"Your Aircraft is at a boundary of a restricted zone - Please fly away with Caution"

[adam3112]

Hi guys,

I took my Mavic out to Wisley common in Surrey UK in a field next to the abandoned airfield yesterday and I did some preparations beforehand, checking the geo map in the dji go app and the "No Fly Drones Website" for any restrictions in this area and there are no restrictions showing on the maps in the area I was in, not even on the airfield, which has been abandoned since 1973.

SO when I took off and began to fly in any direction away from my takeoff point, the controller kept vibrating and a message kept popping up with "Your Aircraft is at a boundary of a restricted zone - Please fly away with Caution" along with a voice saying "Warning Boundary restriction reached" (to that effect). I checked the map again on the DJI Go app and again I saw no warning zones in the vicinity I was flying.

I did not want to fly the drone in any direction away from me too far in-case the dji go app forced the Mavic to auto land somewhere because of this invisible restriction.

My question is, why was this warning popping up if there were no visible restrictions in the DJI Geo map?

 

[adam3112]

I'm surprised at the lack of response from the Forum. I would have thought someone would have some information about this.

 

[theDRONEranger]

I have never experienced this on my part, but, have you contacted DJI support?

 

[Thomas B]

I have never experienced this on my part, but, have you contacted DJI support?

Ditto...

 

[GadgetGuy]

Hi guys,

I took my Mavic out to Wisley common in Surrey UK in a field next to the abandoned airfield yesterday and I did some preparations beforehand, checking the geo map in the dji go app and the "No Fly Drones Website" for any restrictions in this area and there are no restrictions showing on the maps in the area I was in, not even on the airfield, which has been abandoned since 1973.

SO when I took off and began to fly in any direction away from my takeoff point, the controller kept vibrating and a message kept popping up with "Your Aircraft is at a boundary of a restricted zone - Please fly away with Caution" along with a voice saying "Warning Boundary restriction reached" (to that effect). I checked the map again on the DJI Go app and again I saw no warning zones in the vicinity I was flying.

I did not want to fly the drone in any direction away from me too far in-case the dji go app forced the Mavic to auto land somewhere because of this invisible restriction.

My question is, why was this warning popping up if there were no visible restrictions in the DJI Geo map?

Sounds like a mismatch between the installed NFZ databases and GEO. Update all NFZ databases to clear the error, or discover what restricted zone is being detected.

 

[adam3112]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll switch on my Mavic when I get home and see if there is any updates to install and check if this adds anything to the map. I must admit, I wasn't prompted with any while on-site, but maybe it was poor network.

Failing that I'll try and get in contact with DJI.

Thanks for all your input.

 

[Shaun Roster]

I experienced the same issue whilst flying in unrestricted airspace last week. Full preflight survey showed only a CTR to the North, which is not ‘Restricted’ it is a ‘fly with caution’ area with no requirement for ‘authorisation’ however, the DJIGo4 App kept telling me ‘Warning Boundary Restriction Reached’ fly away with caution. Cross referenced with the GEOMap at the same time it confirmed there was no restricted boundary or airspace in my location other then the already known non-restricted Class D Airspace.
there is definitely an issue with the App being over zealous and not applying the correct airspace restrictions and authorisations in line with its own GEOfencing data.

 

[Malcx]

Adam - I had the same issue this week, also on Weds, while flying just east of Guildford in an area with no NFZ's listed and no NOTAMs on the day. It's a spot I use regularly and the nearest NFZ should be Send prison 4 miles away.

It also came up with a "class D restricted airspace" warning on Go4, that when clicked for more information, said I was near to Fawley Refinery. Yeah that's 50 miles away, my Mavic hasn't got the battery to get there!

I submitted an error to DJI through the app, packed up and went home.

Friday I tried the same thing (without updating anything on the drone, controller or phone) The class D flashed up briefly and then was no more - the rest of the session was warning free.

