DJI Announce changes to NFZ

[Carlsberg]

It's all a bunch of ******** and dji CANNOT be trusted.
There is no way I'm signing up for another dji "promise" only to be locked out from using my I1, no flippin way

 

[Joola]

It's all a bunch of ******** and dji CANNOT be trusted.
There is no way I'm signing up for another dji "promise" only to be locked out from using my I1, no flippin way

Can you elaborate more on your second statement? I'm not sure what you mean. Thankfully this is a voluntary opt-in program that many operators will benefit greatly from.

 

[gregdd]

There's no mention of this changing the flight altitude. Safe to assume that will be unchanged.
Out of curiosity, why are you interested in flying at such high altitude. I don't know what jurisdiction you fly under but I can't imagine it's easy to get permission to fly so high.

Where i live it is easy for me to fly at 500m but still be 5m from ground. Why must everyone on these forums be such watchdogs. I think that it is likely to be someone not on these forums that is going to do something stupid and cause problems for the rest of us.

 

[rodger]

Where i live it is easy for me to fly at 500m but still be 5m from ground. ...........

Are you flying in the UK?
I think the altitude limit is a little confusing for some,, If you are stood on the beach you should only fly at 400ft above mean sea level. If you are stood on top of a mountain at an altitude of 2000ft you can fly at 2400ft above mean sea level, or 400ft from where you take off. Please bear in mind that light aircraft can fly at 500ft so if you fly at 500ft you have a chance of hitting one. That is why we should only fly at 400ft/122meters

 

[The Editor]

Are you flying in the UK?
I think the altitude limit is a little confusing for some,, If you are stood on the beach you should only fly at 400ft above mean sea level. If you are stood on top of a mountain at an altitude of 2000ft you can fly at 2400ft above mean sea level, or 400ft from where you take off. Please bear in mind that light aircraft can fly at 500ft so if you fly at 500ft you have a chance of hitting one. That is why we should only fly at 400ft/122meters

gredddd was talking about flying at 500m which is 1,640ft (the software limit of the Inspire's barometer differential).
Please note that msl has nothing to do with the height you are legally allowed to fly at. The barometer on the Inspire zeros at power on and only measures relative pressure difference (to 10cm) upon changing altitude.
In the UK my ops manual operational ceiling I can legally fly at is 4,809ft (1,465m). This is taken as the highest point in the country (Ben Nevis) at 4,409ft plus the permissible height above ground level for UAV operation which is 400ft. Of course this is only achievable flying from the summit.
The important point is height of operation is ALWAYS measured from ground level so gregdd scenario would be taking off at the base of a mountain and then following the terrain at say a height of 30m above the ground, always staying well within 400ft of ground level but easily reaching 1000's feet in altitude but never breaking the 400ft legal limit.
Of course going outside unaided VLOS of 500m could be another matter.

 

[rodger]

gredddd was talking about flying at 500m which is 1,640ft (the software limit of the Inspire's barometer differential).
Please note that msl has nothing to do with the height you are legally allowed to fly at. The barometer on the Inspire zeros at power on and only measures relative pressure difference (to 10cm) upon changing altitude.
In the UK my ops manual operational ceiling I can legally fly at is 4,809ft (1,465m). This is taken as the highest point in the country (Ben Nevis) at 4,409ft plus the permissible height above ground level for UAV operation which is 400ft. Of course this is only achievable flying from the summit.
The important point is height of operation is ALWAYS measured from ground level so gregdd scenario would be taking off at the base of a mountain and then following the terrain at say a height of 30m above the ground, always staying well within 400ft of ground level but easily reaching 1000's feet in altitude but never breaking the 400ft legal limit.
Of course going outside unaided VLOS of 500m could be another matter.

My ops manual is the same 4.809ft I was only trying to point out that in the Uk we can only fly at 400ft from take off point.

 

[RockLobster]

noflyzone.org has nothing to do with this. Their service is currently a gimmick. The DJI geofencing service will be provided by Airmap. Civilians can't add NFZs to Airmap. You should check out their service. It's a great interface.
AirMap.io

Edit: removed some incorrect info about who can/can't create TFRs.

thanks, will check this.

 

[The Editor]

My ops manual is the same 4.809ft I was only trying to point out that in the Uk we can only fly at 400ft from take off point.

Ahhh...fair enough

 

[Joola]

Where i live it is easy for me to fly at 500m but still be 5m from ground. Why must everyone on these forums be such watchdogs. I think that it is likely to be someone not on these forums that is going to do something stupid and cause problems for the rest of us.

Thanks for the explanation. I understand your situation now. I don't fly in mountainous areas so I'm not familiar with the limitations you've faced. With not context, I was left to assumptions which was why I asked. I didn't accuse you of trying to break any laws, I was just curious.

To your question about being watchdogs, have you not seen the numerous times members have posted descriptions of or photos of illegal flights? It's probably a bigger problem with non members, but it happens here too.

 

[huppe]

I would like to know if you can unsubscribe in case you're selling your Inspire.

