Defeating airport lock out

Hammer · Aug 18, 2015

We flew up to Utah to film some warbirds for a museum today but forgot to for check airspace restriction induced by DJI. Space was limited in the Comanche so we only brought along the Inspire and to realize we're locked out during preflight.

And before any negative comments, we had permission and took all safety precautions.

Genhawk · Aug 18, 2015

Good idea... Now you clearly need to make a little hat for your inspire, lined in Aluminum Foil!

Ibflyen · Aug 18, 2015

If you had gotten gps lock while flying the motors would have stopped and down It would have came. You got very lucky!
Definitely not a risk I would have taken relying on a piece of tin foil to keep my bird in the air while filming old war birds!

MonroePoteet · Aug 19, 2015

Ibflyen said:
If you had gotten gps lock while flying the motors would have stopped and down It would have came. You got very lucky!
Definitely not a risk I would have taken relying on a piece of tin foil to keep my bird in the air while filming old war birds!

According to the DJI user manual:

"If the aircraft enters the restricted area in A mode but P mode activates the aircraft will automatically descend to land and then stop its motors after landing."

I haven't tried it myself, though.

mTp

m00se · Aug 19, 2015

you cut the video short, I wanted to see the mobility chair pull the plane along

Maybe we should all keep some foil tape in our kits for emergencies like this.

Scotflieger · Aug 19, 2015

I was forced to use this aluminium foil hat idea to practice ATTI mode prior to my flight assessment when the SDK2 FW stopped me manually selecting the mode. You can get some GPS signal leakage at times switching the aircraft back to P-GPS mode.

Ibflyen · Aug 19, 2015

MonroePoteet said:
According to the DJI user manual:

"If the aircraft enters the restricted area in A mode but P mode activates the aircraft will automatically descend to land and then stop its motors after landing."

I haven't tried it myself, though.

mTp

That's right "if you enter a restricted area" but if your are already in this NFZ zone when you get a gps lock it will kill the motors from what I have seen living in a nfz and doing some experimentation. Maybe things have changed with the later fw updates but when the NFZ was first implemented I could have motors running in Atti mode with no gps signal and as soon as I got gps lock the motors stopped instantly.

MonroePoteet · Aug 19, 2015

Ibflyen said:
That's right "if you enter a restricted area" but if your are already in this NFZ zone when you get a gps lock it will kill the motors from what I have seen living in a nfz and doing some experimentation. Maybe things have changed with the later fw updates but when the NFZ was first implemented I could have motors running in Atti mode with no gps signal and as soon as I got gps lock the motors stopped instantly.

OK, thanks for the real-life experience info. I'll definitely experiment beforehand if I ever need to do this and am authorized to do so.

mTp

SultanGris · Aug 19, 2015

Unplug the gps antenna, do not update further with new firmware they release, they say they will cause the aircraft not to work at all in the future updates if gps is detected as unplugged.

damoncooper · Aug 24, 2015

SultanGris said:
Unplug the gps antenna, do not update further with new firmware they release, they say they will cause the aircraft not to work at all in the future updates if gps is detected as unplugged.

Nice try. Mandatory updates are just that. N number of days without connecting to the Internet and you're grounded.

SultanGris · Aug 24, 2015

damoncooper said:
Nice try. Mandatory updates are just that. N number of days without connecting to the Internet and you're grounded.

When did they implement this? It's not in my version of firmware, I haven't updated for 8 months and am connected to internet every day when I fly, no grounding for me.

damoncooper · Aug 24, 2015

SultanGris said:
When did they implement this? It's not in my version of firmware, I haven't updated for 8 months and am connected to internet every day when I fly, no grounding for me.

1st version of the FW. Not every version is mandatory.

Scotflieger · Aug 25, 2015

SultanGris said:
When did they implement this? It's not in my version of firmware, I haven't updated for 8 months and am connected to internet every day when I fly, no grounding for me.

