To address the rapidly progressing drone regulations in France, Parrot has announced that it has worked closely with French authorities and regulators.

Parrot notes that as the drone industry continues to grow, safety and security continue to be a major concern for all stakeholders in the industry. New regulations govern the design and use of drones, so Parrot is working with French authorities and regulators to ensure a consistent transition for everyone, including users.

The company adds that it guarantees all its users the highest level of privacy and security protection by being in full compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

“Parrot ensures the cybersecurity of its drones and protects the data they capture by preserving the privacy of each user. Only data that the user agrees to share with Parrot is collected,” says Victor Vuillard, chief security officer for Parrot.

“As an open source drone company, the implementation of the remote electronic identification system is essential to help civil security services improve security, the serene sharing of airspace, and the social acceptance of drones, while being transparent with our users.”

In Dec. 2019, the Ministries of the Interior, Economy and Finance, Ecological Transition and Transport published an order defining the technical characteristics of electronic and luminous identification systems for aircraft operating without a person on board. The order, which was expected to go into effect in June 2020, requires drones that weigh more than 800 grams (1.7 pounds) to have an electronic identification system, as well as a luminous identification system for drones that fly at night.

Through a simple and free software update, an electronic identification system that meets regulatory requirements has been integrated onto the Parrot Bluegrass and Bluegrass Fields drones. This update was made available to users at the beginning of this month. Through the existing Wi-Fi system (Beacon Wi-Fi), the drone locally and automatically broadcasts its electronic identification message.

Parrot says that it has decided to offer the same electronic identification feature throughout its ANAFI range of drones to provide the best possible assistance to civil security and to promote the visibility of drones in the airspace. Like the Bluegrass and Bluegrass Fields drones, the installation process will also be through a simple and free software update, with the possibility for the user to activate or deactivate the feature manually via the FreeFlight 6 interface. Parrot notes that since the ANAFI range is below the regulatory threshold of 800 grams, the DRI function is deactivated by default.

“Parrot is taking an active part in the technical work on Drone regulation and normalization because we are convinced that it is essential to establish a safe framework for the operation of drones and the sharing of airspace,” says Manuel Le Bail, Quality and Certification director for Parrot. “By taking part in these initiatives, Parrot is going ahead of the regulations to improve the safety of people and aircraft.”