FAA announces new system for remotely identifying and tracking drones

Enlarge / Wing Aviation, a "moonshot" project of Google's Alphabet, delivers a package to a customer in October 2019. Wing was the first drone operator sanctioned by the FAA to deliver packages to customers, but a large scale deployment of technology like this depends on better location tracking systems. (credit: Logan Cyrus/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Federal Aviation Administration is implementing a new system that will allow comprehensive nationwide tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)-commonly known as drones. The new system will enable regulators, law enforcement, and other interested parties to track drone movements and in some cases obtain identifying information. All new drones will be required to comply with the proposed rules within three years after the regulations go into effect-but that's still months away.

The lack of a comprehensive system for drone identification and tracking has been a long-standing barrier to the adoption of commercial drone technology. Companies like Amazon and UPS, for example, have long dreamed of making package deliveries using unmanned vehicles. But such efforts were blocked by law enforcement agencies worried about unidentified drones being used for terrorism, drug smuggling, or other crimes.

The new proposal will create a comprehensive realtime database with information about almost every unmanned vehicle in the sky. That will allow law enforcement to quickly identify registered vehicles. And it will make it easier to catch vehicles that are flying without authorization.

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