Those thinking they can avoid FW updates by all these little tricks will lose out on any new features. Also if you are connecting to the internet daily and a mandatory update is detected you will find the countdown will start and then you will have to update or simply not fly.

damoncooper · Aug 25, 2015

Scotflieger said:
Those thinking they can avoid FW updates by all these little tricks will lose out on any new features. Also if you are connecting to the internet daily and a mandatory update is detected you will find the countdown will start and then you will have to update or simply not fly.

And there's also the fact that it won't work

SultanGris · Aug 25, 2015

damoncooper said:
1st version of the FW. Not every version is mandatory.

Have any versions so far been?

SultanGris · Aug 25, 2015

Scotflieger said:
Those thinking they can avoid FW updates by all these little tricks will lose out on any new features. Also if you are connecting to the internet daily and a mandatory update is detected you will find the countdown will start and then you will have to update or simply not fly.

Not worried about that, to date there's been zero improvements, only been some major bugs, removal of features and adding more restrictions so far, lol

Scotflieger · Aug 25, 2015

SultanGris said:
Not worried about that, to date there's been zero improvements, only been some major bugs, removal of features and adding more restrictions so far, lol

Then, as you have repeatedly stated, you will never be satisfied with any DJI platform (80% of the world drone market). I wonder why you stick with what many consider a great aircraft with ongoing support and development. I would respectably suggest that you seek a platform free from all the constraints on your liberty and rights.

Ibflyen · Aug 25, 2015

Scotflieger said:
Then, as you have repeatedly stated, you will never be satisfied with any DJI platform (80% of the world drone market). I wonder why you stick with what many consider a great aircraft with ongoing support and development. I would respectably suggest that you seek a platform free from all the constraints on your liberty and rights.

I had one before DJI starting adding restraints and taking away video channels and video range in thier fw updates! I have to agree with SultanGris on this one!

I HAD an awesome machine when I first got it and with every update It is less and less what I bought and paid for.
Your not really trying to say DJI's support is worth bragging about are you? And as far as development where are all the features we have been promised?
I too really like the inspire but your stand on DJI is a little off in my opinion!

Scotflieger · Aug 25, 2015

Ibflyen said:
I had one before DJI starting adding restraints and taking away video channels and video range in thier fw updates! I have to agree with SultanGris on this one!
I HAD an awesome machine when I first got it and with every update It is less and less what I bought and paid for.
Your not really trying to say DJI's support is worth bragging about are you? And as far as development where are all the features we have been promised?
I too really like the inspire but your stand on DJI is a little off in my opinion!

I have owned my I1 for 5 months. I have kept my FW and app up-to-date and have noticed no shortfalls against the published specification regarding range (2km) or constraints on my use of the aircraft that are less than the legal ones I work to. My I1 has performed faultlessly and I still have an awesome machine. I do have issues with DJI regarding the level of information released and I am constrained in that respect now.

What I find unbelievable is some members wish to exceed, bypass, circumvent and deride limitations and changes brought about by local/regional legalisation. We in the UK are blessed by an active regulator (CAA) which is developing a workable legal framework before the politicians get involved. From what I hear from various reports that the US FAA is way behind and legislators are taking the initiative.

SultanGris · Aug 25, 2015

Ibflyen said:
I had one before DJI starting adding restraints and taking away video channels and video range in thier fw updates! I have to agree with SultanGris on this one!
I HAD an awesome machine when I first got it and with every update It is less and less what I bought and paid for.
Your not really trying to say DJI's support is worth bragging about are you? And as far as development where are all the features we have been promised?
I too really like the inspire but your stand on DJI is a little off in my opinion!

Exactly, and fortunately for me I've never updated so mines still good.

dji won't be 80% of market for long if they continue on their current path. I doubt they can ever force firmware on me, I haven't had a problem yet. Even if the app does try to lock me out at some point which is unlikely as it's never happened in 8 months, I'll simply delete and reinstall it.