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Do I have a problem?

MikeSD

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I just picked up a Mavic 2 Pro, after a few years away from flying. I've put together a Flamewheel 550, bought a couple of versions of the Phantom aircraft, and an Inspire 2 with the good camera, as well as a few non-DJI drones.

I figured I'd just pick up where I left off. I figured wrong (maybe). My first issue was my license expired and they have some new Remote ID requirements. After a bit of research, I got all my ducks lined up and got my license renewed. So, now to flying? Not so fast.

I put my drone on the balcony at home, and lifted off. I let it hover for a bit, and noticed I was seeing a NFZ Zone, warning on my screen, and annoying beeps. Back to researching.

Turns out, I'm on the fringe of a couple of airports. Not in the restricted area but one is in an "authorization zone" (see pic) and the other is in a "altitude zones" zone (see pic)

Now might be a good time to talk about my symptoms. If it's NFZ issue, the symptoms don't fit.

Symptoms: I can lift off, rise up and down, move forward, and to the right when headed North. That's away from the "authorization zone". I cannot fly back to my lift off point. I can only move forward, and right. All the time, getting a voice annunciation of the error.

Clarification: I can fly North, and East, Not forward and right. To get back, I tried rotating the Mavic, to point South, instead of North, since I could move forward, then use the forward motion to get the aircraft back, but that didn't work. So it seems directional rather than mechanical (I think). That would tend to support the NFZ issue.

Workaround (that got my aircraft back): I lowered the altitude to about 3 feet, instead of the 15, and was able to get it to fly in all directions, to a degree. I managed to get it under the balcony, and then bring it up to where I could grab it (carefully, to avoid the obstacle detection, and cut the engines.

I was under the impression that these two zones would not prevent me from flying. If it's a restriction,

My location: the red circle, in the lower right of the first image.

Does this sound like a hardware issue? Or a NFZ issue?

Does this sound like a hardware issue? Or a NFZ issue?
 

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Update: I had my "authorization zone" and "altitude zones" reversed. I've corrected the map. This might explain why I can move North, but not South. The symptoms and attachments have been corrected, so the thread won't be so confusing.

However, I also found the self-unlocking DJI page, and unlocked that zone. At least I think I did. It gave me permission for the Renton Muni airport area, and I do see the approval, in the app. But I have exactly the same symptoms. Can only fly North, and East.

I also unlocked the King/Co airport also, just in case. That's the Altitude Zone. Wouldn't think that was required. Both are unlocked now, and both appear on the app. But it still has the same symptoms.

Wierd! Any thoughts? I'll keep updating this with things I try. It was so much easier, a few years ago. :D
 
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Dude, you live in a complicated place. Between SEATAC, BFI, the air harbors (Lk. Wa., Lk, Union, etc.), there's a lot going on.

I live here too and can find my ceiling changing from 400' to 150' to 50' very quickly.

Yes, flying the Phantom models a few years back was simpler. Today, things are necessarily more controlled.

Is the area around your house really that interesting to photography or fly around?

Chris
 
Is the area around your house really that interesting to photography or fly around?

Chris
Nah! It's not interesting at all. I'm just testing. First flight with the Mavic. My wife wants me to check the roof. We just had a roof cleaning and she wants to see what it looks like. :)

Tomorrow morning, I'm going to drive up to snoqualmie pass and test it. I don't think there are any zones up there. My luck, they will have built one tonight. :)

Update 2: I found the link to DJI self-unlocking and unlocked first the "authorization zone" area, but that didn't fix the problem.

So, I then unlocked BOTH "authorization zone" airport AND the "altitude zones" airport. Still doesn't work.

Then, I found that these approvals were only in the app/remote BUT not on the aircraft. So, I imported those to the airport and checked bot boxes and switched the enable tabs. When I tried to fly, I still get the annoying warnings AND it still won't fly West or South.

This is very frustrating. On top of that, I'm getting OBSTACLE warning, when I'm not within 40' of any objects. However, the area in my yard is surrounded by 2 houses and several large trees. How far away must obstacles be, to prevent flight?

I tried SPORT mode, just to eliminate that issue, but still no flight control South or West (the direction toward Renton, Muni "authorization zone". What am I missing?
 
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Also, your habit of posting things and then deleting them has probably thwarted several replies from people (including earlier ones from me). Because after helping you out with a thoughtful reply and hitting SEND, they get an error.

Try a) not posting until you think it's good, and b) if you see something wrong, EDIT the post rather than remove it.
 
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I didn't see in your post, but how far were you from your building when you were flying and trying to return? If you were relatively close (within 15') you would be prevented from getting closer due to proximity sensors not allowing you back towards the building? Did you try switching your flight mode to get around that (sport mode)? If that's not it, I would go with airspace and the area you're flying in looks pretty complex. I fly weekly in class D airspace with approval and don't have any issues like this.
 
