DJI selling FBI Drone Detection Systems - Who knew?

[bkushner]

I wasn't aware until today that DJI was making Drone Detection systems for the FBI and others to track drones. My Mavic 3 was detected and id'd by the FBI using Aerial Armor and Aerial Armor's main detection system is DJI Aeroscope. DJI Aeroscope | Premier DJI Drone Detection Technology | Aerial Armor

Kind of like the guy who invented radar inventing the radar detector and cashing in on both sides of the coin. They knew everything, where I was standing, where I flew, how I flew who I was etc... Without disclosing pertinent information, I was not in any trouble nor did anything wrong, however as someone who frequents these forums I had no idea that this ability of tracking was already in play.

 

[solidhouse]

I wasn't aware until today that DJI was making Drone Detection systems for the FBI and others to track drones. My Mavic 3 was detected and id'd by the FBI using Aerial Armor and Aerial Armor's main detection system is DJI Aeroscope. DJI Aeroscope | Premier DJI Drone Detection Technology | Aerial Armor

Kind of like the guy who invented radar inventing the radar detector and cashing in on both sides of the coin. They knew everything, where I was standing, where I flew, how I flew who I was etc... Without disclosing pertinent information, I was not in any trouble nor did anything wrong, however as someone who frequents these forums I had no idea that this ability of tracking was already in play.

This is interesting. What city / state do you live in?

 

[GadgetGuy]

I wasn't aware until today that DJI was making Drone Detection systems for the FBI and others to track drones. My Mavic 3 was detected and id'd by the FBI using Aerial Armor and Aerial Armor's main detection system is DJI Aeroscope. DJI Aeroscope | Premier DJI Drone Detection Technology | Aerial Armor

Kind of like the guy who invented radar inventing the radar detector and cashing in on both sides of the coin. They knew everything, where I was standing, where I flew, how I flew who I was etc... Without disclosing pertinent information, I was not in any trouble nor did anything wrong, however as someone who frequents these forums I had no idea that this ability of tracking was already in play.

DJI sold us out a long time ago. Everything that RID is now broadcasting on the Mavic 3 (after updating to .0900) has been available through Aeroscope on every DJI drone since the P3P. If you have ever flown any DJI drone anywhere within the range of an Aeroscope installation, you were being actively tracked. Aerial Armor likely just takes that to the next level, integrating Aeroscope tracking with FAA drone registrations and DJI's database of drone activations, to tie the flights to specific individuals.

Have you already updated your Mavic3 to .0900, such that RID was also being broadcast during your flights?

Aeroscope only works with DJI drones, so without RID also broadcasting, flying any other brand of drone cannot be detected by a solely Aeroscope based system.

 

[bkushner]

How To Detect Drones: The Definitive Drone Detection & Tracking Guide by Aerial Armor

Learn all about how drone detection systems work. In this article, we'll cover the most common types of drone detection technologies to see if they might be a viable solution for you and your organization.

www.aerialarmor.com

 

[bkushner]

This is interesting. What city / state do you live in?

I"m in NJ but tracked out of Philadelphia

 

[Daycrawler]

I"m in NJ but tracked out of Philadelphia

How were you notified of this? I have drone scanner in my phone, but I keep forgetting to try it on Walleyehunter.

 

[bkushner]

How were you notified of this? I have drone scanner in my phone, but I keep forgetting to try it on Walleyehunter.

Call from the FBI

 

[Tufargon]

You got a call from the FBI and your flight was all legal/legit? OMG. Sure hope that doesn't become a common thing when people fly their drones.

 

[bkushner]

You got a call from the FBI and your flight was all legal/legit? OMG. Sure hope that doesn't become a common thing when people fly their drones.

