Geo Fencing...HELP!!!

SKY 1 · May 23, 2017

Hi Guys...

I guess I'm a complete knucklehead. Flying Phantoms in Florida. I'm so **** frustrated working though the Geo Fencing process.

A few questions about Geo Fencing:

1 - DJI is saying that flying near a stadium is in a red zone. Is there ANYWAY to unlock a red zone area??? I have a paid gig near a stadium and I'm unable to fly it.

2 - I had permission from an airport to fly inside it's Class D airspace. Geo Fencing locked me out. Again, a red zone.

3 - Is there anyway around DJI's Geo Fencing?

4 - Are there other drones MFG that do NOT use Geo Fencing? I know this is a DJI "thing" - but wondering what others are using.

5 - Trying to input credit card info to DJI - not able to do it. Must be missing something.

Any help that you can suggest, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!

FLYBOYJ · May 23, 2017

does this help?

SKY 1 · May 23, 2017

FLYBOYJ said:
does this help?

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Thanks FlyBoy!!! I appreciate the link. I did not see this video. I appreciate it. What I find really interesting is DJI has one map that shows a red restricted area around a stadium. Then, on another map - there's NO restriction. Crazy! It might be easier to keep another drone on standby. Losing too much business. Many times I get last minute requests to fly in certain areas. I always get permission. If the FAA allows it, and I have permission, it can be problematic to wait 5 days to get unlocked.

David Cooke · Jun 24, 2017

You make it sound so easy but it's not. I just spent more than a week getting DJI authorization with update issues and strange behaviours like the GO4 app flicking back and forth between fly/no-fly and I could start (GREEN Go-fly) and fly within the requested NO-FLY zone but it constantly filled the screen with messages about "land immediately, you are in a no-fly zone, or "This aircraft will land in 20sec" although it never did . . in addition when DJI does not recognize W82.332892 is actually -82.332892 not +82 then I am locked out of a paying photo shoot . . . unless I'm somewhere in EASTERN INDIA!

I was authorized to fly at an airport and have independently been authorized by
1. Transport Canada SFOC
2. The airport Manager
3. Flying service Huron Aviation where the filming ramp is
4. The local fire and police services
5. And the B-17 crew who own the aircraft

Why should DJI be in the middle of all that?

Now a day later when I went to start the Mavic in this location . . it told me it required an UPGRADE of firmware. When it completed "successfully" the mavic would not allow starting saying "you are in a no-fly zone" . . . this is not true as you can see from the official Canadian Government UAV no-fly website screenshot I took.

Why can't DJI get out of the way of Canadian aviation authority (Transport Canada) and restrict use of their drones by password to qualified and authorized pilots. Pre-qualify me with documentation, SFOC, licenses what ever you want but let me simply enter a password to unlock the system completely. . . even a "phone back" password verification number like any password reset does . . that would be a lot more useful than the mess I've gone through for the past week . . .We don't make qualified pilots ask foreign companies . . or governments . . . for permission to fly in our own country. If you are worried about some guy who's not following the rules then lock his password till it's sorted out.

YOUR SYSTEM IS INTRUSIVE AND UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED! . . . overkill to say the least. . . and it's killing my business.

FLYBOYJ · Jun 25, 2017

Dave - first, I'm the messenger here. You're in Canada - I've had no issues in the US but then again unless I'm getting boo-koo bucks for flying in controlled airspace, it isn't worth the hassle for me. I don't know what to tell you but this is the world we live in. Dump your DJI and go for another system. I don't know what else to say.

David Cooke · Jun 25, 2017

Thanks for responding kindly to my RANT . . I'm still wasting time responding to DJI over this latest screrw up. It may be for now that I HAVE to stay with DJI . . but it's wearing thin I must say. Hope they consider my suggestion . . . it would be a LOT less hassle for everyone. Their customer service could use a revamp too.
Cheers

Shammyh · Jun 25, 2017

David Cooke said:
Thanks for responding kindly to my RANT . . I'm still wasting time responding to DJI over this latest screrw up. It may be for now that I HAVE to stay with DJI . . but it's wearing thin I must say. Hope they consider my suggestion . . . it would be a LOT less hassle for everyone. Their customer service could use a revamp too.
Cheers

You can always hop the fence... Mods seems to be banning it here for some reason... But Google dji and NFZ. You'll see what I'm talking about.

