Network Remote Identification
Dronetag Mini transfers your drone's position and identification to our cloud. By displaying the real-time data in our app Dronetag enables coordination in the European U-space.
Direct (Broadcast) Remote Identification
Your drone's info is transmitted via Bluetooth to up to 1.5 km (0.9 miles). With our Direct Remote ID, you fulfil all the new regulation necessities, and you are free to fly & touch the sky!
Small & Compact
Dronetag Mini is the smallest, lightest, most affordable Remote ID device on the market. With the half size of a muesli bar, the weight of 32 g (1.1 oz), it offers everything you need to fly safe & compliant.
Extended Battery Life
Mini is attachable to any drone with a strong re-closable dual lock fastener (you can lift average drone by it). The device has internal GNSS, LTE and Bluetooth antennas and offers up to 14 hours of battery life.
Primary Features
Security at its best
Soldered chip SIM, firmware over the air updates, or DTLS encryption got you safe & secured.
Built according to the newest Remote ID standards
Compliant with Direct & Network Remote ID according to the prEN 4709-002 and ASTM F3411 Standards.
MAVlink & DJI A3 support
Professional DJI and Pixhawk flight controllers integration via our EXT port to get onboard data.
Multiple sensors onboard
GNSS position estimation, pressure altitude measurement and motion detection via accelerometer.
Battery with up to 14 hours of endurance
You can also use your drone as a power source for carefree flights without the need for charging.
Multi constellation GNSS receiver
Receiving signals from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and SBAS for robust and reliable positioning.
Take-off, landing and free-fall detection
Worry-free flight start and end. Mini warns other closed-by pilots about potential dangers.
Internal LTE, Bluetooth and GNSS antennas
With an option to add external LTE and Bluetooth antennas for better signal reception.
Dronetag App
Available on all devices, the Dronetag App allows you to manage your devices, check the airspace zones, plan your flights, inspect airborne drones & flight plans and notify you about any airspace hazards. Available on
Google Play and
Apple Store.
Dronetag Mini Controls
Dronetag Mini is operated with the button located on the longer side of the device:
- Long press (2 seconds): Switch the device on or off
- Short press (0.1 seconds): Start flight or end flight (while the device is turned on)
- Short press (0.1 seconds): Battery indication (while the device is turned off)
- Extra-long press (4-8 seconds): Force device hardware restart
General Usage
The device usually works in all outdoor areas with GNSS signal and cellular coverage. To quickly start your flight (assuming that you already registered your device):
- Check the battery level while the device is turned off by a short button press (0.1 seconds).
- Turn on the device by long-pressing the button (2 seconds).
- Wait until all device components are ready and 3 LEDs transition to solid green.
- The flight will start automatically, or you need to confirm it with a short button press (based on your Flight auto start configuration).
- Perform your mission.
- End the flight by short button press (0.1 seconds).
- Switch off the device by a long button press (2 seconds).
Safety Noticies
Dronetag Mini has been created for the most straightforward handling possible. Still, the following safety notes must be followed to reduce the risk of accidents, injuries and device malfunction to a minimum. If misused, it has the potential for causing fire, electrical shock or personal injury. To help ensure accident-free operation, follow these guidelines:
- This and the Dronetag App manual must be read carefully, and all instructions must be followed. Special attention must be taken to all warnings and precautions.
- The user is solely responsible for the risk while using this device. Dronetag is not responsible for any injuries or accidents that are a result of improper use.
- The maximum input voltage is 5V and should be applied to only the Micro USB connector during the charging.
- Do not open the device. There are no parts that the user can service. Opening the device leads to the loss of warranty and infringes the general terms and conditions.
- Do not allow liquid, small particles or other foreign objects to get into the system or accessories.
- Do not expose the system or accessories to high temperatures, high humidity or direct sunlight.
- Keep the system and accessories, including cable ties and fasteners, out of the reach of small children.
- If the system is brought directly from a cold location to a warm one, moisture may condense inside the system. If this occurs, the system may not operate properly. In this case, unplug all cables/accessories immediately and leave the device in a dry place for several hours.
- Stop using the system and disconnect it from any connectors immediately if the device functions abnormally, produces unusual sounds or smells, or becomes too hot to touch.
LED Indications
Three LEDs indicate the status of the device and its components - Positioning (GNSS), Remote ID (RID) and Status (STAT).
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Positioning (GNSS) informs about the current state of the satellite positioning system.
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Remote ID (RID) informs about everything related to the Network & Direct Remote ID functionality.
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Status (STAT) informs about the overall device status.
For a detailed description of all LED indication statuses, please visit
Dronetag Help.
Configuration
The Mini is a highly customizable piece of hardware to suit your flight's needs. It allows you to configure various device parameters, which will help you optimize the performance and battery usage. Configuration is manageable in the Mobile app via Bluetooth. Do not change the parameters while the drone is in-flight because you might get into an inconsistent state.
