Other than not connecting to wifi, is there a way of preventing DJI control apps checking if firmware or App updates are available? Preferably NOT ...

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Preferably NOT using a setting in the control App itself.
This relates to drones that use any of the following DJI Apps, Go, Go4 & Fly and primarily, for me, Android screen devices ( NOT rooted ).

As a rule I do not update either the Apps or Firmware, "if it isn't broke don't fix it", but I am getting a bit concerned about unintended checks being made by an App that result in us, the users, being forced to update the firmware.
I have been caught with that with the FPV, I had accidentally left wifi on when I connected a phone to the goggles and could not fly it until I downloaded etc. the firmware update. It did not 'cripple' my drone but I find the idea of being forced to update annoying and it was one of the "can't down grade from" updates which 'doubles' the annoyance factor.
My concern is that one of these unexpected log outs, that are being reported, will force me to connect the App to wifi and that the App may then find one of these "I am going to force you to update 'notifications'" and .........

 

[slup]

Use some firewall app on your device & block the flight app from accessing all data connections.

Have used "AdGuard Ad Blocker" on all my Android devices for years & besides providing you with a firewall module it also blocks all kinds of ads when out on WWW no matter browser & even ads included in free apps. It comes in all kinds of flavours... MacOS, Windows, Android, iOS & as browser extentions.

 

[old man mavic]

@Yorkshire_Pud although i understand the two schools of thought ,on updating Apps and firmware and also sending logs to DJI ,or indeed not doing so ,in your case
please could you explain the reasoning for your particular concerns ,about why you don't do updates
i am not trying to be argumentative or smart with you ,i have with all my DJI drones i have owned ,or no longer own, always kept everything up to date ,and for me personally have never had an issue ,from doing so
indeed when it comes to my Mini 3 pro ,if i had not done the firmware updates ,then i would not be enjoying the many improved features that my Mini 3 pro now enjoys since it first came out
i would also like to add ,that when it comes to doing any updates i do not have them on auto installation ,i only install them after i have digested what the update does ,although i agree that when it comes to explanations from DJI ,these can be somewhat wanting
one last point ,it is a recommendation from the CAA that in order to be compliant with the drone guidance rules ,then part of that compliance, involves keeping your drone and RC up to date, when it comes to firmware

 

[waynorth]

Use some firewall app on your device & block the flight app from accessing all data connections.

Have used "AdGuard Ad Blocker" on all my Android devices for years & besides providing you with a firewall module it also blocks all kinds of ads when out on WWW no matter browser & even ads included in free apps. It comes in all kinds of flavours... MacOS, Windows, Android, iOS & as browser extentions.

Interesting. I see that it is not avalable on playstore because of Google rules, must be downloaded from adguard.com.
You have not experienced any problems or limitations when using it?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

could you explain the reasoning for your particular concerns ,about why you don't do updates

no problem,
1) and the main one, fear of something going wrong and ending up with a brick. My introduction to DJI was with the P3 and there were many such stories about update woes with them. There are still quite a few "an update bricked my drone in someway" threads even amongst Mavics.
2) the firmware containing some arbitrary DJI whim clamp down that I am unaware of.

The CAA thing I know about but I don't fly anywhere where I could be, I think, in breach of regs. I don't like flying near or over people and I don't fly over built up area, too many "what if" concerns.
Scenery is my 'thing' or perhaps, if I was very lucky marine mammals, a Dolphin encounter via a land based camera and the thought "if only I had a longer lens" was the reason I got a P3 in the first place, or the odd Buzzard or if very, very lucky an eagle (hasn't happen yet). I have had 1 Buzzard encounter, awe inspiring, it was a tolerant bird but I came home, rather quickly, when it took it's first 'look' at the drone.

Most of the time if something went wrong with my drone it is going to go swimming in deep, salt water, either as consequence of a problem or as a deliberate ditching. And yes I was getting ready to do that once, when a squall came through and was blowing a drone towards a village, fortunately the squall died and I didn't 'have' to ditch.
Oh and ditching isn't noble thinking, it's self preservation, there are very few "what ifs" to be 'asked' if the drone is under 100+ft of sea water.

