Active RFID tags are based on a process where the tag transmits, and the reader system listens. Because the tag transmits a beacon at a predetermined interval, it must have a battery inside. This creates a system that must manage battery levels and creates a tag that costs more than its cousin – Passive RFID tags.
Active tag systems are used in high precision location systems called Real Time Location Systems (RTLS). These systems generally are tracking high cost items where the tagged item will stay within the system for years.
Forms of Active tags are:
- Traditional Proprietary 433 MHz tags
- Low Energy Bluetooth (BLE) Beacons
- Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) Beacons
