Are You Putting Off Buying A Drone Til The DJI v Congress Issues Are Settled?

[anotherlab]

I just wonder what good the ban is then? If they don't stop the current drones from being used, and if the Chinese are spying on us with the current drones, how does the ban help?

The sole purpose of this ban is to make the congressional representative from NY's 21st district look "good" enough to be asked to run for Vice President this fall. She is smart enough to know there is no technical reason to single out DJI, but it's a convenient issue for her to push.

If a country wants to use an off-the-shelf drone to conduct surveillance, it doesn't need to be able to transmit data. All they would need to do is to copy the photos and videos from the memory card. Our current espionage laws cover any illicit spying.

 

[moldorf]

Not only will it not happen ... it can't happen.
Despite all the dystopian imaginings we've heard from, there's nothing the government can do to stop existing drones from working.
And apart from that, there's nothing in the proposed bills that even hints at it.

you keep saying that with such absolute conviction you're right

maybe you are but so far, nobody has sufficiently answered my question, including you

that question being:

what software does anybody use to fly the Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro, Mavic 3, and Mavic 3 Pro? Licthi doesn't support those drones. Maybe I'm behind the times but the only app I know of that controls those drones is the DJI Fly app.

Now, suppose Congress tells DJI to make a software patch for the Fly app to keep their drones on the ground. And DJI cooperates because they want to keep the option open of getting back into the American market as well as avoiding fines and prosecution. You can use airplane mode to prevent the Fly app from phoning home, but that's only going to work for a maximum of 30 days because the fly app has code that automatically restricts flights to 30M/50M if the drone hasn't logged in for 30 days. I know that from harsh experience. Being restricted to 90 foot altitude and 150 foot distance is effectively grounded in my view

(I use a Tripltek with the RC-N1 for the controller. But I wonder if you're using one of the screened DJI RC's if you can even stop RC's from contacting DJI if the connection is available?)

now I'm not a software guru so I'm not sure if a DJI patch like this could override a user refusal to download. But I'm assuming it could; might be a bad assumption, I don't know

I also haven't mentioned the reality of Remote ID and potential fines for users who violate the ban by flying DJI drones after the ban.

my point being that Legislative intent + DJI cooperation might end up doing what you keep saying can't be done?

 

[mavic3usa]

you keep saying that with such absolute conviction you're right

he's gaslighting you, you don't see that?

 

[Fat Pappy]

If you are using one of the DJI RC controllers then Apple or Google can't do that.

That’s true, but many of us have to use our phone attached to the controller.

 

[trevsdad]

I would suggest that folks get a better understanding on how congressional bills work.

Reading news headlines will make you think the bill is about to be passed any day…this couldn’t be further from the truth. In truth, this bill is barely out of committee (…google it) which means it has a long way to go. I spent 25 years in DC, and conventional wisdom says the bill is fighting an uphill battle and will probably result in some regulatory changes rather than an outright ban…too much $$$, to many DJI lobbyists involved. The evidence for this are the policy changes regarding syncing that DJI is considering.

Bottom line…buy the **** thing especially if you need it. By the time Stephanic and those clowns in DC finish with this nonsense, they”ll be new release and you’ll be trying to sell that drone you thought would be banned.

 

[mavic3usa]

I would suggest that folks get a better understanding on how congressional bills work.

Reading news headlines will make you think the bill is about to be passed any day…this couldn’t be further from the truth. In truth, this bill is barely out of committee (…google it) which means it has a long way to go. I spent 25 years in DC, and conventional wisdom says the bill is fighting an uphill battle and will probably result in some regulatory changes rather than an outright ban…too much $$$, to many DJI lobbyists involved. The evidence for this are the policy changes regarding syncing that DJI is considering.

Bottom line…buy the **** thing especially if you need it. By the time Stephanic and those clowns in DC finish with this nonsense, they”ll be new release and you’ll be trying to sell that drone you thought would be banned.

Exactly what I am afraid of. No one thinks it will pass so most everyone does nothing but stand by. And then...the bill doesn't pass because bills usually *don't* and the drone community forgets all about it, looks down on anyone that says "it's time to fight...now!" and then round #2 sneaks up on us and we are right back where we started; except this time China is at war with Taiwan or several Chinese spies have been caught, or we have a new President/Congress, etc.

