DroneScoutRemote ID in Switzerland
Last reviewed: 2026-09-30
What is Remote ID? How the technology works: the standards, what a broadcast contains, and Bluetooth vs Wi-Fi transmission.
Switzerland is not in the EU, but it has applied the EU drone regulation since 1 January 2023, supervised by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA, BAZL in German). Remote ID works the same way as in the EU — see the EU page for the full picture. This page covers what is specific to Switzerland.
Which drones must broadcast it?
Remote ID must be switched on during the flight:
| Situation | Direct Remote ID |
|---|---|
| Drones with class label C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 | Built in by the manufacturer, must be switched on |
| Any drone flying in the specific category | Required |
| Open category: class C0, legacy drones (on the market before 1 January 2024) and privately built drones | Not required |
The Swiss operator number
Operators register on FOCA's UAS.gate platform. Registration is required for drones of 250 g or more, and for lighter drones with a camera or other sensor that can record personal data. You then receive a UAS operator number of the form CHExxxxxxxxxxxxx-xyz:
- the first part (CHE…) must be displayed on the drone, and is what the drone broadcasts;
- the three characters after the hyphen are a private code: you enter them only in the drone to activate Remote ID, as a check that the number is valid. They are not broadcast.
Network Remote ID
Besides the direct broadcast, Switzerland has a voluntary Network Remote ID service, run by the members of Swiss U-Space Implementation (SUSI) under FOCA's coordination, that shares drone flight information over the internet. It complements, but does not replace, the direct broadcast from the drone.
How to see it
A Swiss Direct Remote ID broadcast carries the same fields as anywhere in the EU: operator number, serial number, position and height, course and speed, the pilot's position or take-off point, and an emergency status. DroneScout receives it on Android and iPhone and shows each drone live on a map, using the European standard ASD-STAN EN 4709-002. Which transports your phone can receive varies — see the FAQ — and DroneScout Bridge closes that gap for both platforms.