EPIC Urges FAA to Require Remote ID for Drones

EPIC, joined by other privacy groups, submitted comments on the FAA’s interim final rule for external ID for drones. The proposal requires the external display of registration numbers on drones. While EPIC agreed external marking are preferable to hidden identifiers, EPIC said the rule did not go far enough. EPIC wrote, “Because drones present substantial privacy and safety risks, EPIC recommends that the FAA require any drone operating in the national airspace system to broadcast location when aloft (latitude, longitude, and altitude), course, speed over ground, as well as owner identifying information and contact information[.]” EPIC also suggested the agency require operators register and broadcast surveillance capabilities. EPIC has long advocated for remote identification mandates for drones and petitioned for regulation of these surveillance tools.