General
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Flight auto-start is an option (enabled by default) that automatically initiates the flight when the device is ready for the flight (has GNSS fix and NRI/DRI is set). If you disable this option, a short button press in Flight Ready state is needed to start the flight manually.
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MAVlink flight control is an option (disabled by default) that takes care of starting/ending your flight based on the data sent on MAVlink protocol when EXT port is connected to MAVlink flight controller.
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Button flight control is an option (enabled by default) that controls whether Dronetag Mini button can be used for starting/ending the flight. Disable this option only if you think the button can be accidentally pressed by something inside the drone while it is in flight.
Network Remote ID
Telemetry aggregation coefficient specifies how many telemetries are aggregated into a single message before sending it to the cloud. Therefore, it also determines how often are telemetry messages sent. E.g. if your GNSS update rate is set for 4 Hz and your aggregation coeff. has a value of 4, you will transmit telemetry each second containing four different telemetries. The recommended value is 1 with a 1 Hz GNSS update rate equivalent to one sent telemetry every second.
Direct Remote ID
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Bluetooth 4 Legacy configures the usage of Bluetooth 4 Legacy advertisements for broadcasting. Legacy advertisements are compatible with all Android/iOS devices on the market but have a shorter range and packet size limitations. Bluetooth 4 Legacy is optional in prEN 4902-02 and ASTM F3411 standards.
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Bluetooth 5 Long Range configures the usage of Bluetooth 5 Long Range advertisements for broadcasting. This option must stay enabled for compliance with the latest regulation and standards.
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Static data frequency configures the frequency of the DRI messages containing takeoff location, UAS Operator ID, and Aircraft ID.
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Dynamic data frequency configures the frequency of the DRI messages with telemetry data.
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RF transmission power configures the radio frequency power used for DRI. Select the maximum value for the maximum range.
Sensors
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GNSS input configures which GNSS receiver is used as an input for sending the NRI and DRI. Possible options are Internal for Dronetag Mini receiver, MAVlink for reading the data from MAVlink flight controller through EXT port, and Simulated for artificial simulated data for debugging/troubleshooting/testing purpose. Simulated must not be used for general usage.
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Internal GNSS mode configures the mode of internal GNSS receiver. The Full power mode has about five times higher power consumption than the Power-saving mode. Therefore, it is recommended to use Full power mode only in challenging conditions where problems with GNSS fix occur.
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Location update rate configures the update and navigation rate of the GNSS receiver in Hz. A higher value means more up-to-date data for DRI/NRI but consumes more power. Thus 1 Hz is recommended for general use.
Device Inputs & Outputs
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External LTE antenna allows selecting internal or optional external LTE antenna.
- External Bluetooth antenna allows selecting internal or optional external Bluetooth antenna.
Cellular Connectivity
Settings in this section are country-specific and you shouldn’t change the values unless you know what you are doing. If you change the country, please tap on Configure network automatically and turn the device off and on to find the new cellular settings. For more information about Dronetag cellular coverage and possible settings, visit
this page. Contact the Dronetag team if you are unsure about your settings.
Attaching to the Aircraft
The Dronetag Mini uses a 3M Dual Lock re-closable fastener to be quickly & safely attached and detached from your drone. The Dual Lock holds firm when mated. The interlocking mushroom-shaped heads slide past each other to close with a snap and peel apart easily when you need to separate them by simply pulling the strips by hand.
Proper Location
When looking for a suitable location to place the Dronetag Mini on your drone, you need to watch out for four potential issues:
1. Don't place Mini over a curved surface because it might unsnap during the flight.
2. Don't place Mini on a soft material that can bend during mating (such as plastic covers). The Dual Lock may not hold properly.
3. Don't place Mini over or close to other electrical components such as flight controller, IMU, GNSS antennas, RF transceivers.
4. Don't place Mini in inaccessible locations. You should have the button and all the LEDs always reachable and visible.
Remember, if you put your Mini on top of your drone, you can expect a better GNSS signal. When underneath, a better range for Bluetooth DRI + better cellular signal is expected. Therefore, the proper location might also depend on your use case.
Dual Lock Counterpart Installation
One part of the Dual Lock is already firmly glued to the bottom of your Dronetag Mini device. Besides that, we have supplied you with a self-adhesive counterpart, which must be placed on your drone, and a clean alcohol pad to prepare the surface:
1. Find the proper surface on the drone for the Dual Lock counterpart.
2. Clean the surface with an alcohol cleaning pad.
3. Wait three minutes to let the alcohol evaporate.
4. Remove the foil from the mating piece and stick it onto the area.
5. Wait five minutes, so the glue hardens.
6. Snap the device into the mating piece on the drone.
7. Ensure the glue on both parts holds firmly by repeatedly removing the device from the drone.
Mating the Mini with Drone Counterpart
Mating the Mini with an aircraft counterpart is fast and easy. Just ensure that Mini is centred on the counterpart and push it towards the drone until you feel the mushroom-shaped heads interlock. This is also accompanied by an audible "snap". Before each mating, ensure that both Dual Locks are clean and the mushroom-shaped heads are not bent. When you want to remove the Dronetag Mini from your drone, pull the device free from one of its corners.
