Drone Remote ID in the US and EU
Understand FAA Remote ID and EASA direct remote identification terminology, where to find current requirements, and what a receiver does not prove.
By Layer400 · Reviewed
Start with the jurisdiction
Remote ID rules are not identical worldwide. The US FAA and the EU framework administered through EASA and national authorities use related broadcast concepts, but registration, aircraft classes, operating categories and exceptions differ. This summary was checked on 26 September 2026. Follow the linked authority guidance for your aircraft and operation.
United States: FAA Remote ID
The FAA says drones that are registered or required to be registered must comply with Remote ID. Its published routes include a Standard Remote ID drone, an attached broadcast module, or operation under the relevant conditions in an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA). Specific authorisations can also apply.
Standard Remote ID broadcasts information about the drone and control station. A broadcast module reports the drone and its take-off location, with visual-line-of-sight conditions. Those are not interchangeable location fields. The FAA’s page links to registration, declarations of compliance and FRIA guidance.
European Union: direct remote identification
EASA’s open-category guidance describes the active, updated Remote ID requirement for C1, C2 and C3 class drones from January 2024. Its specific-category guidance also explains the remote identification requirement for that category. Check the national authority and any relevant geographical-zone conditions for the actual operation.
A class mark, operator registration number and operational category describe different things. A receiver’s ability to decode a broadcast is not a substitute for checking any of them. This is a route to the official guidance, not an assessment of an individual flight.
What this means for Layer400 users
Layer400 combines received broadcasts into a map. A Raspberry Pi on the ground is a receiver, not a Remote ID module for a drone. Installing it does not make an aircraft compliant, register an operator or grant an exemption.
Reception support is release- and hardware-specific. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are transports in Remote ID systems; their inclusion in a standard does not prove that your installed Layer400 receiver supports every mode. Check the current hardware notes, including the exact adapter, driver and release.
When sharing a recording, retain the jurisdiction, observation time, source, missing fields and any test designation. Avoid using a missing map track to accuse an operator of non-compliance. For UK terminology and the separate phased dates, see UK Direct Remote ID.