The second method of compliance is to fly a drone that has a RID Module attached under § 89.115 (a).

From take-off to shut down, the RID Module must broadcast message elements that will include:

(a) The identity of the unmanned aircraft, consisting of the serial number assigned to the remote identification broadcast module by the person responsible for the production of the remote identification broadcast module.
(b) An indication of the latitude and longitude of the unmanned aircraft.
(c) An indication of the geometric altitude of the unmanned aircraft.
(d) An indication of the velocity of the unmanned aircraft.
(e) An indication of the latitude and longitude of the take-off location of the unmanned aircraft.
(f) An indication of the geometric altitude of the take-off location of the unmanned aircraft.
(g) A time mark identifying the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time of applicability of a position source output.

And the third method of legally flying a drone that requires RID, yet doesn’t have RID, is to fly them at an FAA Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) as described under § 89.115 (b). The rules for FRIAs include are pretty basic, and include:

(1) The unmanned aircraft and the person manipulating the flight controls of the unmanned aircraft system remain within the boundaries of an FAA-recognized identification area throughout the operation; and

(2) The person manipulating the flight controls of the unmanned aircraft system must be able to see the unmanned aircraft at all times throughout the operation.

Okay, so now that you know the wording of the actual regulations, let’s dive a tad deeper into the minutiae.

All drones that must be equipped with RID must perform a self-test upon start-up.

If you are flying a drone equipped with Standard RID, then that RID system is tied to the control system of the drone. And if the RID self-test fails, that drone will not lift off. If the RID system fails during flight, it will notify the operator, and the operator must land “as soon as practicable”. The RID system will NOT force land the drone.

All people flying a drone that requires a RID Module will also have a self-test involved. However, since the module is just an attachment to the drone itself, and not tied to the control system of the drone, it is up to the operator to not fly if the self-test fails. Each module will have its own system to tell the operator if the RID fails. It could be a blinking red light, maybe an annoying beep, or something else entirely. Check the instructions from your module manufacturer.

If you want to fly a mission that requires BVLOS, the drone MUST be compliant under the Standard Remote ID. You cannot fly a drone BVLOS if it has a RID Module. And no, that does not mean you can automatically fly a drone BVLOS if it is equipped with Standard RID. It simply means if you want to fly BVLOS, the drone you use must have Standard RID. How you legally accomplish that BVLOS flight would be dependent on your waiver or rules change.

Okay, what if my drone doesn’t require FAA registration, do I need RID (remember, I said more on this later…)?

The short answer is no, it does not. And you can fly that drone anywhere the FAA says it’s legal to fly. And what doesn’t need to be registered? Any drone has flown strictly for recreational purposed that weighs under 250g (.55lbs).

The long answer is that it may broadcast the RID message anyway. Since Standard and Module RID units must be “tamper-resistant”, that means if your <250g drone is equipped with Standard RID (such as the DJI Mini 3 or Autel Nano), and you’re only going to fly recreationally, the drone will still broadcast its RID message. It will do that whether you’re flying under 107 (default rules) or 44809 (the recreational exception), and you can’t turn it off (tamper resistant, remember). But you still do not need to register it under 44809. If you’re flying a <250g drone under 107, and you’re using a RID Module, you are allowed to remove it when you’re flying under 44809.

Is my drone compliant?

That’s an easy thing to check. Simply go to the FAA’s RID DOC page. If it’s listed there, it’s compliant under Standard RID. If it’s not listed there, that list also has all approved RID Modules. Plan accordingly. Search your drone model or manufacturer.