Remote ID Poses a Danger to Legal Drone Operations, Say Pilots

In a recent Reddit post, a Texas-based agricultural drone operator shared a harrowing experience highlighting the potential dangers of the FAA’s Remote ID for drones. The incident has sparked a heated discussion among drone enthusiasts, who argue that the system compromises the safety of Legal drone operations by exposing the pilot’s location to the public.

An Unexpected Confrontation

The drone operator, who was applying insecticide on cotton fields, was confronted by a landowner wielding a gun. The landowner had used the Remote ID system to track down the drone pilot, mistakenly believing the drone was spying on him. The pilot explained that he was legally operating the drone on behalf of the actual landowner, but the confrontation left him shaken.

“I tried to explain to him that he needed to get out of my landing zone and wait until the drone was on the ground before we discussed anything else but he wasn’t having it and just continued screaming at me to get off ‘his’ land.”

Broader Concerns from the Community

This incident is not isolated. Other drone operators have shared similar stories of being accused of spying or other malicious activities. One user recounted being accused of filming through windows while operating a commercial drone in urban areas.

“I’ve been accused of so many things while working in commercial real estate, especially shooting commercial real estate in the middle of cities.”

The discussion underscores a significant issue: the Remote ID system, intended to enhance safety and accountability, can inadvertently endanger drone pilots by making their location publicly accessible. Users argue that this transparency is unnecessary and potentially harmful, particularly in rural or isolated areas where misunderstandings can quickly escalate.

Community Suggestions for Safety

To mitigate risks, some users suggest taking additional safety measures such as wearing high-visibility jackets, using signage to indicate drone operations, and having observers on hand to manage any confrontations. However, these measures are seen as cumbersome and impractical for many pilots.

“Wear a hi-vis jacket and a helmet, set down a bunch of collapsible orange cones around you… [but] it saves a lot of hassle, as does having an observer along to run interference for you while you work.”

FAA’s Stance and Pilots’ Frustration

The FAA’s Remote ID rule has been met with skepticism from the drone community. Many pilots feel the regulation does little to improve safety and instead serves to push out hobbyists and low-level commercial operators. They argue that the FAA’s focus seems misplaced, prioritizing regulatory control over practical safety concerns.

“Everyone knew this would be a problem. The FAA doesn’t care about you or your safety. Remote ID accomplishes absolutely nothing in terms of safety of air traffic, and only exists to push out hobbyists and low level commercial operators.”

Here’s is the entire text of the Reddit post for anyone who wants to read the entire harrowing story.

Remote ID is 100% dangerous to legal drone operations. 

I am an agricultural drone owner/operator in Texas and I just had an awful experience courtesy of the FAA and Remote ID.

I’ve been out at a large field since sunrise applying insecticide on cotton for thrip. An hour ago someone saw the drone and stopped at the other end of the field which is normal as an ag drone is very visible and a lot of people are curious about them.

What isn’t normal is them figuring out exactly where I was using the remote id broadcast and then driving like a lunatic up to me and almost pinning me between their car and my trailer and in the middle of my landing zone.

After he did that he immediately jumped out of his car with a gun on his hip and started screaming at me to get the damn drone off his fucking land.

A couple of things about this, I was being paid by the actual land owner to spray that cotton so I 100% had permission to be there. This guy just lived across the county road and was trespassing to try and intimidate me. I’d been there since 6am and he hadn’t noticed me until 2pm.

I tried to explain to him that he needed to get out of my landing zone and wait until the drone was on the ground before we discussed anything else but he wasn’t having it and just continued screaming at me to get off “his” land. I ended up putting the drone down in the field and told him you’re being crazy I’m calling the sheriff. Magically that shut him up long enough for me to explain why I was there and I was fully aware he didn’t own the land.

His explanation was my wife saw it and thought a 200lb drone was being used to spy on her through the kitchen window so he used his remote ID app to get the takeoff location. Before the sheriff got there he left the scene but I was sure to inform them of where he lived with a detailed description of what he said and did while there.

Fly safe guys

DroneXL’s Take

The Reddit discussion sheds light on a critical issue facing the drone community. While the intention behind Remote ID is to create a safer airspace, the implementation raises significant privacy and safety concerns for operators. DroneXL advocates for a Review of the Remote ID system, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that protects both the public and drone pilots. Addressing these concerns is essential for fostering a safer and more supportive environment for legal drone operations.

Photo courtesy of DJI.