Disable No Fly Zone Setting (DC-area resident)

RockTheRed · Dec 26, 2016

Help! My brother and I both got Mavic Pros and currently are looking at $1000+ paperweights. We live in Annandale, VA and are more than 8 miles away from Reagan National airport. So far, we've only been able to turn the drone and controller on, but haven't been able to fly it.

Question 1: Anyone, especially DC-area folks figure out how to bypass the no fly zone restriction? The most we want to fly the drones is like 30 feet in our backyard.

Question 2: Any advice on downgrading the drone/controller software (or even the iOS app) so geo-fencing is not a feature so we can actually fly our drones?

Really don't feel like jail breaking my iPhone to fake my location so I'd rather just downgrade the software. Any guidance? Older software links?

Thanks!

Aeroworks · Dec 26, 2016

What happens when you start flight indoors with GPS off then fly out the door?

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RockTheRed · Dec 26, 2016

Aeroworks said:
What happens when you start flight indoors with GPS off then fly out the door?

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Doesn't work. Even with Geo-mode/GPS off, it somehow knows it's in a no fly zone. Regardless, doesn't fly indoors either.

Gringorio · Dec 26, 2016

RockTheRed said:
Help! My brother and I both got Mavic Pros and currently are looking at $1000+ paperweights. We live in Annandale, VA and are more than 8 miles away from Reagan National airport. So far, we've only been able to turn the drone and controller on, but haven't been able to fly it.
Question 1: Anyone, especially DC-area folks figure out how to bypass the no fly zone restriction? The most we want to fly the drones is like 30 feet in our backyard.
Question 2: Any advice on downgrading the drone/controller software (or even the iOS app) so geo-fencing is not a feature so we can actually fly our drones?
Really don't feel like jail breaking my iPhone to fake my location so I'd rather just downgrade the software. Any guidance? Older software links?
Thanks!

Really? You bought a $1200 quadcopter to fly 30' circles in your yard? For your purpose you could have saved $950.00 and bought a Syma X5C to fly your 30' yard. Did you read up on the use of sUAV's before you bought your 1K paperweights?

DC No Drone Zone
The National Capital Region is governed by a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) within a 30-mile radius of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which restricts all flights in the greater DC area.

The SFRA is divided into a 15-mile radius inner ring and a 30-mile radius outer ring.

Flying an unmanned aircraft within the 15-mile radius inner ring is prohibited without specific FAA authorization.
Flying a UAS for recreational or non-recreational use between 15 and 30 miles from Washington, D.C. is allowed under these operating conditions:
- Aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (including any attachments such as a camera)
- Aircraft must be registered and marked
- Fly below 400 ft.
- Fly within visual line-of-sight
- Fly in clear weather conditions
- Never fly near other aircraft

The airspace around Washington, D.C. is more restricted than in any other part of the country. Rules put in place after the 9/11 attacks establish "national defense airspace" over the area and limit aircraft operations to those with an FAA and Transportation Security Administration authorization. Violators face stiff fines and criminal penalties.

RockTheRed · Dec 26, 2016

Fat Bastard said:
Really? You bought a $1200 quadcopter to fly 30' circles in your yard? For your purpose you could have saved $950.00 and bought a Syma X5C to fly your 30' yard. Did you read up on the use of sUAV's before you bought your 1K paperweights?

DC No Drone Zone
The National Capital Region is governed by a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) within a 30-mile radius of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which restricts all flights in the greater DC area.

The SFRA is divided into a 15-mile radius inner ring and a 30-mile radius outer ring.

Flying an unmanned aircraft within the 15-mile radius inner ring is prohibited without specific FAA authorization.

Flying a UAS for recreational or non-recreational use between 15 and 30 miles from Washington, D.C. is allowed under these operating conditions:

Aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (including any attachments such as a camera)

Aircraft must be registered and marked

Fly below 400 ft.

Fly within visual line-of-sight

Fly in clear weather conditions

Never fly near other aircraft

The airspace around Washington, D.C. is more restricted than in any other part of the country. Rules put in place after the 9/11 attacks establish "national defense airspace" over the area and limit aircraft operations to those with an FAA and Transportation Security Administration authorization. Violators face stiff fines and criminal penalties.

Thanks for copying and pasting something I already googled. No, I plan on using it for other purposes, for example when we're at our hunting land as well as taking video passes at the beach or when we're on scenic vacations. That being said, I would like to be able to fly it in my backyard. What I'm asking is how to disable the geo-block or bypass it somehow.

