Know what is flying, where it is and where to look for the pilot
Remote ID gives a receiving system a live stream of identification and flight information from a broadcasting drone. It can show where the aircraft is, how high and fast it is flying, its direction of travel and an identifier that helps connect the flight with available aircraft details. On supported aircraft, it also supplies a ground position that helps security teams locate the pilot. [8]
For U.S. Standard Remote ID, the reported control-station position is required to correspond to the person manipulating the flight controls. An add-on broadcast module instead reports the aircraft’s takeoff point. That is why Remote ID often helps locate the pilot, while the type of ground coordinate still matters. [2] [3]
Consider a drone approaching a facility from a public road. The aircraft track shows the approach. A current control-station coordinate may help personnel find its operator. If the source provides only a takeoff point, that point is useful for reconstructing the flight, with field observation needed to establish the operator’s present location.
The flight information behind a Remote ID track
ASTM F3411 defines the message formats used to carry Remote ID information. Its Basic ID, Location/Vector and System messages work together to describe the aircraft, its movement and the available operator-location reference. The following describes the standard’s data model; populated fields vary with the aircraft, equipment and applicable requirements. [8]
| Information | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Identifier and aircraft type | A broadcast identifier and a general aircraft category, such as fixed wing or multirotor, help distinguish observations. |
| Make and model | Available when a received identifier can be resolved through supported equipment reference data or an appropriate lookup. A general aircraft-type field is not itself a make and model name. |
| Aircraft location | Latitude and longitude place the reported aircraft position on a map. |
| Altitude and height | Geodetic altitude describes elevation relative to a defined reference. Separate pressure-altitude and height fields can add context when populated; the height type distinguishes height above takeoff from height above ground. |
| Speed and direction | Ground speed, vertical speed and direction of travel describe horizontal movement, climb or descent. Direction of travel is not necessarily the direction the aircraft’s nose is pointing. |
| Status, time and accuracy | Available status, timestamps and accuracy indicators help a receiver interpret the age and quality of a report. |
| Operator-location reference | A System message can distinguish a dynamic operator location, a fixed location or a takeoff location. The label determines how that ground coordinate should be used. |
Make/model information deserves that distinction. ASTM’s general aircraft type describes a category, while a more specific equipment description can be resolved from an identifier. The standard does not make a readable model name a universal broadcast field.
The U.S. rule then specifies the information required from Standard Remote ID aircraft and broadcast modules. That regulatory comparison follows below.
The information in a Remote ID broadcast
| Information | Standard Remote ID aircraft | Remote ID broadcast module |
|---|---|---|
| Identifier | Aircraft serial number, or a session ID as provided for in the rule. | Serial number assigned to the module. |
| Aircraft position | Latitude, longitude and geometric altitude. | Latitude, longitude and geometric altitude. |
| Aircraft movement | Velocity. | Velocity. |
| Ground position | Control-station latitude, longitude and geometric altitude. | Takeoff latitude, longitude and geometric altitude. |
| Time | UTC time mark associated with position information. | UTC time mark associated with position information. |
| Emergency status | Required message element. | Not a required module message element. |
The two sets of required fields are defined separately in Part 89. The rule provides for session IDs, while current FAA guidance describes that choice as a future option; it should not be assumed available on a deployed aircraft. [1] [3] [5]
An identifier is useful for linking observations, but its meaning matters. A module serial identifies the module, which may be moved between aircraft. Keep the identifier type with the record instead of treating every received serial as a permanent airframe identity.
From aircraft broadcast to live track
Broadcast Remote ID uses direct, one-way Bluetooth or Wi-Fi transmissions. The aircraft does not need to join the receiver’s network, pair with it or send its broadcast through the internet. A compatible receiver within radio coverage listens for the messages and decodes their fields. [6]
Because the coordinates are carried in the message, a single receiver can obtain a reported aircraft position without triangulating the signal. This is different from TDOA or bearing-based RF geolocation, which estimates the transmitter’s position from radio measurements.
The AMS Remote ID receiver supports Bluetooth reception in the 2.4 GHz band and supported Wi-Fi Remote ID broadcasts across 2.4 and 5.8 GHz. Remote ID is the core capability of AMS V10 and a receiver option across the AMS family. Configured sensors can track hundreds of supported targets simultaneously.