I didn't see in your post, but how far were you from your building when you were flying and trying to return? If you were relatively close (within 15') you would be prevented from getting closer due to proximity sensors not allowing you back towards the building? Did you try switching your flight mode to get around that (sport mode)? If that's not it, I would go with airspace and the area you're flying in looks pretty complex. I fly weekly in class D airspace with approval and don't have any issues like this.
Not close to buildings at all. I flew out to 50+ feet from any obstacle.

Some good news. I have verified that my problem is definitely NFZ issue. I drove about an hour from my area and the Mavic flew just fine. No problem in any direction. So it appears to be NFZ related.

Now, I just have to figure out why my Mavic won't accept the self-unlocking. I have gotten the DJI self-unlocking from both airports, and put the codes into the app, and transferred to my aircraft. My Controller S/N shows up in the app, and I have transferred both unlocked licenses for both airports to my aircraft. They both show up there and the slider is active, and the permissions checked.

What else am I missing, to get the Mavic to fly in these two areas?
What else is required, after I have completed the DJI self-unlocking?
 
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OK, Let's change the fucus

Originally, this thread was to help me determine whether my problem was NFZ problem, or hardware problem. I've determined 100% this is NOT a hardware problem.

So, I need someone who understands the approval process, to fly in my area. I know it's possible by the rules. I just don't know, apparently, how to implement it correctly.

Here is what I've done.

* I used DJI's self-unlocking web site
* I selected the areas I needed authorization (Renton Muni, authorization)
* I filled out the profile, my hardware info, the pilot info
* I saw the unlocking licenses appear in the app.
* I "imported" those to the aircraft
* I clicked on "aircraft" tab, and moved the sliders to the right, and checked the two authorization checkboxes.

At this point, there were no other instructions to do anything. So, I assumed I was done, as the unlock licenses are in the controller and can be seen in the aircraft tab.

Questions:
1) Should that be enough to fly in my area? Because I still can't.
2) Is LAANC approval also required?

Then, I did some more reading. I found an article discussing this. They suggest LAANC is always required, in any controlled airspace. Funny DJI doesn't mention that in their self-unlocking. Is LAANC still required?

* I went through the process of getting LAANC approval, for unlocking.
* I entered my area
* I clicked the GET LAANC button
* it showed me a list of control spaces. Same info I had for DJI self-unlocking
* I filled in the form and put my time range for the flight
* I clicked the "get authorization" and selected "recreational"
* I set the altitude and I created a small flight area, for area around my home
* it gave me a list of the airports where I could get Auto-Approval
* I agreed and submitted the form.
* within a minute, I got the approval. But now what?

The text said, "LAANC ALT7******** (code removed) Request Approved. Authorized by FAA Authorization ALT7******** is approved. See your Aloft app for details or to take further action."

So, what do I do with this info? Does it get loaded into the Mavic? I do see that there is a tab for connecting my Mavic to the B4UFLY. But when I click that, it just asks me to log into DJI-Go. No place does it have anything to do with getting my LAANC authorization into Mavic.

So, more questions

1) I'm in 1 authorization zone (Renton Muni) and 1 "altitude zone"
2) Do I need authorization for both. I have license for both, just in case
3) Do I need to do anything other than use the DJI self-unlocking? To be able to fly in my area?
4) Is LAANC required for my area (see pics)?
5) I have the LAANC authorization code. Do I have to enter that into the DJI Go4 app? How?

I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything right on the DJI Go4 app, and getting the self-unlocking done properly. But it's not working. Still can't control Mavic.

It's the LAANC, now, where the problem is, if that's required. I need some specific detailed list of steps.

Thanks
 
Duh! I don't remember seeing this the last few days, but today I decided to start over, barney-style, and if I didn't get this thing flying in the authorization zone, I was giving up on the overly-complicated DJI GeoZone stuff.

Well, today, I used both B4UFLY/Aloft and DJI self-unlocking site. I got the LAANC approval code and I got the self-unlocking stuff setup.

I went outside and started up the Mavic, and was presented with a check list for me to state my authorization to fly, etc. After I checked those, the Mavic flew as I would expect it to fly.

A few things different from yesterday:

1) I could see the app data for the info I input today, and imported to aircraft. But nothing from today went to the aircraft. It only showed the previous authorizations. Not sure why?

2) There was a popup on the controller with me to check the two boxes, I previously had to do in the "aircraft" section of the unlocking licenses. Not sure why?

But today it flew correctly. That's progress.

What I still don't understand is the purpose (or rather what to do with the) LAANC code. I don't see it anywhere on my aircraft, and no way to make use of it.

Is that LAANC approval redundant to the self-unlocking? Do I have to do both?

The biggest problem for me in all of this is 90% of the videos out there are outdated. Changes have been made in the last several months.

Q1: Can someone explain the LAANC approvel REQUIREMENT (if any), for flying in "Authorization Zone" airports. OR is the dji self-unlocking enough (to be legal).

Q2: If LAANC is actually required, how do I use the code sent to me? I see no way of communicating that info to my controller or aircraft. Can someone how that is actually used and how the aircraft knows about it?

Q3: Is there any way to clear out all unlocking authorizations, for expired ones?
 
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