What If … DJI Replaces Their DroneID with RemoteID? Supporting RemoteID offers DJI a simple off ramp from the thorny issue of AeroScopes being used in combat zones or for unintended use cases.

On September 16th, 2022 “Drone manufacturers must comply with the final (RemoteID) rule’s requirements for them.”

What would happen if DJI “simply” replaced their current DroneID approach that supports AeroScope with RemoteID data … and turns off DroneID data? There is no simple “on/off” switch to do this but the process and roadmap for it seems relatively straightforward.

DJI would immediately a) be compliant with RemoteID requirements, b) no longer need to support what appears to be an end of life product and c) essentially eliminate the value of all existing AeroScope units. Due to the rollout timeline and carve outs for existing drones AeroScope units will continue to provide value for awhile but that value will rapidly diminish while the value of a simple RemoteID sensor will rapidly increase.

What is DJI’s incentive for continuing to support DroneID and thus AeroScope units and their capabilities? They will certainly earn good will from the CUAS integrators using AeroScope and those integrator’s clients until RemoteID is fully rolled out. On the other hand they will no longer earn ill will from those who object to DroneID. DJI drones and AeroScope units that can detect their operators became a very hot topic due to their use on both sides of the war in Ukraine. Being able to disable DroneID might offer a neat off ramp from a very thorny issue.

Many of us are watching the RemoteID (and the EU version) with great interest. Anyone selling or using AeroScope units may want to factor RemoteID’s timeline into their plans and budgets.