Photo – Virtower Government Support Vehicles with Drone Detection
Virtower LLC has announced the successful upgrade of its sensor systems to support Remote ID drone detection—marking a major advancement in airspace safety for general aviation and commercial airport environments.
With this upgrade, Virtower’s platform can now detect and display Remote ID-equipped drones in real time, including the location of the drone operator. This enhanced visibility provides airport staff with actionable intelligence to support safety monitoring, incident response, and enforcement of FAA airspace regulations.
The capability aligns with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Remote Identification rule (14 CFR Part 89), which requires most drones operating in U.S. airspace to broadcast identification and location data. Virtower transforms this regulatory requirement into real-time operational awareness for airport operators.
This enhanced capability is being deployed across Virtower’s network of more than 500 airports, establishing a new benchmark for drone awareness and mitigation across both general aviation and commercial airport operations.
Virtower is prioritizing initial upgrades based on operational complexity and traffic volume, with a focus on commercial service airports, towered general aviation airports, and high-activity non-towered airports with more than 100,000 annual operations. This phased approach ensures Remote ID capabilities are first delivered where they can have the greatest impact on safety and airspace management.
“Integrating Remote ID detection into our sensor platform is a critical step forward in protecting airport operations from emerging drone-related risks,” said Les Goldsmith, President of Virtower LLC. “By providing both drone and operator location data, we’re enabling airport authorities to respond faster and with greater precision.”
The upgrade reflects increasing demand from airports for tools that deliver comprehensive situational awareness of low-altitude airspace activity while supporting compliance with evolving federal regulations.
Virtower’s sensor platform is designed for scalable deployment across diverse airport environments, delivering real-time monitoring, alerting, and data integration to enhance safety and operational awareness.