Mainly to ask what I was doing. I was in a sensitive area and once I told them what I was doing it was fine. I'd rather not say too much as I don't need the feds hassling me

 

[GadgetGuy]

"DJI (the leading drone manufacturer by far - with 76% of total market share) , for instance, requires their customers to register an account before the user can fly the drone. In doing so, the user also consents to making their flight & registration data available to security personnel who might need to access this data for security reasons."

How To Detect Drones: The Definitive Drone Detection & Tracking Guide by Aerial Armor

Learn all about how drone detection systems work. In this article, we'll cover the most common types of drone detection technologies to see if they might be a viable solution for you and your organization.

www.aerialarmor.com

So were you also broadcasting RID, after updating to .0900?

 

[wco81]

The feds have it in for Chinese companies. There was a chance they'd ban DJI projects like they've banned Huawei equipment.

I don't believe federal agencies are allowed to buy DJI drones for official use.

The thing is, all these sensitive installations like military bases and such can all be seen in satellite images. We probably have those satellites and so do the Chinese.

 

[Kilrah]

Aeroscope's been around since 2017.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Aeroscope's been around since 2017.

It can also detect almost all DJI drones manufactured before 2017.

 

[wco81]

Saying that it detects makes it sound like it has some radar type of capability for finding and tracking DJI drones.

More likely, the drones are broadcasting the location of the aircraft and the controller through the Internet connection on the phone.

So basically, something like a Remote ID capability before it became formally required by the FAA.

I wonder if they'd have gotten their FCC certification if it refused to make and sell these "detection systems" to US law enforcement.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Saying that it detects makes it sound like it has some radar type of capability for finding and tracking DJI drones.

More likely, the drones are broadcasting the location of the aircraft and the controller through the Internet connection on the phone.

So basically, something like a Remote ID capability before it became formally required by the FAA.

I wonder if they'd have gotten their FCC certification if it refused to make and sell these "detection systems" to US law enforcement.

Neither Remote ID nor Aeroscope have anything to do with any internet connection, nor a connected phone. All the information they require is coming from the drone itself. Detection of a radio signal broadcast from the drone also has nothing to do with radar. However, Aerial Armor also uses radar, according to their website, cited in post #4 above.

 

[bkushner]

"DJI (the leading drone manufacturer by far - with 76% of total market share) , for instance, requires their customers to register an account before the user can fly the drone. In doing so, the user also consents to making their flight & registration data available to security personnel who might need to access this data for security reasons."

So were you also broadcasting RID, after updating to .0900?

Have no idea? I have the latest firmware, how do I know if I'm broadcasting RID?

 

[msinger]

how do I know if I'm broadcasting RID?

You're broadcasting if flying with firmware 1.00.0900 (or later). You'd only know if you have an RID receiver nearby.

 

[bkushner]

I'm running firmware v01.00.1000

 

[Smooth Rhythm]

I try to exercise critical thinking on all incoming information as a means of separating fact from fiction. I assure you I am not being judgemental, but I can only say there aren’t enough facts here for me to conclude anything. If someone took this case to court, based solely on the facts presented here so far, the judge would throw it out and grant summary judgment for the government. Hopefully, more facts are forthcoming. I want to believe that this is NOT the stuff that conspiracy theories are made of, but, for my own critical thinking, I need more facts for me to see any credence in this story. This has nothing to do with the reality of RID. Of course, many of our DJI drones are RID ready and already broadcasting. We know that. I have an updated M3, and I am sure it is broadcasting RID to whoever has a receiver. But the story presented above is missing something. Maybe it happened, I don’t know. I simply can’t tell from the facts above. I have an open mind waiting to be persuaded, and I’d be very interested to learn more about the activity you were engaged in and more detail about your interaction with the FBI. Hopefully, that should not be a problem since the inference above is that the FBI already knows everything about the case.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

I am not a conspiracy theorist (tin foil hat guy) but I don't doubt the OP one bit. What I would like to know is the coverage area for this 'service'. And as far as RADAR goes, based on my private pilot experience, that is very limited but I am open to a wising up if I am wrong.