DJI Mavic privacy / backdoor

[D95GAS]

I am not sure it actually forces you to upgrade, I just keep ignoring the update request and it goes away.... I am currently on 0400

 

[Gary7399]

Mine did. I didn't have the option to ignore. It went to a log in page when I opened the DJI go 4 app. So I guess I'm one of the unlucky ones. I would like to be back on 400. I never had any issue with that system. Thanks for the update

 

[D95GAS]

I am assuming then that they you have the new release of the GO app? I am still on the earlier version, and as I only use the IPad Mini for the MP, it don't let it have Internet Access, therefore only ever talks to the MP. Going to be a pain if I ever have to do a reinstall of the iPad, but have kept a current backup and would just try to restore from backup to keep the old version.

With regards to firmware 0400. One of the guys on the forum did a virtual machine that he has given us access to, this allows you to roll back to 0400 even though DJI have removed it, might be worth taking a look.

 

[Kilrah]

I don't know how everyone is doing this without updating my app made me update. I had no choice.

You probably omitted to disable automatic app updates on your mobile device's app store.

Going to be a pain if I ever have to do a reinstall of the iPad, but have kept a current backup and would just try to restore from backup to keep the old version.

Wouldn't work, apps are not backed up anymore since a few years ago. It only stores which apps are installed, and when restoring would pull the current versions of those from the store.

 

[D95GAS]

You probably omitted to disable automatic app updates on your mobile device's app store.


Wouldn't work, apps are not backed up anymore since a few years ago. It only stores which apps are installed, and when restoring would pull the current versions of those from the store.

Oh bugger ..... and just when I thought I was being smart I am not an "Apple" fan, but was forced into the ipad in order to keep rock solid comms with the MP. At least on Android I can save the app off the system and reinstall that same version.. May be that's what I need to do on the Android just as a precautionary measure.

That said, I am fully aware that eventually I am going to have to upgrade...... I just want to stretch it out as much as I can. I wont be doing Goggles or anything like that, will just have to see how it goes.

 

[Member]

I don't know how everyone is doing this without updating my app made me update. I had no choice.

When was that? I did a firmware upgrade maybe the day or a day before posting this thread. Therefore I had to give it internet then - and it didn't force the update on me. They could have changed something since then. The new firmware has been due for a while.

 

[raphaelios]

Thanks for your work! Can someone check if there also an expire date on version 400?

Thank you!

Sorry for my bad English

 

[Skyryder747]

Another way is to use phone or mini IPAD only with your drone. Have nothing else on it. This would limit what information is available. Tracking GPS ok, they want to do and assist in controlling in No Fly Zone to protect them.

 

[Member]

Thanks for your work! Can someone check if there also an expire date on version 400?

If there is, it's built into the firmware and is using the GPS clock. I did set the time to the future on my device and it hasn't triggered anything.

To check if there's an expiry built into the firmware, it's either debug time (which I imagine would be really hard) or someone with a GPS spoofing device could spoof a different date/time to see if the behavior changes.

If anyone's got one of those tools and doesn't mind spoofing the time for a firmware or two, then go for it and let us know

 

[Member]

Another way is to use phone or mini IPAD only with your drone. Have nothing else on it.

Indeed. I have a Galaxy Tab 2 or whatever it's called, the Samsung version of the iPad mini, the only tablet that is thin enough and just the right size to max out the Mavic controller's holder. I don't like to fly with a phone sized screen. I have installed the NoRoot firewall on it. I have configured it so that Youtube can access the internet (I use it to watch videos before I go to sleep) and nothing else. No more updates for me and if I ever need to start over, I have a backed up version of the Go 4 app with all my settings and userdata saved so it's kind of like freezing time.

 

[raphaelios]

If there is, it's built into the firmware and is using the GPS clock. I did set the time to the future on my device and it hasn't triggered anything.

To check if there's an expiry built into the firmware, it's either debug time (which I imagine would be really hard) or someone with a GPS spoofing device could spoof a different date/time to see if the behavior changes.

If anyone's got one of those tools and doesn't mind spoofing the time for a firmware or two, then go for it and let us know

Maybe someone can look intro the source code of version 400 (like on version 550)

 

[Member]

Maybe someone can look intro the source code of version 400 (like on version 550)

*Source code* ?! Have I missed something?

