Drone Remote ID

Chuck Rozner

Now that drones are required to transmit Remote ID with location information, does anyone have a way to receive and decode the data, and send it to a map to Live Track the drone?

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Comments

9 comments

  • Comment author
    LMCjr

    I've been trying to find an answer. Hope Caltopo can integrate the RID in the same way they do ADS-B.

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  • Comment author
    Matthew Griffin

    Part of the challenge with RID vs ADS-B is that there is already worldwide networks of crowd sourced ADS-B receivers that share their data with aggregators like Flight Radar 24 or ADS-B Exchange. CalTopo is pulling data from those sources. As far as I'm aware, there's no such network in place yet to capture and share that data. 

    We have started using a portable ADS-B receiver for SAR missions that allows us to monitor aircraft involved in our missions, send that data to ADS-B Exchange, then record it as a live track on our map. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to do that when a future "RID Exchange" comes online.

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  • Comment author
    Chuck Rozner

    By design, the reach of the RID signal is limited. I have been looking for ways to receive the data but haven't found anything that works. I have an app called Drone Scanner on my phone but it doesn't receive my DJI drone. I am looking for some way to receive and decode the RID data and then send it to Caltopo like an APRS or InReach signal. Maybe use a raspberry Pi as a receiver that could do that.

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  • Comment author
    Alexandru Libby

    Any update on this? I have Caltopo on the remote but it only tracks the remote location rather than the drone. Somehow the code needs to be edited to prioritize the drone rather than the remote..

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  • Comment author
    Jamie Moon

    I am investigating a similar solution and would love to hear if folks have had any more success.

    Chuck Rozner can you elaborate on your Drone Scanner issue?

    • Which model aircraft and controller do you have? If it's a Mini, it may not activate RID
    • I'm surprised Drone Scanner doesn't pick it up. I was under the impression the RID protocol is more or less standardized

     

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  • Comment author
    Chuck Rozner

    I have a phantom4ProV2. It has remote ID. It was able to upgrade with a firmware update.
    I think that the Drone Scanner issue has to do with IOS. It may work with Android phones. It has to do with whether it was WiFi or Blootooth. I have to get my son back into the project.

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  • Comment author
    Jamie Moon

    Understood. I imagine iOS may be more locked down than Android.

    Do you know if the aircraft itself is what broadcasts the RID messages or is it relayed from the RC transmitter? (The latter has been my guess).

    I only have an original Mavic Pro so it's too old to do any kind of Remote ID.

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  • Comment author
    Chuck Rozner

    I’m not sure. My guess is that since not all models can comply with the remote ID requirements, the aircraft must be the source. Also, I have seen YouTube’s about remote ID where they test the distance that the ID is broadcast from the aircraft.

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  • Comment author
    Jamie Moon

    Interesting. That doesn't surprise me; it may be easier to implement broadcasting from the UAV itself.

    Please share the YouTube video(s) if you happen to have links.

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