Where to Get a Replacement?
If you need more counterpart pieces, you can use your local 3M distributor to order a replacement. If you use an alternative distributor, you must ensure that the Dual Lock counterpart is type 3M SJ4570 sized 36x22 mm (1.4x0.9 in).
Battery Charging
Mini can be charged by any 5V compatible source such as a computer, power bank or charging adapter from a smartphone. You don't need to worry about the milliamps as the Mini will drive the current as required. Charging follows the standard Li-Po charge cycle with 300mA constant current that takes approximately two hours to charge fully. However, after one and a half hours, the device is charged to about 90%. When the device is on the USB and fully charged, the LEDs will turn off.
If you don't want to remove the Dronetag Mini from your drone, you can connect the Mini to the drone's internal power source and charge it while flying – meaning there is no need to ever detach the device from your drone. If this is your preferred way, please:
- Don't try to power the Mini via the EXT connector. No voltage must be applied on EXT.
- Don't exceed the 5V on the Micro USB connector.
If you don't follow the two points above, you will damage the device and void the warranty.
Firmware Update
Dronetag is still adding new features to Dronetag Mini. To follow the latest trends in development, use this short guide to keep your firmware up to date.
Prerequisites
Before you start updating the firmware and during the process, please be sure to:
- Have your device charged to at least 50 % and turned on.
- Have stable internet connection available (around 10 MB must be downloaded).
- Don't start the flight as the firmware cannot be updated in the Flight state.
- Don't restart, turn off or manipulate the device during the update.
Not following the guidelines above may lead to bricking the device.
Update via the Bluetooth
The Bluetooth update is fast and easy option to update your Mini firmware to the latest version. To update the Dronetag Mini firmware, our Dronetag mobile application must be used.
1. Turn on the Bluetooth on your smartphone.
2. Turn on the device and open Dronetag mobile application.
3. Go to Profile -> My Devices and select the Dronetag Mini you would like to update.
4. Click on Firmware Update to see if your device has the latest firmware version.
5. If you have update available, click on Download & Update.
6. Read the instructions for update procedure and confirm it with Proceed Update.
7. Wait until update is finished which is indicated with a success message in the app.
Update via the USB
The work on the USB update is currently in progress and should be available in late 2023. Please use the Bluetooth method for now.
MAVlink (Pixhawk) Integration
The Mini allows you to read sensor data from your MAVlink-compatible flight controller such as Pixhawk. Moreover, it can detect whether the drone is airborne or grounded and act accordingly by starting/ending the flight on your device.
Connecting to the MAVlink Flight Controller
The prerequisite for interconnection of Dronetag device and flight controller is having the right cable. Please make sure that you have a compatible cable on-hand. All the wiring must be as described below.
Dronetag Mini Extension Port
The connector on Dronetag Mini is common JST SH 4-pin with UART interface with no flow control.
Pixhawk Telem Port
Most MAVlink-compatible flight controllers (such as Pixhawk) use JST GH 6-pin connectors that can be configured as UART/Serial interface.
Mini Connected to Flight Controller
For the successful integration of your Dronetag device with flight controller, only pin UART RX, UART TX and Ground must be connected. Not following the diagram below may permanently damage your device and void the warranty.
Caution
- Never put any voltage to pin 1 (VCC pin) on Dronetag Mini side.
- Always check that you wiring of UART TX/RX is as described above.
- Ground pin must be always connected.
Settings on the MAVlink Flight Controller
On the flight controller side, you must ensure that you selected following parameters on the UART/Serial port
- 115200 baudrate
- MAVlink 2 protocol
Using the MAVlink Data as Dronetag Input
Last step is to setup MAVlink as GNSS input and optionally as trigger for starting/ending the flight.
- Open up the Device Configuration
- Select MAVlink option as GNSS input. The internal GNSS receiver will turn off.
- If you want to have your flight state managed by the flight controller, enable MAVlink flight control option in General section
At this point, MAVlink data are read through Extension connector and broadcasted locally/send to Dronetag cloud. You can do a quick check if your integration was succesfull by disconnecting the Extension connector when you already have GNSS fix on your drone. GNSS LED which was previously green should turn into pulsing orange.
*Dronetag flight can be only started when your drone has GNSS fix.
