Spotlight on Safety
Health and Safety News for the Princeton Community • March 2024 Special Issue
Remote ID Enforcement Begins
The grace period for enforcement of the Remote ID requirement for drone operators ends this Saturday, March 16. Read the enforcement policy and learn more at the FAA Drone Zone.

The new policy has led to some changes in the flight request form (see below).
What Is Remote ID?
Remote ID broadcasts the identification and location information of drones in flight and is intended to facilitate the full integration of drones into the National Airspace System.

Remote ID requires that drones be registered with the FAA and operate with the ability to broadcast identifying information. An exception is granted to research and recreational flights within the boundaries of a FAA-recognized identification area (FRIA).
Luckily... Princeton Has a FRIA!
Princeton’s Forrestal campus has a specially-designed area for research and recreational flights to take place without the need for Remote ID capability.
The FRIA is located at the Forrestal Helistop and adjacent fields in Plainsboro. Drone pilots operating within the bounds of the FRIA are not required to eqip devices with Remote ID capability.

The FRIA includes parking at 701 Forrestal and is near the Tiger Transit Route 3 bus line. It provides a safe location for students, staff and faculty to conduct drone flights as part of their education and independent research.
Flight Request Form Upgrade
The new Remote ID requirement has necessitated changes to the flight request form used by drone operators at Princeton to gain permission to fly on University property.

Those who choose Forrestal Helistop under "Specify Location" will not see any changes to the form. Those who choose "other" will see a new section farther down the form explaining the requirement and asking them to verify that their drone's Remote ID module is listed by the FAA as compliant and that they have updated their drone registration information.
Princeton sUAS procedures require advance notice for all flight requests. Approval must be sought at least a week, and ideally two weeks, prior to sUAS use. The Princeton drones website has more information on what is needed to fly a drone at the University.
Need more info or advice? Email us at drones@princeton.edu.
About Spotlight on Safety
Spotlight on Safety is the official newsletter of the Princeton Office of Environmental Health & Safety and the best way to stay informed about important health and safety topics, timely issues affecting the Princeton community, safety training and other EHS initiatives.
Contact the editor with any feedback or story ideas at  js74@princeton.edu
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