FAA Extends Drone ID Deadline Six Months

The FAA has given drone operators an extra six months to install mandatory electronic identification gear on their aircraft. Operators now have until March 16, 2024, to add the tiny modules or buy factory-equipped aircraft so they can broadcast the identification and location data the FAA mandated a couple of years ago. The agency said in a statement that supply chain issues have hampered drone operators' attempts to comply with the rule. "In making this decision, the FAA recognizes the unanticipated issues that some operators are experiencing finding some remote identification broadcast modules," the statement said. "Drone pilots can meet this deadline by purchasing a standard Remote ID equipped drone from a manufacturer or purchasing a Remote ID broadcast module which can be affixed to existing drones that do not have Remote ID equipment." Operators who use drones without the "digital license plate" after March 16 face fines and/or losing their pilot certificates.