DJI Geo Fencing Sneaking Back In Via Firmware "Update". Beware!

[Conservative Nihilist]

As a user of Litchi exclusively, I choose to remain blissfully unaware of all DJI firmware updates that are imposed on the unwary who still use DJI Go4. In addition to enjoying the superior performance of Litchi in comparison to DJI Go4, particularly when it comes to planning waypoint missions, I also get to sidestep the sad fate of having irreversible flight restrictions sneaked in on me via DJI firmware updates that Mavic Pro owners using DJI Go4 keep getting reminded and prodded repeatedly to allow in the door every so often.

Despite having absolutely no intention of downloading any future firmware updates for any of my DJI drones that fly perfectly a they are, thank you very much, I decided to create this topic to alert those Mavic 1 Pro owners who still use DJI Go4 that a recent firmware upgrade from DJI should be avoided like the plague by anyone already content with the way their drone flies at present, because there are strong indications that DJI is using this latest Mavic 1 Pro firmware upgrade to reintroduce, in Trojan Horse fashion, a far more draconian and crippling Geo Fencing regime than the earlier version, in a last ditch hail Mary effort to forestall being banned by default in the USA by December 23rd 2025, when an obscure clause in the America's new security legislation will be triggered, mandating the FCC to DENY some, and possibly ALL drones made by DJI, the transmission frequencies needed to operate anywhere in US airspace.

So, once again, if you have no quibbles with the way your Mavic 1 Pro flies at present, you would be well advised to steer clear of all new DJI firmware upgrades that are pushed in front of you when you open up DJI Go4, lest your trusty Mavic 1Pro find itself shackled by The Mother of All Geo Zone lockouts, with no recourse to roll back to any previous firmware version.

Foresaketh yee not this wise counsel, fellow drone meisters, and thine drone shalt be free from chains, The Oracle hath spoketh.

 

[BossBob]

Still on firmware 1.04.0500
No plans to update, ever!

 

[GregS]

Oh great! Probably the same for my P4P; which I just downloaded 'thinking', or not thinking; it was eliminating Geo Fencing since the Phantom series and my Mavic Pro v1 are no longer supported.
Will find out soon. May need to delete that firmware on my P4P. Didn't check if it is available for my Mavic.

 

[Riptide]

How do you know this? Is there a changelog somewhere?

 

[BossBob]

Of course there’s a change log, not. If there was it would only mention improvements and updates.
DJI are masters at adding restrictions and updating firmware silently, with owners only finding out when they try to do something and are prevented. I won’t even connect my Mavic pro to the internet via controller and iPhone, only flying in Aircraft mode (wifi and mobile turned off).

 

[Riptide]

Of course there’s a change log, not. If there was it would only mention improvements and updates.
DJI are masters at adding restrictions and updating firmware silently, with owners only finding out when they try to do something and are prevented. I won’t even connect my Mavic pro to the internet via controller and iPhone, only flying in Aircraft mode (wifi and mobile turned off).

So if you won’t connect it to the internet then how do you know this?

 

[BossBob]

Because in the distant past, I found that my Mavic Pro was being updated outside of published firmware cycles, abilities were appearing/disappearing without my authority or an acknowledgement that I was updating my drone.
DJI will still do that now. There is a toggle that allows updates when connected in DJI Fly with no other interaction from the owner. Not going to happen.

 

[Riptide]

Because in the distant past, I found that my Mavic Pro was being updated outside of published firmware cycles, abilities were appearing/disappearing without my authority or an acknowledgement that I was updating my drone.
DJI will still do that now. There is a toggle that allows updates when connected in DJI Fly with no other interaction from the owner. Not going to happen.

That doesn't answer how you know this is happening now....

Convince me you're not making this **** up

 

[Kilrah]

As far as I can see the latest firmware available for a Mavic Pro is still v01.04.0500 from 2018/09/03.

Maybe you're talking of a separate flysafe update? That's not firmware so be clear if that's what you mean.

