Can mavic flights be tracked by a third party?

[OurAngryBadger]

So weird situation but I got sent a M3 by one of my clients to use exclusively for their jobs. I don't plan on using it for anything else, but they said if I use it for any other of my clients "they will know" and "have ways of tracking it". And per our contract, they can charge a fee if I do. Just thought it was a weird statement, how could they possibly know my usage, if I'm registering it to my own DJI account? Even if they request DJI flight logs, a user could just delete the specific flights, right? Lol. I'm thinking it was kinda just an empty threat. Again, not planning on using it for anything else, I have my own drone for that but I am genuinely curious.

 

[Meta4]

Just thought it was a weird statement, how could they possibly know my usage

Sounds like they are bluffing.

 

[Yogi053]

AND, have little faith in your tust to do the right thing!

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

There is a DJI system/equipment (DJI Aeroscope) that can get live? information from drones but I have no idea if it is applicable to the Mavic 3 and I believe it is live information only, EXPENSIVE and relatively short range.
Does the Mavic 3 have this remote ID thing and is it functional?

The above said, such a condition, if seen as a "threat" makes me wonder if this is a client you should wish to continue to work for?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

With aeroscope they’d have to be at another client job site to ‘catch’ the infraction.
Same with remote id tech.

No, if drone is registered to the OPs account they can’t monitor their (or any other) flights of that aircraft.

 

[db4476]

The client could look at the logs if they have access to the account.

Cheers!

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

The client could look at the logs if they have access to the account.

What account?
If, as with other drones, the flight logs are stored on the screen device, be that a phone or the new controller, and they have not been synced with DJI etc. they are inaccessible to anyone but the person holding the screen device.

 

[OurAngryBadger]

Yeah I haven't shared my account with anyone.

It's understandable overall, they are giving me a free Mavic 3 with their logo glued on it to use for recurring work with them. They probably, rightfully don't want me crashing it while doing work for other people (since they will replace it, not me, I'm not liable for anything while using it).

I just don't understand at all how they could track it. In theory. They did pre-assemble it (or rather had some drone company do it) and got everything set up in the kit to go, but I'm still flying it with my phone hooked to the controller. And they don't have access to my phone. And I don't see any GPS units glued on or anything lol.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

What account?

Airdata if logs are auto uploaded.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

It's understandable overall, they are giving me a free Mavic 3 with their logo glued on it to use for recurring work with them. They probably, rightfully don't want me crashing it while doing work for other people (since they will replace it, not me, I'm not liable for anything while using it).

I just don't understand at all how they could track it. In theory. They did pre-assemble it (or rather had some drone company do it) and got everything set up in the kit to go . . . And I don't see any GPS units glued on

They seem paranoid, but perhaps understandable for the investment.
You must be taking assignments remotely, travelling to do the jobs, back to your base, otherwise it'd make more sense to have the drone available with one of their company employees on site.

The pre assembly is interesting . . . is there room for some sort of modern GPS tracker to be installed inside the shell ??
I wouldn't think so, not sure commercial viability in that small a size, or how hard it is to pre wire it to power from the drone system/ battery.

I Googled > internal drone tracking gps < but a quick glance through page one nothing of worth came up.

 

[OurAngryBadger]

They seem paranoid, but perhaps understandable for the investment.
You must be taking assignments remotely, travelling to do the jobs, back to your base, otherwise it'd make more sense to have the drone available with one of their company employees on site.

The pre assembly is interesting . . . is there room for some sort of modern GPS tracker to be installed inside the shell ??
I wouldn't think so, not sure commercial viability in that small a size, or how hard it is to pre wire it to power from the drone system/ battery.

I Googled > internal drone tracking gps < but a quick glance through page one nothing of worth came up.

I won't go into details because of the NDA but they are a billion(s) dollar company that has invested $10 million worth of Mavic 3 to ship to "top photographers" (their words) across the country, invite only, to capture things they request. Yes, it's very recurring work and an ongoing project. They require 4k60 footage so Mavic3 is a must, that's why I think they are providing the drone and 4 batteries and the hardshell case, because I think vast majority of photographers might still be on the M2P platform. It actually seems fun and I fully support what they are doing, plus I am getting paid decently.

The drone came to me unboxed, with a plastic hardshell case, props already on, and a battery installed. I think it was already flown at least once to test for working order because there was a little bit of dirt on the skids. It has their logo on a sticker on it, and it came with a paper that had some drone company name on it saying the unit has been inspected. I can't remember the name but it sounded like maybe a smaller mom and pop drone shop.

I still have to register it to my own 107 account and install the serial number / FAA ID.