 

[raphaelios]

*Source code* ?! Have I missed something?

Sorry, I thought this was the source code

<dji>
<device id="wm220">
<firmware formal="01.03.0550">
<release version="01.03.0550" antirollback="1" enforce="0"from="2017/04/05" expire="2018/04/05">
<module id="0305" version="34.04.00.23" type="" group="ac" size="55072" md5="c6fabddc843a0d9e6a6dd8f3c367add4">wm220_0305_v34.04.00.23_20161122.pro.fw.sig</module>
<module id="0306" version="03.02.21.31" type="" group="ac" size="1520416" md5="ce8e53632786ca555fcbe7c483d71309">wm220_0306_v03.02.21.31_20170402.pro.fw.sig</module>
...etc...

 

[Gary7399]

I am assuming then that they you have the new release of the GO app? I am still on the earlier version, and as I only use the IPad Mini for the MP, it don't let it have Internet Access, therefore only ever talks to the MP. Going to be a pain if I ever have to do a reinstall of the iPad, but have kept a current backup and would just try to restore from backup to keep the old version.

With regards to firmware 0400. One of the guys on the forum did a virtual machine that he has given us access to, this allows you to roll back to 0400 even though DJI have removed it, might be worth taking a look.

I never thought about it that way. I'm always connected to wifi on both iPad and phone but using iPad more now during flights.

 

[Member]

I'm always connected to wifi on both iPad and phone but using iPad more now during flights.

I always make sure to disable wifi + 3g on my phone, the tablet and on everyone else's devices around me to reduce interference to a minimum. I'm in Europe and I'm pissed off as it is about CE limiting the distance I could get in the US.

Sorry, I thought this was the source code

No, that's a snippet of a response the server gives the Go app. There is no source code, the firmware is all binary. I do have a copy of one of the firmwares but it's more like a filesystem with many binaries.

 

[Gary7399]

I noticed after this crappy update my Mavic flys very slow in regular gps mode. Which I'm not happy about and if they have cut my distance in have they can buy this crap back from me. I will get an attorney if I need to this is not what DJI advertised when these went on the market and if they cut everything in half then that's considered false advertising and I will go to an American brand drone. I'm sick of their customer service and I have had two replaced already which was a complete nightmare. They suck to put it plain! I have downloaded two different firmware updates and have lost two drones. But of course DJI will not admit they have a problem and make it out to be pilot error all the time!!!!!

 

[JustinVV]

It contacts Facebook as its has a Facebook streaming function. The rest of them look pretty normal for something like this. DJI keep images and location/path data, they always have.

 

[Member]

I noticed after this crappy update my Mavic flys very slow in regular gps mode. Which I'm not happy about and if they have cut my distance in have they can buy this crap back from me. I will get an attorney if I need to this is not what DJI advertised when these went on the market and if they cut everything in half then that's considered false advertising and I will go to an American brand drone. I'm sick of their customer service and I have had two replaced already which was a complete nightmare. They suck to put it plain! I have downloaded two different firmware updates and have lost two drones. But of course DJI will not admit they have a problem and make it out to be pilot error all the time!!!!!

I haven't heard of any firmware limiting the speed. It's more likely you were flying against headwind.

The "cut in half" thing I mentioned here was about CE vs FCC regulations. The transmitting power is reduced when the aircraft is in the EU to comply with regulations. Something like 4 km's range in the EU, 7 km's in the US. I wouldn't mind being able to override this but it's unlikely there will be an easy hack for this.

 

[Member]

It contacts Facebook as its has a Facebook streaming function. The rest of them look pretty normal for something like this. DJI keep images and location/path data, they always have.

It's one thing to have a streaming function, but if I don't have Facebook and never use the feature, it would be common sense for the library not to decide to phone home by itself. But it does, which I'm not surprised about.

"DJI keep images and location/path data" ?! I would certainly hope not! I haven't seen it sync any flight data unless it was encrypted and hard to notice. I would be really pissed off if it uploaded any photos automatically.

 

[JustinVV]

When I sync to Healthy drones its all there, flight paths, locations, all flight data, and a few happy snaps as well.Since this data is straight from the DJI data base I presume they also have all this.