 

[BossBob]

Yes, after more than 35 years experience with computers I understand the difference between ‘firmware’ for the drone and data updates for the fly safe database, though I hesitate to call an update to the drone operating system ‘firmware’, but then I still call software applications, ‘programs’ rather than the more modern ‘app’.
Firmware was definitely something that you only ever installed if your hardware had the fault or didn’t have the ability that the firmware was designed to correct or supply and there would normally be at least a list of what it would do, not DJI’s ‘Fixed some known issues’.
As for how do I know? On the Mavic Pro, now, I don’t. In the past it/I lost abilities between acknowledged firmware updates and monitoring web connections drew attention to data I wasn’t happy with, so it now never gets connected. On my Mini 4 and 5, there have been occasions where the equipment asked for connections when it wasn’t required, so I fly with aircraft mode selected and automatic firmware downloads and model updates off. Right now there is an update to the drone software (firmware) which does nothing I’ve not worked out a way around and doesn’t correct an error in DJI’s programming that turns off status lights during recording making both Mini 4 and 5 useless at night!

 

[GFields]

If so, there is no way to get an unlock code as DJI has removed it from their system.

 

[BossBob]

An unlock code for what? My Mavic Pro flies as well now as it did after the last firmware upgrade I allowed it to download load, maybe better as Superpatcher has been applied.

 

[GFields]

An unlock code for what? My Mavic Pro flies as well now as it did after the last firmware upgrade I allowed it to download load, maybe better as Superpatcher has been applied.

DJI Geo Fencing Sneaking Back In Via Firmware "Update". Beware​

 

[LatinSkies]

So, what would be a workaround to avoid unwanted updates? I have DJI Go4 in my samsung android.

Can you prevent the update? If I get burner phone, no sim card, install the apk, would that help?

Thanks in advance,

 

[GFields]

So, what would be a workaround to avoid unwanted updates? I have DJI Go4 in my samsung android.

Can you prevent the update? If I get burner phone, no sim card, install the apk, would that help?

Thanks in advance,

You can opt to just not update it.

The PIC is required to keep the drone in a safe operating condition. There is no legal requirement to keep firmware up to date, but you should.

However, if it's a major update, it's best to wait a few days. That way if there is an issue, you haven't unwittingly put your drone at risk.

But unless there are reports of issues with the update, it's best to go ahead and then update your drone.

If there is an incident, and it was caused by something that was fixed in an update, you could get in trouble.

But it's very unlikely something would happen.

 

[BossBob]

So, what would be a workaround to avoid unwanted updates? I have DJI Go4 in my samsung android.

Can you prevent the update? If I get burner phone, no sim card, install the apk, would that help?

Thanks in advance,

I never connect the drone to the remote and phone while the phone is connected to the network via mobile or WiFi. Don’t be the first to install any software. There are plenty of guinea pigs out there who will rush to install anything that’s put up. On a drone as old as the Mavic Pro it is unlikely that there is new for the drone, its more likely something that DJI want to impose on it or changes to go4 to keep it working with the phone OS.

 

[Riptide]

I would just like to point out for anyone reading this in the future that we are now 16 replies into this thread and I have seen no evidence that backs up OP’s claims.

 

[BossBob]

I would just like to point out for anyone reading this in the future that we are now 16 replies into this thread and I have seen no evidence that backs up OP’s claims.

A little unfair as I don’t have another Mavic Pro that is regularly connected to DJI to compare mine to. Mine does what I want or am allowed within the reg’s to do with it to so I’m happy and I’ll leave it at that.

 

[Riptide]

A little unfair as I don’t have another Mavic Pro that is regularly connected to DJI to compare mine to. Mine does what I want or am allowed within the reg’s to do with it to so I’m happy and I’ll leave it at that.

I'm just stating a fact; that's not about fairness. The OP of this thread stated:

"I decided to create this topic to alert those Mavic 1 Pro owners who still use DJI Go4 that a recent firmware upgrade from DJI should be avoided like the plague... because there are strong indications that DJI is using this latest Mavic 1 Pro firmware upgrade to reintroduce, in Trojan Horse fashion, a far more draconian and crippling Geo Fencing regime than the earlier version"

Not only has there been zero evidence provided that DJI is re-implementing geofencing (especially after they just stated they were getting rid of it in more places internationally), but no one has been able to provide evidence for there being a new firmware update for the Mavic Pro in the first place regardless of what it does.

If anyone has any evidence of either of these two things happening then I'm happy to concede, but until then lets not spread misinformation and fear mongering.

 

[BossBob]

And I’m saying that from past experience I’ve had ‘changes’ applied to my drone and remote control without me authorising a download of any type, firmware, software or database. Hence my caution. They’ve done it before, they’re capable of doing it again.