Does the FAA know when I'm flying my drone?

General Drone Discussions
1

So, does the FAA actually know when we’re flying our drones? Like, are they spying on us or something? From what I’ve read, it’s kinda a ‘maybe’ situation. The short answer is no, unless you’re using Remote ID. Apparently, unless you opt into it, the FAA doesn’t track most hobby drone flights. Anyone else have thoughts on this? Seems like they only care about drones in restricted areas or big-time security concerns.

2

I’ve heard that too. Unless you’re near an airport or some sensitive site, the FAA doesn’t really care. Remote ID seems to be the key here, though.

3

Flint said:
I’ve heard that too. Unless you’re near an airport or some sensitive site, the FAA doesn’t really care. Remote ID seems to be the key here, though.

Yeah, same here. I’ve been flying my Mini 4 for months and haven’t had any issues with the FAA… but I still wonder if they’re tracking flights in some way?

4

@Pace
I doubt it unless you’ve got Remote ID enabled. I think the FAA’s mainly focused on preventing dangerous or restricted drone flights.

5

I didn’t know about Remote ID until recently. Is that like a drone ‘license plate’?

6

Lin said:
I didn’t know about Remote ID until recently. Is that like a drone ‘license plate’?

Exactly! It’s like a digital license plate for your drone. It broadcasts your drone’s info like location, altitude, and registration number. The FAA can track it if you’ve got that enabled, but it’s still a new thing, so not everyone’s on board yet.

7

So what happens if you don’t use Remote ID? Can they fine you or something?

8

Mackenzie said:
So what happens if you don’t use Remote ID? Can they fine you or something?

Yup, if you’re not Remote ID compliant and you get caught, you could face fines or even criminal charges. It’s serious if you’re breaking federal regs.

9

I’m still not sure how Remote ID is going to be enforced though… What happens if you’re just flying in a local park and aren’t broadcasting?

10

Wilder said:
I’m still not sure how Remote ID is going to be enforced though… What happens if you’re just flying in a local park and aren’t broadcasting?

Yeah, I agree. Unless you’re in one of those FAA-Recognized Identification Areas, I don’t see how they’re going to know for sure if you’re complying.

11

Wilder said:
I’m still not sure how Remote ID is going to be enforced though… What happens if you’re just flying in a local park and aren’t broadcasting?

True. It’s hard for them to track unless they have some kind of tech that can detect drones, but that’s not the case everywhere yet. It’s all kind of up in the air.

12

I got a DJI Mini 3 Pro under 250 grams. Does that mean I don’t need to worry about Remote ID?

13

Drew said:
I got a DJI Mini 3 Pro under 250 grams. Does that mean I don’t need to worry about Remote ID?

You’re all good! If your drone’s under 250 grams, you don’t need to register it or use Remote ID. You’re free to fly it without any of that hassle.