Ethernet or cellular connectivity then carries acquired data to Atlas or an integrated platform. Cloud and local APIs let customers use AMS intelligence in their own C2, UTM or security systems. The aircraft-to-sensor radio path and the sensor-to-platform network path have separate coverage requirements.
Read the timestamp as well as the position
The U.S. performance requirements specify at least one broadcast per second and no more than one second from measurement to broadcast for the specified position elements. Standard Remote ID also sets a 100-foot, 95-percent-probability position-accuracy requirement for the aircraft and control station. These are equipment requirements; radio reception and downstream delivery add their own constraints. [2] [4]
AirSentinel normally delivers acquired live-track data in under one second over cellular, subject to configuration and connectivity. For an operator, the useful measure is the age of the position being viewed: source time, reception gaps and transport delay all contribute. A fast screen refresh cannot make an old coordinate current.
The same care applies to altitude. Geometric altitude uses a geodetic reference; it should not simply be labeled height above the ground. Camera cueing and integration with other tracks require compatible altitude references and timestamps.
Use the flight, the ground location and the history together
Start with the aircraft’s movement relative to the protected area. Then use the available control-station or takeoff coordinate to support ground assessment. Review previous observations and known operations to understand whether this is an expected inspection, a recurring flight or an event requiring escalation.
Atlas connects current activity with patterns of life intelligence and configured alerts. Authorized recipients can open shared live-flight links without an app download, login or password for that view. AMS data can also feed a customer’s existing command platform through open APIs.
The required U.S. Remote ID fields do not include the pilot’s name, address or phone number. FAA and law-enforcement agencies can correlate identifiers with registration information through authorized processes. ASTM also defines optional self-description data; an operator-supplied description is separate from a verified personal identity. [7] [8]
Build coverage around the actual operating environment
AMS reception range is 1–12 miles with standard antennas, depending on the environment, aircraft and installation. Antenna placement, terrain, structures and competing radio traffic affect which broadcasts reach a sensor. Coverage planning should include launch areas, low-altitude approaches and the spaces between buildings.
Remote ID is a valuable identification layer, but some aircraft will not provide a usable broadcast. A layered deployment adds supported manufacturer RF detection, radar tracking and optical assessment. AirSentinel integrates these sources so the team can assess an aircraft even when one source is unavailable.
A missing Remote ID broadcast alone does not establish hostile intent. First establish what the other sensors see, the health of the receiving network and the context of the operation. Explore RF, radar and optical integration.
Common questions
Can Remote ID locate the pilot?
Standard Remote ID reports a control-station position that is required to correspond to the person manipulating the flight controls. A broadcast module reports the takeoff point instead. A security team should retain that distinction when directing personnel.
Does Remote ID require an internet connection on the drone?
Broadcast Remote ID travels directly from the aircraft over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Internet connectivity may carry received data from the ground sensor to a remote platform, but it is not required for the aircraft’s local broadcast.
Does a Remote ID receiver decrypt the drone’s control link?
Receiving standardized Remote ID is a separate function from processing a manufacturer’s drone–controller link. Advanced supported manufacturer-link acquisition and decryption are capabilities of the relevant AMS Pro and Pro Max configurations.
Continue exploring
Remote ID fundamentals — A concise introduction to the technology and U.S. framework.
AMS Remote ID receiver — Capabilities, configuration and deployment specifications.
Sources & further reading
Reviewed October 3, 2026. Regulatory explanations refer to the United States. Product capabilities describe the relevant AirSentinel configuration.
- 14 CFR §89.305 — Standard Remote ID message elements
- 14 CFR §89.310 — Standard Remote ID performance requirements
- 14 CFR §89.315 — Broadcast-module message elements
- 14 CFR §89.320 — Broadcast-module performance requirements
- FAA — Remote Identification of Drones
- IETF RFC 9434, §1.2 — Broadcast and Network Remote ID
- FAA — Remote ID Talking Points (July 2024)
- ASTM F3411-22a — Remote ID and Tracking, §5.4.5 and Tables 1, 5, 6 and 11