 

[Joola]

I would like to know if you can unsubscribe in case you're selling your Inspire.

You won't have anything to worry about. It's tied to your account/profile within the DJI Go App and not the Inspire itself.

 

[huppe]

You won't have anything to worry about. It's tied to your account/profile within the DJI Go App and not the Inspire itself.

Thanks Joola

 

[Dorian]

I think most of you are missing the BIGGER point. The world is becoming a smaller place, a digitally controllable place. The specter of a GLOBAL hegemony is no longer a matter of IF but When. In such an environment, independent aerial surveillance vehicles MUST be placed under the control of those in control. DJI will cow tow just to stay financially viable. Having a NFZ lockout is precisely what governments would require so that ANY coverage/live documentation or reporting on anything from wars, to human injustices, troop movements, house-to-house searchers, or ANYTHING that some government/junta/police force decides is not for public consumption, can be eliminated.

Would you accept this sort of control on your iPhone or DSLR? Would you BUY a karma that shut down if you tried to film in an area that some government wanted to set up as a temporary No-Photo-Zone? Do you desire tyranny ... because you seem to be inviting it?

The more we allow/encourage any company (and DJI is rapidly approaching the level of a monopoly) to move in this direction (mandatory lock out UNLESS online validation is received) you take the MultiRotors (I will never give into the "drone" media drone) out of the equation as news gathering device.

Let's not discuss the idiots who fly into emergency zones. Such people get pulled over for DUI and for pulling guns on their spouses as well. This is no reason to make Cars or Guns illegal! What is needed is for governments to ENFORCE LAWS that protect public safety, and to hold pilots accountable just as they SHOULD do this for DUI accidents (which they do NOT do successfully now, here in the U.S.).

It should always come down to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and LIABILITY in the case of idiots.

Naturally our country (the U.S.) is now one of the most restrictive "democracies" (I use this word with my tongue firmly crammed into my cheek, as I should be calling it a Republican Democracy, if is was...still...) in history, with most of the nation ringed in with a nationally accessed facial recognition camera network and an inevitable slap down coming our way. To allow, encourage or accept MORE censorship at the ROOT level of our MultiRotor operating systems is for chumps.

The only way to prevent this is to stand united and refuse upgrading until this entire LOCK OUT idea is abandoned. This SHOULD be a USER/OWNER DEMAND on the part of DJI, let the chips fall where they may.

If DJI wants to supply this information, and map in as overlays, this is not only a great idea, but DJI SHOULD do this as a responsible manufacturer. If foreign spy services want access to their data bases to see who own these craft, they can already get his, I assure you. Their forensics and surveillance network will do most of the rest of the work for them.

One might consider the placement of a VIN NUMBER on every multi-rotor with the same sorts of fines associate with driving without one: detainment and investigation.

IF ... a government wants to down a multi-rotor the tech already exists to do this: "Radio Jamming".

Sadly, this generation is rapidly succumbing both to apathy as well as gullibility. There is little in the way of forward thinking nor is there an understanding of what REAL freedom is supposed to be. These issues are never easy to figure out. There are always the sorts of issues freedom vs. security. However, I will always err on the side of policies that place responsibility on the heads of idiots or criminals and that do NOT suppress the freedoms of those who live socially mature, responsible lives.

If we need to license multi-rotors over "x" lbs, and "x" altitude capabilities so that the owners of violating aircraft can be tracked down for litigation, then so be it. However, AUTOMATIC RESTRICTIONS to flying where and when desired should NOT be on the table, let alone MANDATORY RESTRICTIONS. No freakin' way, Jose!

My 4 cents!

Dorian

 

[SkipTV]

The FAA just needs to get off of their *** and have a practical test. I am a UAV Chapter President. Its simple and we have been discussing this with the FAA for over a year!!! Pretty much a 50 question written test and a flight test. The written will insure pilots know the Fed Rules and Airspace Restrictions. The Flight test will insure a pilot can take off, fly and land. Unlike Actual Pilot flight school where a student has to spend so many hours with an instructor and so many hours of ground school, the drone pilot student can self teach for the ground school written test and the flying test. This way there will be no extra financial burden on a drone pilot. However if they wanted to take a course they can. It is estimated this course would be about one day. The FAA and other Drone organizations like the UAV don't like the direction the 333 took, as lawyers and other companies started charging anywhere from $500 to $3000 to do the paper work and file. I do it for $200 because its a lot of paper work and it takes a few hours to do it. So the idea of an actual test and license stops all the bull crap, it stops a private company like DJI from collecting data and passing it on to the FAA. Its stops companies from gouging pilots for getting them the 333 and it makes Drone Pilots better and safer pilots. So its all there and ready to go on the desk of the FAA, its been there for over a year. Why they have not implanted it, and took control of this 'drone issue' before they are banned everywhere is something I just don't get. Anyway don't blame DJI in lieu of the FAA doing nothing, they are at least trying to 'smoke and mirror' protecting our rights to fly. www.dronepilotnews.com www.dronepilotflightschool.com

 

[Signa]

Well said both Dorian and SkipTV!