How Discrete is your Drone Flying with RID Drone Tracking App?

LoudThunder

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On another Web Site that I am active on, a member posted a topic where they asked what would happen if they installed a Separate RID Broadcast Module on their RID enabled Drone and this is my reply. You might be interested to find out exactly how much Flight Telemetry a person using a RID Drone Tracking App on their Smartphone would receive.

If you have a RID enabled Drone that transmits the FAA's required signal specifications, it transmits: the Drone's ID (Serial Number?), the Drone's location and altitude, the Drone's velocity, the Control Station location and elevation (Your location whether you move about or not, because your controller "talks" to the drone where it is…), the Drone's Time mark (Flight Time?), and any Emergency Status (low battery warnings, weak signals, strong winds, etc…)

If you add a Broadcast Module, it will also transmit at the same time. However, since it is not electronically connected to the Drone or the Controller, it can only broadcast information relative to itself.

The Module broadcast the following information: the Drone's ID (something you would have to program into), the Drone's location and altitude (actually the Modules location and altitude…), the Drone's velocity (again, the Module's speed), the Takeoff location and elevation (where it was located when turned), and the Time mark (how long it has been turned on…

I have provided a Screen Grab of one of these Apps reading the Broadcast signal from an Add-On Module, the DroneTag Add-on Module:


These Apps are capable of decimating the signals from multiple Drones. Note that it shows the Map, the Flight Path, the Takeoff Location, and the Telemetry is recorded with altitude, speed, location, distance from controller, and so much more… And the Module will transmit information that information for up to 1.5 km or almost a mile…

This App allows all this information to downloaded as a CSV File and this information can then be provided as definitive proof of your flights to the FAA if you are flying where you should not, flying without an authorization or waiver, beyond Visual Line of Sight, etc…

So, if you have a drone vigilante who takes an undue interest in your flights, perhaps in your neighborhood, a local park, etc… they might just save a batch of your flights and submit all of them to the FAA to cause you trouble.


Module.png
 
This is a Follow-Up on the original Posting…

Based on several questions and observations made by some of the members of the various web sites that I have posted this information on, I have some follow-up information…

The Remote Broadcast Module must be tamper resistant, meaning the Identification Number assigned to the unit cannot be changed. The Identification Number will be assigned by the manufacturer.

Next, if your Drone is a Non-Compliant Unmanned Aircraft (no built in RID…) and you are required to use a Remote Broadcast Module due to the drone's weight (for Rec Pilots…) or the drone (all weights…) is used in a Part 107 Operation, then you will be required to go into your FAADroneZone Account and edit the Drone's Identification Number (usually the Serial Number…) and change it to the Remote Broadcast Module Identification Number.

For more information, please see the 470-Page FAA Final Rule…


or a more condensed, and readable version put out by the FPV Freedom Coalition…

 

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