Personally I'd like to ensure our freedom starting today indefinitely but I get it some would rather beat it 2-3 years at a time because after all, it's just a hobby. Make no mistake, the drone community is sustaining heavy damage even as we speak about this "distraction." You might look at it and think "all is good, I like what I see" but the situation is rife with no competition, schedules being delayed, technology foregone, costs artificially rising, improvements and innovation stifled, laws not being updated and improved, agencies replacing equipment. If anyone wants to be here in the same spot (or worse) for the next 10 years....I don't. The *entire* reason why we don't have 5G drones, mass drone delivery, and a bunch of other drone tech we've been talking about for the better part of a decade is for one reason: excessive government regulations and excessive government interference (which is what you see currently going on right now).

 

[moldorf]

I would suggest that folks get a better understanding on how congressional bills work.

Reading news headlines will make you think the bill is about to be passed any day…this couldn’t be further from the truth. In truth, this bill is barely out of committee (…google it) which means it has a long way to go. I spent 25 years in DC, and conventional wisdom says the bill is fighting an uphill battle and will probably result in some regulatory changes rather than an outright ban…too much $$$, to many DJI lobbyists involved. The evidence for this are the policy changes regarding syncing that DJI is considering.

Bottom line…buy the **** thing especially if you need it. By the time Stephanic and those clowns in DC finish with this nonsense, they”ll be new release and you’ll be trying to sell that drone you thought would be banned.

according to Vic Moss, the provisions of this bill have already passed out of the House and are now in the Senate because those provisions were attached to the NDAA in the House Mark-up process (National Defense Authorization Act).

that act must be formally passed every year

so, the NDAA will be before the Senate Armed Services Committee starting Wednesday. The fate of the specific provisions is uncertain. But being an election year, and seeing as how those provisions smell like popular anti-China language congress members can point to as supporting, it's entirely possible some of the provisions of the CCP Drones act will remain in the NDAA

meaning that the chances that new DJI drones will not get FCC licenses has increased quite a bit. maybe from a possibility to a probability

Vic Moss still feels that a revocation of the FCC licenses for existing drones is very unlikely to happen. But he also says the chances of it happening are higher than they were a few of months ago. Paraphrasing, he said he started out a few months ago being very optimistic; in the last month or so he became cautiously optimistic; now he's hoping that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train heading our direction

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[moldorf]

again, just so people are aware, in the video above, Vic Moss says that the provisions of the CCP Drones act HAVE passed the House as amendments to the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act).

The Senate Armed Services Committee will start hearings on the NDAA on Wednesday. meaning the full senate could be voting on a bill that has the CCP Drones provisions a lot sooner than people were thinking

 

[BobbyLashley]

My local best Buy has a "Buy at your own risk" signs up taped onto their cabinet with new drones inside.

 

[mavic3usa]

My local best Buy has a "Buy at your own risk" signs up taped onto their cabinet with new drones inside.

Unbelievable. . Did you get a picture?

 

[BobbyLashley]

Unbelievable. . Did you get a picture?

No I did not, I was too busy talking to the reps there. They were telling me how the DJI sales haven't been good since the ban has been in place. They are warning everyone who comes in and looks at drones about the possible ban.

 

[mavic3usa]

No I did not, I was too busy talking to the reps there. They were telling me how the DJI sales haven't been good since the ban has been in place. They are warning everyone who comes in and looks at drones about the possible ban.

Ok, next time you go there, perhaps you can get a picture. I went into BBY yesterday and I didn't see any signs and we are right here in the US where the potential ban could first take place. Not sure if BBY Canada is the same but that store might be acting on their own. I understand the concern but I think the guidance is misplaced. Maybe they briefly speak to people at the register or they slip in a flyer in the bag with a website for further details. But posting a sign for everyone to see claiming it's a risky purchase raises too many questions and honestly, I never see anything like it anywhere else for any other product. Imagine the hundreds of people who have no knowledge about drones seeing a sign like that; obviously it's true if BBY posts the sign, right? The damage being done is harmful and it's a setback for sure; not saying it can't be repaired but we almost need a ban to go thru and then get exceptions rather than living with a questionable product that "the left/right couldn't agree on so it wasn't banned but most states banned it anyway" message.