Switzerland establishes the world’s first Remote ID network for drones

In Switzerland, the world's first Remote ID network for drones just went live. The technology, dubbed Network Remote Identification (NET-RID), may be used to communicate information on drone flights and operators with aviation authorities, law enforcement, other airspace users, and the general public. Switzerland has taken a major step toward the implementation of U-space with the activation of the Remote ID network.

Switzerland establishes the world's first Remote ID network for drones

Airmap, ANRA Technologies, Avision, Involi, OneSky, Orbitalize, Skyy Network, Skyguide, and Wing collaborated to create the service. These partners have joined together under the moniker Swiss U-Space Implementation (SUSI) to roll out the different services that comprise U-space across the Alpine country. Remote ID, or the ability to remotely identify a drone and its operator, is a critical component of this.

According to the consortium, the new Remote ID service conforms with the European Commission's U-Space Regulation (EU) 2021/664, which goes into force in January 2023. According to the parties involved, NET-RID guarantees that drone operations are conducted securely and in accordance with laws by sharing information via the internet. Drone operators may therefore readily share flight information with airspace authorities, law enforcement agencies, other operators, and the general public.

Information exchange

With NET-RID, all Swiss stakeholders may now examine drone operator registration numbers and flight information. The Linux Foundation's InterUSS Platform, an open-source platform that allows a U-Space Service Provider (USSP) to acquire all necessary data from other USSPs in real-time, is used to communicate operator information. This means that USSPs must only exchange information when it is absolutely essential and must ASSURE interoperability among all parties involved.

The NET-RID system, which is based on network technology, differs significantly from broadcast Remote ID systems in that the operator's registration number and the drone's position are broadcast locally to adjacent receivers. A network-based approach, according to the SUSI collaboration, is safer since drone activities can be monitored from a larger distance. A network-based approach has the problem of requiring the drone to be always linked to the internet (whether or not via the ground station).

Enforcement

The Remote ID network will be utilized for enforcement as well as other purposes. “With a rising number of drones operating in the skies, it is increasingly critical to be able to detect a drone quickly. We will save significant time thanks to the remote identification service, which is extremely beneficial to the Geneva Police,” said Philippe Couturier of the Geneva Police.

The Swiss aviation regulator FOCA has created a drone operator register, where drone operators flying in Switzerland may share information and be assigned an identity number. The new NET-RID service, according to SUSI, complies with the ASTM F3411 standard, which assures that only required information is exchanged. This safeguards operators' privacy while simultaneously assuring the general public that adjacent drone activities are safe and Legal.

Concerning the SUSI consortium

SUSI is a public-private collaboration between the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation, the Swiss ANSP Skyguide, and thirty-one drone and UTM/U-space businesses. SUSI was established in December 2018 with the goal of discovering, measuring, developing, and successfully deploying U-space capabilities and technologies in Switzerland.

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This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager who is also a DroneXL contributor.

Image courtesy of Matternet