Remote ID under 14 CFR Part 89 makes a drone continuously broadcast a short message from takeoff to shutdown. A standard Remote ID aircraft sends its identity, its position and altitude, its velocity, the control station location, a UTC time mark and an emergency status. A broadcast module sends a slightly different set.
Who has to comply
Part 89 applies to operators of unmanned aircraft registered, or required to be registered, under Parts 47 or 48. It also covers operators of foreign civil unmanned aircraft in U.S. airspace. Operations under Part 91 that transmit ADS-B Out are excluded, and ADS-B Out cannot be used to satisfy Remote ID. The summary I read gives September 16, 2023 as the date the requirement took effect.
What a standard Remote ID aircraft sends
Section 89.305 lists the message elements for a drone with built-in Remote ID:
- Aircraft identity, which is a serial number or a session ID
- Control station latitude and longitude
- Control station geometric altitude
- Aircraft latitude and longitude
- Aircraft geometric altitude
- Aircraft velocity
- UTC time mark
- Emergency status
What a broadcast module sends
Section 89.315 describes a simpler message for add-on modules:
- Module serial number
- Aircraft latitude and longitude
- Aircraft geometric altitude
- Aircraft velocity
- Takeoff location latitude and longitude
- Takeoff location geometric altitude
- UTC time mark
The difference that matters to a pilot is the location. A standard aircraft reports where the control station is now. A module reports where the drone took off.
Rules about when it broadcasts
The broadcast has to run from takeoff to shutdown. A standard aircraft cannot take off unless it is broadcasting. The Remote ID system must run a self test before takeoff and tell the pilot the result. If the broadcast stops during flight, the pilot must land as soon as practicable.
The performance numbers in the rule are specific. Aircraft position must be within 100 feet with 95 percent probability. Aircraft altitude must be within 150 feet at the same probability. Control station altitude must be within 15 feet for standard aircraft. Latency must be 1.0 second or less, and messages must go out at least once per second.
What this means for privacy and security
Anyone with a receiver in range can read an open broadcast, so treat the contents as public. That includes the serial number or session ID and the control station position. The identity field can be a serial number or a session ID. Check Part 89 itself for how session IDs are handled, because the summary I read does not go into it.
For a fleet, the practical steps are small. Keep a record of which serial number maps to which aircraft and pilot. Test the self check before flights. Treat a failed self test as a grounded aircraft until you know why.
Quick check
Does ADS-B Out satisfy Remote ID?
No. Section 89.125 says ADS-B Out cannot be used to satisfy Remote ID. Operations under Part 91 that transmit ADS-B Out are excluded from Part 89 instead.
What happens if the broadcast fails mid-flight?
The pilot must land as soon as practicable once broadcasting stops, according to the summary of the operating requirements.
Sources
- 14 CFR Part 89, eCFR: applicability, message elements, performance requirements.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
