I don’t own or fly a UAV and live near a restricted airspace under 4000ft. I’m not worried about surveillance since I’m not doing anything illegal. I’m just curious. Thanks in advance.
Remote ID is available, but it has a much smaller range compared to ADS-B. Remote ID only works within a few hundred feet of the drone, while ADS-B can pick up signals from miles away.
You might be interested in this… assuming it’s available to the public: https://aerodefense.tech/airwarden-remote-id-receiver/
Haim said:
You might be interested in this… assuming it’s available to the public: https://aerodefense.tech/airwarden-remote-id-receiver/
I think it’s not available to civilians based on the use cases I read.
Not many drones use ADS-B. They’re not allowed to use it unless they meet certain equipment requirements, are on a flight plan, and are in contact with ATC. Drones mainly use Remote ID, but the range is pretty limited. I’m not sure what percent of active drones use Remote ID.
Drones can’t broadcast ADS-B because of federal law. So, no.
Drones don’t use ADS-B, that’s for aircraft. For drones, there are apps like Drone Scanner that detect Remote ID, but the range is very limited.
Like others said, drone location apps have a very short range. If you’re on an iPhone, forget it. Apple isn’t fully compatible with the Bluetooth/WiFi used in Remote ID.
I’m using an Android device. The Drone Scanner app is limited to Bluetooth range and needs Wi-Fi, which I don’t have at home. When I tried using the radar feature, it asked for a drone ID. Since I don’t own one, I just need the receiver.
@Jules
That’s a limitation of Remote ID, not your phone. Remote ID uses Bluetooth and/or WiFi to send location data. It’s not meant to work over long distances, just for short-range, line-of-sight use.
@Noor
So, if someone is flying with LAANC approval, is their UAV ID only visible in the app they got approval from? I think I might be missing how the public transmission of signals works.
Jules said:
@Noor
So, if someone is flying with LAANC approval, is their UAV ID only visible in the app they got approval from? I think I might be missing how the public transmission of signals works.
No, Remote ID is always transmitted from the drone itself and is visible to anyone with the right equipment, whether it’s specialized gear or an app on a phone. LAANC approval is separate from Remote ID.
@Noor
So, as a civilian, only law enforcement can view drones using a paid app. Other apps that should show operations won’t work because I’m not scanning with my phone’s hotspot. Oh well. Back to the drawing board. Stay safe, sane, and legal out there. Thanks for your answers.
Jules said:
@Noor
So, if someone is flying with LAANC approval, is their UAV ID only visible in the app they got approval from? I think I might be missing how the public transmission of signals works.
LAANC has nothing to do with Remote ID. LAANC doesn’t even ask which drone you’re flying.
There is Drone Scanner, but no website that feeds into a larger map.
The unfiltered ADS-B map has a filter for radar, even type C which is outdated. Maybe they’re integrating this into their system. The person who damaged a firefighting plane in California would be a good example of why having detection with a few-mile range would be useful, I think.
I’ve only heard of pre-made drones having ADS-B receivers.