Reported by the aircraft
Position, height, course, identifier and status values originate from the aircraft or attached Remote ID module. Layer400 does not independently measure or certify them.
REGIONAL GUIDE / SOURCE-LINKED
Remote ID is not the same rule everywhere.
Layer400 listens for compatible local broadcasts over Wi-Fi and, as support is added, Bluetooth. Whether a particular aircraft must broadcast depends on where and how it is flown.
- THIS GUIDE
- GENERAL INFORMATION
- LAST REVIEWED
- 02 AUG 2026
- LAYER400 STATUS
- INDEPENDENT NETWORK
- OFFICIAL SERVICE
- NO
THE RADIO LAYER
What a receiver actually hears.
Direct Remote ID is a short-range local broadcast. It is not radar, mobile-network tracking or proof that every nearby drone has been detected.
Heard within radio range
Buildings, terrain, antenna placement, congestion and protocol support affect reception. No marker is a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Reduced for public display
The public map uses rotating track references and masks sensitive identifiers. Detailed receiver and account information is withheld from ordinary public display or limited to authorised roles.
REGULATORY CONTEXT
Choose the rules that apply to you.
Your browser language may select a starting region. That choice stays on this device and you can change it at any time. Layer400 does not use it to decide whether a flight is lawful.
Two implementation dates apply.
Direct Remote ID became mandatory from 1 January 2026 for UK1, UK2 and UK3 aircraft in the open and specific categories, and for UK5 and UK6 aircraft in the specific category. UK0 aircraft weighing 100 g or more with a camera, UK4/model aircraft, qualifying legacy aircraft and qualifying privately built aircraft phase in from 1 January 2028. CAA exemptions may apply.
The CAA describes Direct Remote ID as a local Wi-Fi or Bluetooth broadcast and issues registered operators a Remote ID number. Layer400 is not the CAA registration service and is not an official Hybrid RID feed.
Class and operating category matter.
Since 1 January 2024, active and up-to-date Direct Remote ID is generally required for C1, C2 and C3 aircraft in the open category and for aircraft operated in the specific category. Legacy aircraft without a class mark may still operate under mass-based A1 or A3 rules. National geographical zones and authorisations vary.
That does not mean every drone flying in an EU/EASA Member State must broadcast. Check the rules and geographical zones of the national aviation authority where the operation takes place.
Three common compliance paths exist.
Drones registered or required to be registered generally must comply with FAA Remote ID. Compliance may be through a Standard Remote ID aircraft, an attached broadcast module, or qualifying operation entirely within an FAA-Recognized Identification Area. FAA authorisations may permit deviations.
A Standard Remote ID aircraft broadcasts aircraft and control-station location information. A broadcast module reports the aircraft and take-off location; it does not necessarily report the controller's current position.
Check the local aviation authority first.
Remote ID mandates, technical standards and lawful uses of received data differ across countries. A compatible broadcast may be detectable even where its use is voluntary, and a lawful flight may be absent from Layer400.
Consult the relevant national aviation authority and local radio, privacy and data-protection rules before operating a receiver or relying on a regulatory summary.
READ THE MAP CORRECTLY
What absence and confidence mean.
Layer400 presents evidence from participating receivers. It does not turn missing radio evidence into a claim about what is or is not in the sky.
Not proof of no drone
The aircraft may not broadcast, may use an unsupported protocol, may be outside receiver range or may be obscured by local conditions.
One station report
The broadcast was heard by one Layer400 station. This is not regulatory verification and should not be described as corroborated.
Multiple station reports
More than one station reported compatible evidence. Receiver count adds useful context but does not prove that the stations are independent, or prove identity, intent or legality.