New U.S. rules change the way drones are tracked

Drones are a relatively new technology ranging from small craft used for aerial photography or power line analysis to jet-size military machines that deliver destruction to terrorists.

Now the federal government says they need to be tracked.

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed in the Federal Register a series of regulations that would provide for the "Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems."

Within three years of the rule being adopted, the feds say, all drones "operating in the airspace of the United States will be compliant with the remote identification requirements."

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has lobbied the FAA for a plan "similar to the Automated Identification System for commercial vessels" to apply to drones.

Under the new plan, EPIC explained, "Drones would be required to transmit their location and identification details to an online FAA tracking system. Drones flying more than 400 feet from their operators would also be required to broadcast location and ID to surrounding areas."

EPIC had proposed that drones "be required to broadcast their registration information to allow members of the public and law enforcement officials to easily identify the operator and responsible party."

Regulators have been trying to integrate drones safely into U.S. airspace since they moved to the mainstream. Now they're used to monitor power lines, chase criminals, survey land and deliver goods.

The proposed rule states: "The remote identification of UAS is necessary to ensure public safety and the safety and efficiency of the airspace of the United States. The remove identification framework would provide UAS-specific data, which could be used in tandem with new technologies and infrastructure to facilitate future, more advanced operational capabilities (such as detect-and-avoid and aircraft-to-aircraft communications that support beyond visual line of sight operations) and to develop the necessary elements for comprehensive UAS traffic management."

Currently, drone's require identification but "normally only upon physical examination of the aircraft."

"Existing electronic surveillance technologies like transponders and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast … in addition to radio communications with air traffic control, were all considered as potential solutions for the remote identification of UAS but here determined to be unsuitable due to the lack of infrastructure for these technologies at lower altitudes and the potential saturation of available radio frequency spectrum," the government said.

For consumers, the plan would expand registration requirements to each aircraft, and the "single registration number" for each owner no longer would be allowed.

Any drone would be required to transmit its ID through the internet or broadcast it directly.

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