Amid privacy backlash...

[anotherlab]

Just hope it works both ways so you can see who/where/when has started to monitor the flight/s by means of logging into the app to aid transparency and you can be pinged when using Go4 or whatever so you can see in realtime and not when you've packed everything away thinking alls cool until a knock @ the door from the bizzies or even from the complainant

Sent from my W65_67SC using MavicPilots mobile app

Would you really wanted to receive in-app notifications from everyone that is running DJI's monitoring app while you are flying? That would get tedious after 5 minutes.

What value would that information provide for you? If it works both ways, you won't know was running the app, just someone within a 1 km range has the app. That covers a lot of ground. And it doesn't tell you about the person without the app that freaked out and called the cops.

This app protects you more than it would harm you. If someone calls the police and says that a drone hovering over their backyard, the police can just tell them to get the app and get the proof. When the log shows the drone was not hovering and was 175 ft above the house, the police can tell them that the drone was doing anything wrong.

 

[anotherlab]

I wonder who gets access to names and addresses of DJI registered owners and under what circumstances? I guess it would be up to DJI?

And the law enforcement authorities in the jurisdiction that they sold the drone in. If they get a request from the NTSB, they will honor it. The police will not bother with DJI, unless it's something serious. At that point, they can get a warrant.

It also won't always be that easy to track a drone to a person. If you didn't register your drone with DJI, they will not have a name associated to an ID number. They trace where that drone was sold, but the trail can still go dead. If someone buys a Mavic Mini at Best Buy and pays cash, there's no person to drone linkage that can be traced to them.

 

[GCMM2P]

We get accused of violating privacy for just flying overhead so we really can't complain about being tracked.

Huh?

 

[Gindra]

This technology sounds similar to the FlightRadar24 app I use to see what aircraft are in the area. It provides the same kind of info.

 

[Deleted member 93449]

I don't think the average person gives drones a thought during their day. That said I don't know how many people would take the time and/or spend the money to download and use the app. If the information provided by the app is a serial number that could somehow be tied to a specific manufacturer and the manufacturer has a record of who purchased that drone (all this in a database that is readily available to the FAA and/or LE) I have to imagine the only time an incident would be pursued is if it resulted in serious injury or damage.

 

[Cloudhopper]

The real issue is that the information about your drone, including serial number, will be broadcast in plain text in the Drone ID information over Wifi/Ocusync/Lightbridge.

Because the information is in plain text, it can be captured by anyone nearby.

With your Drone ID data, it's possible to recreate your drone's signature anywhere using cheap and easy to get WiFi spoofing tools.

This was highlighted in a white paper a couple of years ago:

The consequences of this could be devastating - imagine if someone spoofed your drone's ID and GPS coordinates to make it look like you were flying over a military facility or airport?

Unless DJI has some way to make Drone ID unforgeable, this is going to leave DJI drone users immensely vulnerable.

 

[The RAPier]

It may be time to find another drone company. This is high tech selling our privacy for their gain, a common story.

 

[sar104]

It may be time to find another drone company. This is high tech selling our privacy for their gain, a common story.

Selling your privacy to whom, and how will they gain from it?

 

[AMann]

It may be time to find another drone company. This is high tech selling our privacy for their gain, a common story.

Drones use public airspace, I think the public has a right to know about who is using it- especially airspace near them. It really is just like cars using public roads- they have license plates that can be used by police to ID the lawbreakers, stolen vehicles, etc...

 

[Chip]

...If the information provided by the app is a serial number that could somehow be tied to a specific manufacturer and the manufacturer has a record of who purchased that drone (all this in a database that is readily available to the FAA and/or LE)...

It sounds like the FAA and LE only have the ability to match ID to registered owner if DJI agrees to share the information.

 

[anotherlab]

It may be time to find another drone company. This is high tech selling our privacy for their gain, a common story.

This is high tech (DJI) trying to find a way to sell more high tech (more drones). They added geofencing years ago, not out of some sense of corporate good, but to keep drones from being banned. This is no different.

 

[anotherlab]

It sounds like the FAA and LE only have the ability to match ID to registered owner if DJI agrees to share the information.

DJI sharing the information with LE/FAA/NTSB is a given. DJI is creating this system, no point in collecting the information if you can't share it with the appropiate agencies.
And DJI can only share that I registration if DJI actually has that information. Which as far as I can tell, is optional for DJI drone owners. And if it's not a DJI drone, then you probably don't even have the ID.

 

[Chip]

Drones use public airspace, I think the public has a right to know about who is using it- especially airspace near them. It really is just like cars using public roads- they have license plates that can be used by police to ID the lawbreakers, stolen vehicles, etc...

The state laws governing use of license plate readers by law enforcement can be very strict. If license plates are the analogy, then where are all the related regulations covering collection, dissemination and use of the data?

 

[FoxhallGH]

And if you thought that people having a drone detection app' was bad enough - then look what our local UK NATS has released to make it even easier to 'snitch' on those pesky drone flyers!!

Concerned about the safety of a drone flight you’ve witnessed? Now you can CHIRP about it! - NATS Blog

For more than 15 years, NATS has been closely involved with CHIRP, an organisation set up in 1982 to provide a totally independent, confidential reporting facility for members of the aviation and maritime community, with the aim of contributing to the enhancement of safety in these industries.

nats.aero

 

[hiflyer201]

A licensed pilot with a current medical has all his ratings, date of last medical and address listed in several locations on the internet. I haven't looked lately to see if my unmanned aircraft certification is listed but the last time I looked everything else is up to date. Using flight aware you can check the location, departure and landing point of nearly every flight along with the present and last several owners of any aircraft. Just stick the N number of an aircraft you might see parked at your local airport into you browser and there it is...Voila!
I think DJI is just protecting their ( Mod Removed ).. uh back. They sell the drone and they make a big effort to make the pilot fly responsibly and this APP is just a good way to make sure that they won't be held responsible for those that ignore the rules.....and lets face it..the way the rules are currently written...enough said.

 

[AMann]

Another great reason to have this app!

My stolen Mavic air

My Mavic air was stolen right out of my car in my drive way Coquitlam B.C. Canada

mavicpilots.com

 

[anotherlab]

The state laws governing use of license plate readers by law enforcement can be very strict. If license plates are the analogy, then where are all the related regulations covering collection, dissemination and use of the data?

It's not the same analogy. A license plate reader can look up the registered owner of the vehicle and home address. DJI's app will not have that information. A closer analogy is someone reporting the license plate of a hit and run driver.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

In that situation, a specific vehicle is being tracked.

This is more like being able to get the license plate of a car that is illegally parked in a spot reserved for handicapped drivers, which is not considered an unreasonable search.

It's actually more like getting that licence plate for the illegally parked vehicle, AND any other vehicles nearby parked legally.

 

[AMann]

The more I think about it the more I realize if your drone ever gets stolen, you will want this app. What better way to retrieve it? If you see your serial number flying around, or if anyone else who you notified does (Like all of us on this website), you have a better chance of having it traced back to the culprit or to the new “owner“ who bought a new used drone from the local pawnshop.

 

[Chip]

How about an app for drone pilots which identified who was sniffing our drone signal? It would instantly identify the sniffer by GPS location, type of device, ISP address (if applicable), etc. The identity of the registered owner of the device using the sniffer could be disclosed to any third party at the sole discretion of DJI.