DJI Designated Authorization Zone Approval Challenges

[GrowingPlanetMedia]

Hello:

I live in a DJI designated Authorization Zone. There is a small private field about 2.5 miles away. Anytime I want to fly in my backyard, I need to step through this approval process, hit the check marks, wait for the 'approved' and be on my way. However, it takes multiple attempts to actually have the M3P unlocked, even when the screen says its been 'approved'.

So it goes like this:

• Power on M3P & RC (no specific order)
• Authorization Zone notice appears in upper left corner of the screen
• Move control sticks to power up
• I receive notice I cannot and must submit for approval
• I connect to the internet, click on 'approve'
• I select the three check boxes stating I am qualified, aware, etc.
• Select 'unlock'
• The prompt goes away...
• Comes back with Approved...
• The Red Authorization Zone box remains and the done is prevented from powering up.

I try multiple times. Same result. Power off and on the RC and or the M3P. Same result. Then for some reason, after multiple attempts and some unknown reason, it is approved and the drone IS unlocked. By this point... I am slightly annoyed.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions that you have tried to make this work reliably. The M3P and Controller are all up-to-date.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gnbrotz]

I'm not specifically familiar with your model, but with my Mavic Air 2 I've had a similar problem until I discovered there were 2 different tabs in the Unlock section of the app. I had to click the tab on the right (I think it said "Aircraft") and actually slide a switch to "turn on" the unlock, and then everything worked as expected.

I asked somewhere about why a switch was needed to "turn on" an unlock that had already been granted, and I believe someone said there was some kind of glitch that would allow flight within the unlocked zone, but not outside of it, so the switch was there to address that issue.

Seemed like a lazy workaround to me.

 

[GFields]

Hello:

I live in a DJI designated Authorization Zone. There is a small private field about 2.5 miles away. Anytime I want to fly in my backyard, I need to step through this approval process, hit the check marks, wait for the 'approved' and be on my way. However, it takes multiple attempts to actually have the M3P unlocked, even when the screen says its been 'approved'.

So it goes like this:

• Power on M3P & RC (no specific order)
• Authorization Zone notice appears in upper left corner of the screen
• Move control sticks to power up
• I receive notice I cannot and must submit for approval
• I connect to the internet, click on 'approve'
• I select the three check boxes stating I am qualified, aware, etc.
• Select 'unlock'
• The prompt goes away...
• Comes back with Approved...
• The Red Authorization Zone box remains and the done is prevented from powering up.

I try multiple times. Same result. Power off and on the RC and or the M3P. Same result. Then for some reason, after multiple attempts and some unknown reason, it is approved and the drone IS unlocked. By this point... I am slightly annoyed.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions that you have tried to make this work reliably. The M3P and Controller are all up-to-date.

Thanks in advance.

I always do the custom unlock from my office before leaving to go to a site that has GEO fencing. I also bring a high-quality (Drone manufacturer withheld) non-DJI drone with me just in case. Been there and done that far too many times.

 

[GrowingPlanetMedia]

Just an update.

I went online with DJI support chat. Long story short, they set me up with a unlocking license that unlocked the Authorization Zone for one year. Basically a GeoZone unlock. It is a lot more convenient than stepping through the approval process every time I step outside to fly.

They also unlocked a couple other nearby 'authorization zones' for me in the same GeoZone license. That was an unexpected addition!

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

Previously I setup unlock zones for one year. I had twelve zones in my area that required this. Once setup, then in settings you select the unlock zone your going to fly in and turn that zone on in the slides mentioned above by gmbrotz. This was a couple of years ago. To prevent DJI's hassle I used Drone-Hacks and disabled DJI zone restrictions. I fly legally and get a LAANC approval when required. I'm in the US and follow FAA requirements, not DJI's.