 

[Keule]

It also came up with a "class D restricted airspace" warning on Go4, that when clicked for more information, said I was near to Fawley Refinery. Yeah that's 50 miles away,

There were multiple reports on other forums as well with the exact symptoms you are describing.
It affects some (or all) DJI aircraft in the greater area of the Fawley refinery. (by error some hundred square miles)
DJI had put up a TFR (after the drone incident at Fawley refinery end of Oct. 2019) in their GEO system, which resulted in what you were describing. That TFR is gone on Nov, 8th at 01:01:00 UTC+1. Hopefully, all issues are gone.

 

[Malcx]

There were multiple reports on other forums as well with the exact symptoms you are describing.
It affects some (or all) DJI aircraft in the greater area of the Fawley refinery. (by error some hundred square miles)
DJI had put up a TFR (after the drone incident at Fawley refinery end of Oct. 2019) in their GEO system, which resulted in what you were describing. That TFR is gone on Nov, 8th at 01:01:00 UTC+1. Hopefully, all issues are gone.

Great to hear that it was temp and thanks. I didn't hear about the drone/Fawley incident, will have a read up.
Also where should I be able to see TFR's listed, it wasn't showing in-app or on the flysafe site and I checked NOTAMs

 

[Keule]

Great to hear that it was temp and thanks. I didn't hear about the drone/Fawley incident, will have a read up.
Also where should I be able to see TFR's listed, it wasn't showing in-app or on the flysafe site and I checked NOTAMs

Here one of the news article: 'Massive drone' sparks major security alert at refinery

As I said, DJI might have had a glitch in the GEO system, which led to strange behaviors. The TFR in place should have only above and around Fawley Refinery but extends several dozen miles around it.

 

[Shaun Roster]

Adam - I had the same issue this week, also on Weds, while flying just east of Guildford in an area with no NFZ's listed and no NOTAMs on the day. It's a spot I use regularly and the nearest NFZ should be Send prison 4 miles away.

It also came up with a "class D restricted airspace" warning on Go4, that when clicked for more information, said I was near to Fawley Refinery. Yeah that's 50 miles away, my Mavic hasn't got the battery to get there!

I submitted an error to DJI through the app, packed up and went home.

Friday I tried the same thing (without updating anything on the drone, controller or phone) The class D flashed up briefly and then was no more - the rest of the session was warning free.

I replied above already but reading your comment, i remember now that I also got the exact same Fawley Power Station warning, and I was in similar location to you, also last Wednesday, 60* miles from Fawley at Silvermere Golf Course, 5 miles from Cobham. GPS, Geo Mapping and everything was accurate and correct but the warnings and restricted boundary alerts were completely spurious.

 

[clydesur]

Happened to me. Flying in restricted space staying under 400 ft. All of a sudden I get the message you are referring. Guessing some areas of the air port is 400 ft. Then if it is at a runway zone it is 200ft. Again a theory.

 

[ajkm]

"...one of the drones usually appeared at around 8pm and circled the refinery for up to two hours, flying at an estimated height of 300ft."

I wonder what batteries it's using to be 3m diameter and have a 2 hour endurance?

 

[Keule]

I wonder what batteries it's using to be 3m diameter and have a 2 hour endurance?

Fixed-wing drones with a flight time of 1-2 hours perhaps?

 

[ajkm]

Fixed-wing drones with a flight time of 1-2 hours perhaps?

Ha, of course! Although I wonder if the local non-aviation employee types would actually refer to a fixed-wing as a "drone". But in my head, RPA always starts off as being rotary!

 

[Keule]

Although I wonder if the local non-aviation employee types would actually refer to a fixed-wing as a "drone".

A few years back, they would have simply said: "Look, a UFO!"
Today, everything is a 'drone'

 

[Tiago_Wolf]

I had a case similar to this.
Near Air space warning,

Take off allowed

Then to land had to walk around 30/ 40 meters because it was blocked in a geofenced way.

I haven't backed up that when I changed my older phone

 

[ajkm]

There's often an online unlock option in those circumstances.

 

[adam3112]

I was not aware of the Fawley Refinery incident but glad the ridiculously large restriction radius was only a temporary thing.