Scotland and RAF training grounds are my only real concern with regards to regs and I have not been fortunate enough to get up there yet, if I do get lucky I will be checking things out thoroughly before hand and probably asking here.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Use some firewall app on your device & block the flight app from accessing all data connections.

Thanks slup. Would that interfere with log ins & outs?

 

[old man mavic]

@Yorkshire_Pud ,thanks for your reply and even though you only fly in remote areas ,to be honest with you, that for me does not preclude you from following the guidelines in the regs ,those rules and regs still apply ,no matter where you fly
of course you may feel that as long as nothing goes wrong during a flight, then no one will be any the wiser ,but if that day ever arises, when something ,even if it is out of your control goes wrong during a flight , it is at that moment ,when the fact that your firmware is not up to date ,could have a profound bearing on the outcome ,just remember that the ANO that we fly under is a legal document ,and whether any of us like it or not ,can be used to prosecute someone if they break them

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Thanks OMM, I will give it some thought.
Not arguing with you but if having up to date software is a recommendation rather than compulsory and my current software works, is it not fair to say that at the time of the software release it was compliant and seemingly safe?
Besides some updates seem to introduce problems with control or unexpected behaviours such as disconnections Fly 1.2.something gave my Mavic Mini numerous disconnections at ranges of less than 20ft etc.

EDIT That said, I can imagine that if I were to answer my question but posed by someone else my response could be summarised as " the law is the law irrespective of whether or not it is 'mistaken' " LOL

 

[slup]

...You have not experienced any problems or limitations when using it?

Mainly nothing at all, it just works in the background without any fuzz. The only thing I've experienced is if an app for instance needs to validate a serial number by communicating with a special server once, that communication can be blocked. It's 2 ways around instances like this either by creating an exception for that particular app in the AdGuard settings or that you temporarily disable AdGuard just when that special communication take place.

Have occasionally forgotten to enable AdGuard after such event described above... & it's frightening how much ads & popup's it is everywhere when just trying to surf the web, AdGuard quiet everything like that down to nearly zero.

Thanks slup. Would that interfere with log ins & outs?

If you mean log creation via drone-RC-mobile device or attaching your device to your computer to copy over logs... no, not at all, the first goes over the DJI WiFi between drone & RC then to your device through USB... the second example doesn't involve the DJI app, it's purely between the device & your computer. So nothing involves a WiFi connection from the app itself.

Can imagine that map updates, FlySafe & uploads to the DJI cloud service from within the DJI app will be blocked though... if you block the app with a firewall.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

If you mean log creation via drone-RC-mobile device or attaching your device to your computer to copy over logs... no, not at all, the first goes over the DJI WiFi between drone & RC then to your device through USB... the second example doesn't involve the DJI app, it's purely between the device & your computer. So nothing involves a WiFi connection from the app itself.

Sorry bad phrasing on my part, I meant logging into and out-of the app itself, though primarily logging into the app.

Maps and syncing do not bother me.

 

[slup]

Sorry bad phrasing on my part, I meant logging into and out-of the app itself, though primarily logging into the app.

Maps and syncing do not bother me.

If the app is blocked from reaching internet with a firewall it will not be possible to log into your DJI account for sure... you need to be online to do that, but once done you can go offline... or hide behind a firewall.

 

[Zbip57]

Have occasionally forgotten to enable AdGuard after such event described above... & it's frightening how much ads & popup's it is everywhere when just trying to surf the web, AdGuard quiet everything like that down to nearly zero.

I use a similar adblocker on my computer and it works great. I'm accustomed to watching Youtube videos without ever seeing annoying advertisements. The other day I use a friend's computer, wanting to show him one of my drone videos, and I was amazed to see my own video cluttered with Youtube's ads.

I did run into a problem once though. I often do my banking online, but one day I mysteriously could no longer log in to my bank account. It wasn't as though I had put in an incorrect password. It accepted my acct# and password as usual, but the webpage just froze without loading the next page. I contacted the bank, fearing perhaps that my account had been hijacked. I tried clearing cookies and cache, etc. But it turned out be the adblocker.

It had always worked before, but something had changed on the bank's website so it would now only work with the adblocker disabled. Many websites will now popup a message saying adblocker detected, please disable to access our site. But the bank's website didn't say anything helpful like that. It just stopped working altogether until I tried disabling the adblocker.