Remote ID BLE Transmitter for Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS)
A field-ready BLE transmitter engineered for drone FAA Remote ID compliance, connecting airborne sUAS with commercial wireless devices. The transmitter was a prototype for a NASA Phase 1 and 2 SBIR project.
As small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) increasingly integrate into controlled airspace, the ability to reliably broadcast position and identification is both a safety requirement and a regulatory mandate. Mosaic ATM (mosaicatm.com), a leader in air traffic management research and aviation systems integration, chose BLE-based transmitter technology as the path to enabling long-distance and reliable Remote ID broadcasts.
Turning the SBIR concept into a commercially viable, sUAS-mounted prototype required engineering a high-performance device optimized for range, power efficiency, and compatibility with commonly available, commercial wireless devices. Mosaic ATM selected Device Solutions to take the transmitter from feasibility to field-ready and live flight tested prototypes.
The Solution
Device Solutions led the development scope for the Mosaic ATM BLE transmitter, from initial RF feasibility through hardware, firmware, and antenna design, plus supporting live flight testing. We collaborated with our partners at WRC Technologies (wrc-nc.org) for RF architecture and antenna optimization. The engineering work covering every layer of the system included:
1.) RF System Architecture & Modeling
Led early-stage feasibility and RF performance modeling, drawing on deep knowledge of commercial BLE components and wireless device compatibility. Working with WRC Technologies, Device Solutions defined the system architecture optimized for range, power efficiency, and form factor constraints.
2.) Transmitter Hardware Development
Engineered the BLE transmitter hardware, including a high-power and low-noise amplifier for enhanced receive sensitivity, and onboard GPS integration.
3.) Firmware & Software Development
Built firmware to manage BLE communication and system-level control. A parallel Android-based software track using commercial dev boards accelerated feature testing and debugging, ensuring tight hardware-software integration from the outset.
4.) PCB Layout & Manufacturing
Optimized PCB layout for size and RF performance, managed fabrication, and completed rigorous functional verification and integration testing with the Android app and GPS receiver before delivering transmitter-receiver pairs for broader system testing.
5.) Antenna Design & Flight Testing
Led iterative antenna design in collaboration with WRC Technologies and oversaw manufacturing of custom antenna components. During live flight testing, Device Solutions analyzed system logs and performance data to validate real-world reliability under operational conditions.
The Results
Mosaic ATM received field-ready transmitter and receiver pairs validated through live flight testing, a BLE Remote ID system that delivers reliable situational awareness to commercial tablets and phones already in the public’s hands, without requiring any hardware modification to the user's device.
ATCA has published a bulletin article about Mosaic ATM's Remote ID NASA SBIR research. [1]
T. Bagnall and F. Tait, “Detect and Avoid Using Part 89. The sUAS Collision Avoidance System: A suite of collision avoidance tools for the GA pilot to avoid encounters with sUAS.,” ATCA Bulletin, pp. 4–13, 2022.
Project Outcomes
Transmitter and receiver pairs delivered on time for field and flight testing
BLE integration with commercial tablets and phones achieved without device modification
Long-range RF performance validated under real-world flight conditions
GPS integration and antenna design optimized for aircraft-mounted deployment
Architecture designed for future upgrades and integration into additional platforms
The Summary
Technologies & Services
RF system architecture and modeling
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) development
GPS integration and long-range link optimization
Hardware and firmware design
PCB layout, assembly, and testing
Antenna design and system integration
Prototype fabrication and field testing
Recognition & Outcomes
Field-ready transmitter and receiver pairs delivered and validated through live FAA-overseen flight testing
BLE Remote ID system integrated with commercial tablets and phones without device modification
Research and findings published by ATCA for public awareness and scientific knowledge
Architecture validated for future platform integration and upgrades
Additional Articles