BourgeoisSJC · Jun 25, 2017

Shammyh said:
You can always hop the fence... Mods seems to be banning it here for some reason... But Google dji and NFZ. You'll see what I'm talking about.

I was (& still, mostly, am) against this hack however....... Reading Davids post I put myself in his shoes and be so p!ssed off I wouldnt hesitate nor feel bad about doing it either.

FLYBOYJ · Jun 25, 2017

"Hop the fence" and get caught flying without authorization and the fines start at $1,700, at least in the US. I know the Feds will take enforcement action as this would be a deliberate attempt to violate a FAR.

BourgeoisSJC · Jun 25, 2017

FLYBOYJ said:
"Hop the fence" and get caught and the fines start at $1,700, at least in the US. I know the Feds will take enforcement action as this would be a deliberate attempt to violate a FAR.

Who is gonna fine him? DJI? He has approval from everyone but them...

FLYBOYJ · Jun 25, 2017

BourgeoisSJC said:
Who is gonna fine him? DJI? He has approval from everyone but them...

Corrected my post, see above.

AWD · Jun 25, 2017

I just ran into this problem today.

Had to do an update of a large parking area at the airport. I had previously done the normal Geo and NFZ with no problems.

However with today's update/flight I was inside the "Red Circle of Death" and could not start the P4.

So, nothing got done today and evidently it will take 5 days or so to get the "authorization" from DJI to clear me for the Red Zone parking lot video shoot.

Something changed in the last two months for sure.

Arrrrrgh.

AD

Shammyh · Jun 25, 2017

FLYBOYJ said:
"Hop the fence" and get caught flying without authorization and the fines start at $1,700, at least in the US. I know the Feds will take enforcement action as this would be a deliberate attempt to violate a FAR.

Well, obviously you need to follow the appropriate laws and regulations for your specific locale and flight purpose. However, if the DJI geofence is the only issue, and you are otherwise authorized to fly, then, that fence hopping option might come in handy.

Broadly speaking, I actually like the geofence business... And when explaining drones to layman, it's often a nice selling point to say "oh, I couldn't even fly this into an airport if I wanted" at which point I can explain the "smart" features protecting pilots from mistakes. I do wish it had a full "off" switch, even if that meant signing away your life or automagically conferring with authorities. But since DJI offers no such option, they themselves created the market for such "fence hopping" techniques.

Ultimately though... It's not laws or regulations or software that prevent bad decisions, it's people. Ask any gun owner if they'd allow software into their guns that only allows discharge when "at a designated firing range" or "when software has detected a grave threat to life" and see what they say. ;-)

Southern Style · Jun 26, 2017

ABSOLUTELY ridiculous!!! I have said it before, when you purchase a car, it does not come with a daggum BABYSITTER!!!!!!!!!!!! Your trusted to abide by the rules and regulations!!! And as a Law Enforcement Operator, I AM NOT WAITING 5 DAYS to get authorization when I have all other paperwork in line and I need to fly NOW!!!!!!!!

FLYBOYJ · Jun 26, 2017

Southern Style said:
ABSOLUTELY ridiculous!!! I have said it before, when you purchase a car, it does not come with a daggum BABYSITTER!!!!!!!!!!!! Your trusted to abide by the rules and regulations!!! And as a Law Enforcement Operator, I AM NOT WAITING 5 DAYS to get authorization when I have all other paperwork in line and I need to fly NOW!!!!!!!!

Well you could thank the idiots who have purposely flown into controlled airspace, baseball games, over fires, etc. Be thankful that there is at least some type of waiver process and the Feds just don't disallow any type of sUAS operations in all controlled airspace!

