BlueMark Innovations DroneBeacon db150

The DroneBeacon db150 from BlueMark Innovations of the Netherlands is a self-contained third-generation Remote ID transponder. It has its own battery and a GPS receiver, so it needs no data from the flight controller and can be attached to small drones. At 12.5 g it remains practical even for light aircraft.

It transmits over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on 2.4 GHz at +20 dBm ERP, which equals 100 mW. Position and altitude come from the built-in GNSS receiver. The manufacturer gives the battery life as more than 2 hours (over 120 minutes); the actual time depends on temperature and battery age. For a self-contained module what matters is that this time covers several flights, because the identification has to be sent for the whole flight.

An FAA declaration of conformity and an EU type examination by ALTER Technology are named. In the EU the declaration of conformity of the specific variant is what counts; the type examination should be confirmed for exactly the db150 before the module is expected to meet an obligation. Direct remote identification must be active on drones of classes C1, C2, C3, C5 and C6 and, in the specific category, since 01.01.2024; ASD-STAN EN 4709-002 is the relevant standard.

When choosing, the built-in battery matters: it ages with cycles and deep discharge, and as capacity falls the run time drops below the manufacturer's figure. Check charge level and operator registration number before each use. The module belongs on the aircraft with a clear view of the sky, not under carbon fibre, since otherwise both the GPS fix and the range of the 2.4 GHz broadcast suffer.