Shipping was kind of weird. The FROM and TO address was my name and address for both so I have no clue where it really came from. I gotta see if I can still find the little paper with the name of the drone company on it.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Weird for sure, but sounds like a good gig.
You have already said from the outset you won't use it for anything but their work.

As you said, it is just a curious thing they went out of their way to mention to you, and if they might well have the $ and company policy to put something more micro inside to be able to track / monitor use.

If anything is crammed inside, it might only work when the drone is powered up.

 

[MS Coast]

I won't go into details because of the NDA but they are a billion(s) dollar company that has invested $10 million worth of Mavic 3 to ship to "top photographers" (their words) across the country, invite only, to capture things they request. Yes, it's very recurring work and an ongoing project. They require 4k60 footage so Mavic3 is a must, that's why I think they are providing the drone and 4 batteries and the hardshell case, because I think vast majority of photographers might still be on the M2P platform. It actually seems fun and I fully support what they are doing, plus I am getting paid decently.

The drone came to me unboxed, with a plastic hardshell case, props already on, and a battery installed. I think it was already flown at least once to test for working order because there was a little bit of dirt on the skids. It has their logo on a sticker on it, and it came with a paper that had some drone company name on it saying the unit has been inspected. I can't remember the name but it sounded like maybe a smaller mom and pop drone shop.

I still have to register it to my own 107 account and install the serial number / FAA ID.

Shipping was kind of weird. The FROM and TO address was my name and address for both so I have no clue where it really came from. I gotta see if I can still find the little paper with the name of the drone company on it.

$10 million on Mavic 3 Cine drones is 2000 drones . Wow. Even if 100% overhead is included that's still a thousand Mavic 3s out there shooting photos for them. Very interesting activity. Any further details you can share?

Please tell us that they're not asking for photos of military installations, power plants, chemical plants, and LNG depots.

 

[GadgetGuy]

They own the drone. The full and complete flight logs are also still always recorded inside the drone as DJI encrypted .DAT files. Your tablet also records a smaller flight log that is part of your account, if you sync your flight logs. When you return the drone to them, or it crashes while on one of your "independent " flights and you return it crashed for replacement, they can have DJI read the onboard .DAT files and know exactly where you were flying. You can't delete the onboard .DAT files. They are read only. Big Brother knows!

 

[AnzacJack]

Wow. It sounds like a good gig, but holy hell, it also sounds like a very suspicious gig
Billion dollar company with 2000+ drones out there taking and sending pictures on demand with very little information?? Maybe its the military man in me, but i think i would be turning this one down, or at least speaking with federal authorities about it

 

[Meta4]

Big Brother knows!

No-one knows anything unless DJI are required to look into an incident.

it also sounds like a very suspicious gig
Billion dollar company with 2000+ drones out there taking and sending pictures on demand with very little information??

Presumably the OP has plenty more information that he hasn't shared here.

 

[Lets Fly]

$10 million worth of Mavic 3 to ship to "top photographers" (their words) across the country, invite only, to capture things they request.

2,000 top photographers to start flying drones, something Sounds strange.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

The drone came to me unboxed, with a plastic hardshell case, props already on, and a battery installed. I think it was already flown at least once to test for working order because there was a little bit of dirt on the skids. It has their logo on a sticker on it, and it came with a paper that had some drone company name on it saying the unit has been inspected. I can't remember the name but it sounded like maybe a smaller mom and pop drone shop.

I still have to register it to my own 107 account and install the serial number / FAA ID.

Shipping was kind of weird. The FROM and TO address was my name and address for both so I have no clue where it really came from. I gotta see if I can still find the little paper with the name of the drone company on it.

If you have your inital flight logs and images, the txt flight logs, when decrypted, will probably list an "index" number, this corresponds to the number in the name of the corresponding DAT flight log which the drone/controller may create in the MCDATF...... folder on your phone. The number increments with each drone switch on, as such it is a means to see how many times the drone has been switched on. Unfortunately the counter probably resets to 000 at 099 +1.
For similar reasons it might also be worth checking the number in the name of the first image files for similar reasons.


One question, what have they said concerning practice flights?

 

[MaxHam]

This whole thing sounds to me like DJI is the client
Or maybe a company marketing their products.
Who else would go through the hassle with providing drones and tracking their usage.

Question for Photogad:
What are they asking regarding rights of the footage?
Is it all media, incl. broadcast, internet - worldwide, in perpetuity!

 

[AnzacJack]

No-one knows anything unless DJI are required to look into an incident.

Presumably the OP has plenty more information that he hasn't shared here.

Or perhaps he has said too much.