FLYBOYJ · Jun 26, 2017

Shammyh said:
Well, obviously you need to follow the appropriate laws and regulations for your specific locale and flight purpose. However, if the DJI geofence is the only issue, and you are otherwise authorized to fly, then, that fence hopping option might come in handy.

Broadly speaking, I actually like the geofence business... And when explaining drones to layman, it's often a nice selling point to say "oh, I couldn't even fly this into an airport if I wanted" at which point I can explain the "smart" features protecting pilots from mistakes. I do wish it had a full "off" switch, even if that meant signing away your life or automagically conferring with authorities. But since DJI offers no such option, they themselves created the market for such "fence hopping" techniques.

Ultimately though... It's not laws or regulations or software that prevent bad decisions, it's people. Ask any gun owner if they'd allow software into their guns that only allows discharge when "at a designated firing range" or "when software has detected a grave threat to life" and see what they say. ;-)

I couldn't agree more.

9245 · Jun 26, 2017

And this is why I refuse to update to the latest firmware or GoApp. I like to KNOW where the NFZs are so I can plan ahead.

9245 · Jun 26, 2017

AWD said:
I just ran into this problem today.

Had to do an update of a large parking area at the airport. I had previously done the normal Geo and NFZ with no problems.

However with today's update/flight I was inside the "Red Circle of Death" and could not start the P4.

So, nothing got done today and evidently it will take 5 days or so to get the "authorization" from DJI to clear me for the Red Zone parking lot video shoot.

Something changed in the last two months for sure.

Arrrrrgh.

AD

Yeah, that stupid randomly changing without warning NFZ update. You know, the one the apologists kept insisying would NEVER cause a problem.

9245 · Jun 26, 2017

David Cooke said:
You make it sound so easy but it's not. I just spent more than a week getting DJI authorization with update issues and strange behaviours like the GO4 app flicking back and forth between fly/no-fly and I could start (GREEN Go-fly) and fly within the requested NO-FLY zone but it constantly filled the screen with messages about "land immediately, you are in a no-fly zone, or "This aircraft will land in 20sec" although it never did . . in addition when DJI does not recognize W82.332892 is actually -82.332892 not +82 then I am locked out of a paying photo shoot . . . unless I'm somewhere in EASTERN INDIA!

I was authorized to fly at an airport and have independently been authorized by
1. Transport Canada SFOC
2. The airport Manager
3. Flying service Huron Aviation where the filming ramp is
4. The local fire and police services
5. And the B-17 crew who own the aircraft

Why should DJI be in the middle of all that?

Now a day later when I went to start the Mavic in this location . . it told me it required an UPGRADE of firmware. When it completed "successfully" the mavic would not allow starting saying "you are in a no-fly zone" . . . this is not true as you can see from the official Canadian Government UAV no-fly website screenshot I took.
View attachment 84430
Why can't DJI get out of the way of Canadian aviation authority (Transport Canada) and restrict use of their drones by password to qualified and authorized pilots. Pre-qualify me with documentation, SFOC, licenses what ever you want but let me simply enter a password to unlock the system completely. . . even a "phone back" password verification number like any password reset does . . that would be a lot more useful than the mess I've gone through for the past week . . .We don't make qualified pilots ask foreign companies . . or governments . . . for permission to fly in our own country. If you are worried about some guy who's not following the rules then lock his password till it's sorted out.

YOUR SYSTEM IS INTRUSIVE AND UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED! . . . overkill to say the least. . . and it's killing my business.

Huh, your right across the river from me.

Southern Style · Jun 26, 2017

FLYBOYJ said:
Well you could thank the idiots who have purposely flown into controlled airspace, baseball games, over fires, etc. Be thankful that there is at least some type of waiver process and the Feds just don't disallow any type of sUAS operations in all controlled airspace!

Oh, I know... and with all the jailbreak, tin foil, soda pop can covers, they WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT.. but the regulations will just be a pain in OUR sides.. the ones legal..

Speed kills... so, let's regulate ALL cars instead of punishing the guilty.... typical reaction... people can't understand that inannamate objects CAN'T break the rules.. the operators do....

It's fine, I'm legal.. do my thing...