Reviews |DJI launches Aeroscope ‘license plate’ ID system for drones

DJI launches Aeroscope ‘license plate’ ID system for drones

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DJI has launched a new remote identification system for drones called Aeroscope that serves as an ‘electronic license plate’.

DJI’s Aeroscope system allows drone pilots to voluntarily identify their flight operations to authorities while still protecting their privacy, the company says.

How it works is that AeroScope remotely identifies and tracks airborne drones, allowing law enforcement and aviation officials to respond to any safety or security concerns.

AeroScope uses the existing communications link between a drone and its remote controller to broadcast identification information up to 5km such as a registration or serial number, as well as basic telemetry, including location, altitude, speed and direction.

Under the new system, DJI’s drones locally broadcast their location, speed, heading and serial numbers to AeroScope receivers, which authorities can use to track drones; however, they do not broadcast personally identifiable information, DJI says.

New updates to the DJI GO 4 app and drone firmware will be rolling out this week and allow drone pilots to opt in and share further information about their flights with authorities. Drone pilots might do this, for instance, if they are filming near a sensitive location and want to ease concerns about their shoot.

To broadcast via Aeroscope, a new ‘remote identification’ menu in the DJI GO 4 app gives pilots the option to broadcast their unique user identification code, or UUID, tied to each pilot’s DJI GO account, as well as ‘Identification & Flight Information’ if a pilot chooses to enter information. The default setting for both options is to not broadcast them, DJI says.

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