B4UFLY vs DJI flysafe

[dronerdave]

I have B4Ufly and Alof as the main pre-flight apps I check and
TFR updates (especially if I'm flying in areas close to wildfires)

TFR Data Elements

In prepping for a flight in an area I'm unfamiliar with, I use sectionals for an overall look

VFRMAP - Digital Aeronautical Charts

Online VFR and IFR aeronautical charts, Digital Airport / Facility Directory (AFD)

vfrmap.com

and check FAA GIS maps if I feel I need to

ArcGIS Web Application

faa.maps.arcgis.com

I do fly at a couple active airports and do get a flight warning via DJI geofencing however they're in Class E or G airspace. I've yet to fly where LAANC is required and have never had to (thankfully) use DJI to unlock. I also use various weather apps as others have mentioned. DJI's system helps in one way by warning of some areas of restricted or classified air spaces but it also makes people think if they don't get a DJI warning it's OK to fly and that's simply not the case. And as members have mentioned, TFR's might be wise to check and always know the class airspace you plan to fly at. You should also know if you can legally launch/land where you're flying from. A member posted about this site and is just extra info on National Parks and wilderness areas.

ArcGIS Web Application

umontana.maps.arcgis.com

The more info the better IMO

 

[SethB]

Let me see if I can get this right…

… 4. Apparently B4UFly refers you to the program Aloft in order to get actual FAA permission to fly and THEN…you may have to still get permission from the DJI website to unlock your drone’s ability to actually fly.… … I opened the Aloft app and found it quite confusing. It seems to list a local University area regardless of how far I am looking which seems meaningless because it's not restricted and how to actually get a LAANC approval via the apps is really quite confusing but I'll do some web searching on that end. I think there are other apps that can also give me FAA approval. "They" don't make this easy and I'm a reasonably techno-savvy kind of guy. I can understand how many folks just throw up their hands and fly any old way they want regardless of the rules but I'll get this figured out and appreciate everyone's help .

Just one point to add about your excellent summary… and there is great info in the whole thread:

#4 I find Aloft difficult to use. I use Airmap for LAANC clearances.

I used Airmap for years, then knowledgeable advice appeared on this forum about the owner (executive?) seeking legislation/rulemaking perceived as harmful to drone operators’ interests.

Many LAANC users on this forum, including me, dropped Airmap at the time.

Airmap was later sold, or that leader replaced (?), and the new leadership did not pursue this legislation.

I then resumed using Airmap, because I had continual irritating experiences with the usability of Aloft. That is poor software/human interface design, in my opinion.

My advice: Drop Aloft. Use Airmap, or check out other providers on FAA’s list (link, scroll down to the table).
****************************************

Just this last Thursday I was flying with LAANC authorization in a location in a 400’ grid square where DJI Go4 required me to get my smart controller connected to the internet, check a buncha’ boxes to acknowledge that I had responsibility for the flight, put in my phone number, receive a text code, plug the texted code…

… but DJI did not require my LAANC auth code.

Just an irritating hassle, starting with “which of our phones will actually hotspot today?… that we remember the hotspot password for?”

We did fly, eventually.

When I got home I looked it up on the Fly Safe page. Our location was *not* in a DJI Authorization zone. I’d flown this location before with only LAANC… Ah, the joys of DJI!

 

[Jurgen]

I use OpenSky from Wing (Wing’s drone flyer app - OpenSky – Wing)

I was turned off by the B4U, Aloft, Kittyhawk, whatever confusion and stumbled into OpenSky. It's been accurate for me, captured TFRs when we had wildfires, picks up our local airports, gives an easy summary of flight restrictions and easy LAANC requests and approvals. I also like that it clearly identifies the max altitude at time of request.

 

[thispilothere]

B4UFLY would have me walk literally across the street to launch because I'm on the edge of C space. I ignore it. Even then, DJI forces me to fly 3 houses down before I can ascend to 400. The faa.maps.arcgis.com map says I'm in G space.

At some point, you just have to use common sense.

 

[akdrone]

I use OpenSky from Wing (Wing’s drone flyer app - OpenSky – Wing)

I was turned off by the B4U, Aloft, Kittyhawk, whatever confusion and stumbled into OpenSky. It's been accurate for me, captured TFRs when we had wildfires, picks up our local airports, gives an easy summary of flight restrictions and easy LAANC requests and approvals. I also like that it clearly identifies the max altitude at time of request.

Open Sky tells me that there is no LAANC possible where I live. B4UFLY lets me request a LAANC.