Remote ID: an enforcement system dressed up as drone safety

While the UK government bills its new £50 million funding package as a major boost for drone innovation and flying taxis, a deeper look reveals that over £20 million is being funneled into a "numberplate ID system" for enforcement. Instead of solving the critical technical barriers to BVLOS flight—like interoperable electronic visibility for manned aviation and practical Detect and Avoid systems—this initiative introduces a heavy surveillance and compliance layer that polices legitimate commercial operators rather than enabling them.