Gringorio · Dec 26, 2016

RockTheRed said:
Thanks for copying and pasting something I already googled. No, I plan on using it for other purposes, for example when we're at our hunting land as well as taking video passes at the beach or when we're on scenic vacations. That being said, I would like to be able to fly it in my backyard. What I'm asking is how to disable the geo-block or bypass it somehow.

You're right, I did cut and past important information that you may have googled. However, you are basically asking how to bypass FAA regulations in a highly sensitive area. Have you considered that? The DC area is a no drone zone and was so before you bought your mavic...

kodiak1120 · Dec 26, 2016

Don't do it.

Eyeinthesky33 · Dec 26, 2016

Even if iPhone was jail broken and faked location it wouldn't matter. The drone has onboard gps and has built in geo-fence areas that are highly sensitive like DC.. i mean it should be pretty common sense that you live by the capital of the USA that it will be heavily restricted. If you some how mod your drone or make a custom one and fly it around high up I wouldn't be surprised the authorities show up to your doorstep.

mike venziano · Dec 27, 2016

Move

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SLVSRFR · Dec 27, 2016

There's no way to bypass it and even if there was, it wouldn't be worth the risk

Syphon · Dec 27, 2016

Also, hate to say bud, but you won't find luck in help from many on this forum to find a way around it. FAA has rules in place, and all other Government agencies are jumping at the bit to try and create more and more rules and regulations. The FAA is hoping we all follow what they have put in place, but, the more that abuse it, the more strict they will get. I would hate to help someone find a way around something that could then make it so nobody can fly drones one day.

For obvious reasons, DC has very strict rules. Based on what is pasted above, if you were to drive or bike just 7 more miles from the airport, you can fly your drone.

CactusJackSlade · Dec 27, 2016

I have a pre-geofence Phantom 2 with full FPV gear that I can sell you ;-)

Seriously though, get a small more toy like 'copter to putt around your yard/inside.... take the Mavic out to the country and enjoy it in the wide open spaces

lotek · Dec 27, 2016

Do you think you could post film of the feds breaking down your doors after you fly? For educational purposes of course.

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Eyeinthesky33 · Dec 27, 2016

lotek said:
Do you think you could post film of the feds breaking down your doors after you fly? For educational purposes of course.

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No but hopefully HE can give it a try and let us know how it works!

autobahnstorm · Dec 27, 2016

I love how someone posts a public question like this. You might as well go on a gun forum and ask how to make your AR-15 full auto.

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Meyer712 · Dec 28, 2016

I can understand. I live in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin with a hiccup of an airport. the entire city is within the mile circumference of the thing. Can't fly a drone here either.. and we are in the Sticks, so for all those experts above, there are restrictions in areas that don't make any sense at all. .

Helo · Jan 2, 2017

Meyer712 said:
I can understand. I live in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin with a hiccup of an airport. the entire city is within the mile circumference of the thing. Can't fly a drone here either.. and we are in the Sticks, so for all those experts above, there are restrictions in areas that don't make any sense at all. .

You can fly a drone there (Wisconsin) you just have to follow the procedures.

f3honda4me · Jan 2, 2017

Meyer712 said:
I can understand. I live in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin with a hiccup of an airport. the entire city is within the mile circumference of the thing. Can't fly a drone here either.. and we are in the Sticks, so for all those experts above, there are restrictions in areas that don't make any sense at all. .

Totally untrue. I already showed you in your other thread you can absolutely fly where you are.

f3honda4me · Jan 2, 2017

RockTheRed said:
Help! My brother and I both got Mavic Pros and currently are looking at $1000+ paperweights. We live in Annandale, VA and are more than 8 miles away from Reagan National airport. So far, we've only been able to turn the drone and controller on, but haven't been able to fly it.

Question 1: Anyone, especially DC-area folks figure out how to bypass the no fly zone restriction? The most we want to fly the drones is like 30 feet in our backyard.

Question 2: Any advice on downgrading the drone/controller software (or even the iOS app) so geo-fencing is not a feature so we can actually fly our drones?

Really don't feel like jail breaking my iPhone to fake my location so I'd rather just downgrade the software. Any guidance? Older software links?

Thanks!

There is no way around it. You live in a full locked down NFZ. Disabling GEO just reverts the drone to the old NFZ system which is why you can't fly either way.

Aeroworks · Jan 3, 2017

If you really want to fly, don't buy dji. Build your own multi rotor or one of the more dumb ones that don't have any limits or safeguards. Nobody is going to help you bypass any of the airspace protections.

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