement?
The Remote ID requirement does not apply if you are flying at an approved FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) or a site with an active Remote ID Exemption (RIDE). An AMA blog post from February 14, 2025, explains the difference between FRIAs and RIDEs. There are currently about 1,900 FRIA sites associated with AMA-sanctioned RC flying clubs. An additional 120 AMA clubs have a RIDE for their flying sites. There are approximately 140 FRIA sites that are managed under other Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), as well as 470 FRIA sites that are managed by educational institutions. In these cases, Remote ID modules are not required when flying at these locations.
The FAA provides an online UAS Facility Map to find a FRIA in any area of the US. Although helpful, the process for using the site is not very intuitive. An AMA blog post from January 22, 2024, provides instructions for utilizing the UAS Facility Map. Note that sites with a RIDE are not listed on the UAS facility Map. You can also use the AMA Club Finder to find AMA clubs that are designated a FRIA.
Recreational RC models with a flying weight less than 250 grams are exempt from the Remote ID requirement, even when not flying at a FRIA. This exemption, however, does not apply if the model is listed under the pilot’s FAA UAS recreational pilot registration (aka “FAA Drone Zone”). Registration is not required if the pilot flies only models that are under the 250-gram threshold.
Free Flight and Control Line models of any weight are exempt from the Remote ID requirement.
How Do I Comply With the Remote ID Requirement?
The following guidelines apply if you fly a model weighing more than 250 grams at a location that is not a FRIA or RIDE site:
Afew model aircraft are factory-equipped with Remote ID broadcast capability. This situation currently applies only to ready-to-fly multirotors weighing more than 250 grams that are manufactured by companies such as DJI and Autel Robotics. If you are flying one of these aircraft, you must have the Remote ID broadcast active, even when flying at a FRIA or RIDE site. Check with the manufacturer if you are unsure whether your multi-rotor is Remote ID compliant.
Most traditional RC hobbyists fly models that require some degree of assembly or additional parts (e.g. the flight battery of an electric-powered ARF). These models do not have a built-in Remote ID broadcast ability. We must add that capability by using an FAA-approved Remote ID module.
Remote ID modules are small, stand-alone components that work the same way as built-in Remote ID systems. These modules, however, can be temporarily attached to a selected model. You do not need a dedicated Remote ID module for each of your RC aircraft. You can purchase a single Remote ID module and move it from model to model as needed.
When you purchase a RID module, you must add the serial number of the module to your FAA UAS recreational pilot registration.
How Do I Choose a Remote ID Module?
The selection and price point of Remote ID modules has improved during the last two years. Current prices start at roughly $30. AMA does not endorse any specific Remote ID module or manufacturer. AMA has compiled a table of Remote ID modules that are available for purchase as of April 2025. Because of frequent changes in the Remote ID module market, the list should not be considered all inclusive.
Be aware that there is a considerable amount of variance among the currently available modules. It is important to understand the specific features of a given design before making a purchase.
Some Remote ID modules have a built-in battery, while others are powered through an external power source (ex: an open servo port on the model’s receiver). This could be an important consideration in terms of weight and the accessibility of the receivers in your models.
There are Remote ID modules that include only the electronics, with no protective outer case. Omitting a case saves weight but could cause durability issues and/or limit your options for mounting the module in your models. Presumably, most modelers will use hook-and-loop tape for mounting Remote ID modules.
Some Remote ID modules do not contain a built-in GPS chip, which is required to determine the mandatory location data. These Remote ID modules can only be used with models that already have some type of GPS system that is compatible with the Remote ID module. Such a GPS system would be an exceptionally rare feature for the recreational models that most of us fly. Thus, Remote ID modules that do not include a GPS chip are not a viable option for many recreational pilots.
What Information Is in the Remote ID Broadcast Message?
The FAA’s Remote ID requirements state that the following information must be included in the Remote ID broadcast when using a Remote ID module:
• Serial number of the Remote ID module
• Current location of the model (latitude, longitude, altitude)
• Current velocity of the model
• Takeoff location of the model (which is presumably where the pilot is located)
• Time
It is possible that some modules may transmit additional information.
Who Can Receive My Remote ID Broadcast?
Remote ID modules broadcast data using a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi signal that is intended to be received on a smartphone. Anyone with a smartphone that is running a Remote ID-capable app and is within range of the signal can potentially read the data from your model’s Remote ID module. If your Remote ID module is broadcasting only the minimum required data listed previously, civilians reading Remote ID data will not be privy to your name or any private information; however, law enforcement officers will be able to cross reference the Remote ID module serial number with the data in your FAA UAS registration.
The following is a list of currently available Remote ID scanner applications:
• Air Sentinel (Android only)
• Drone Scanner (Apple and Android)
• Flite Test (Android only, intended for use with the EZ-ID Remote ID module)
• OpenDroneID ASM (Android only)
We hope that this article has been helpful for modelers trying to understand Remote ID requirements and options. We will continue to provide updates on this topic as the situation evolves.
Links:
AMA Club Finder – www.modelaircraft.org/club-finder
Autel Robotics – www.autelrobotics.com
DJI – www.dji.com
FAA – www.faa.gov
FAA Recreational UAS Registration – https://faadronezone-operator.faa.gov
FAA Remote ID Requirements – www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-89
USC 44809-Exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft –
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section44809&num=0&edition=prelim