Forced Landing - Caution / GPS / Unlock Zone

[SabrToothSqrl]

FYI: DJI does not reference what happens when you take off without GPS inside an authorization zone.
Without GPS, the drone is allowed basic flight, up to the limits stated in the owners manual.
(16' high), Manual does not state a distance limit.

https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/Mavic_Air_2/Mavic_Air_2_User_Manual_v1.4_en.pdf

Once the craft acquires a GPS signal, (and knows it's in an authorization/unlock zone), it will FORCE a landing. Within 90 seconds. Even if it's 1,000 feet from you...

This forced landing is not a 'please land' or 'returning home' it's a "your drone WILL land within 90 seconds, regardless of the landing situation.

While this situation can be prevented by waiting for a GPS signal before take off - this scenario is not covered in the manual.

Thus, be sure your GPS signal is strong before take off. Especially if you think you're in one of these zones.

Drone safely

 

[Thomas B]

Good info.
I suggest that flying in an authorization zone is a bad thing to do if you want to fly the drone again or don’t like hiking.

 

[teeroy]

I found this out by flying into an authorization zone on my farm when I first got my Mini 2. My house and yard is in an "Enhanced Warning Zone" but only requires I check off a box to fly, just northeast a few hundred meters is an authorization zone due to my proximity to the local airport. I unknowingly flew into it and heard the DJI lady announce along with the message on the screen that said "Landing" and it started to lose altitude. I spun around 180 degrees, started flying back towards the house and the message went away along with the resumption of altitude control. It was a learning experience, luckily with no bad consequences.

 

[BlueCollarSky]

The implementation of GEOfencing doesn't seem to be to well thought out sometimes. This scenario could be dangerous depending on the landing zone.

 

[Meta4]

Without GPS, the drone is allowed basic flight, up to the limits stated in the owners manual.
(16' high), Manual does not state a distance limit.

There can't be a horizontal distance limit, since distance is measured with GPS.
No GPS = no distance measurement is possible.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

There can't be a horizontal distance limit, since distance is measured with GPS.
No GPS = no distance measurement is possible.

I didn't think of that, it sounds correct. Thank you for clarifying.

 

[tlswift58]

FYI: DJI does not reference what happens when you take off without GPS inside an authorization zone.
Without GPS, the drone is allowed basic flight, up to the limits stated in the owners manual.
(16' high), Manual does not state a distance limit.

https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/Mavic_Air_2/Mavic_Air_2_User_Manual_v1.4_en.pdf

Once the craft acquires a GPS signal, (and knows it's in an authorization/unlock zone), it will FORCE a landing. Within 90 seconds. Even if it's 1,000 feet from you...

This forced landing is not a 'please land' or 'returning home' it's a "your drone WILL land within 90 seconds, regardless of the landing situation.

While this situation can be prevented by waiting for a GPS signal before take off - this scenario is not covered in the manual.

Thus, be sure your GPS signal is strong before take off. Especially if you think you're in one of these zones.

Drone safely

That's WHY most of us use an app like KittyHawk TO KNOW we may be in an area like that BEFORE flying. It's called DUE DILIGENCE on your part.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

That's WHY most of us use an app like KittyHawk TO KNOW we may be in an area like that BEFORE flying. It's called DUE DILIGENCE on your part.

Hello, I was aware I was flying in an authorization zone. The drone was not. (Until it was). The drone receiving GPS signal is not a requirement for take off on the page 43 of the manual. According to the manual, "There will be prompts in the DJI Fly app to fly in GEO zones. "

I propose two changes, that should be fairly simple. However I have no pull with DJI.
1. Additional information and clarification of this scenario in the owners manual.
2. Setting within the app to 'allow take off without GPS' (Yes/No toggle). (no by default).

I'm aware this was a learning experience, and luckily for me it didn't end badly. However no one is born knowing everything about every situation. DJI has no information about this in the manual, and the software handles the situation in a less than ideal way. Hopefully we can all learn and with any luck DJI will make some changes as well.

thanks

 

[Sherifftruman]

Hello, I was aware I was flying in an authorization zone. The drone was not. (Until it was). The drone receiving GPS signal is not a requirement for take off on the page 43 of the manual. According to the manual, "There will be prompts in the DJI Fly app to fly in GEO zones. "

I propose two changes, that should be fairly simple. However I have no pull with DJI.
1. Additional information and clarification of this scenario in the owners manual.
2. Setting within the app to 'allow take off without GPS' (Yes/No toggle). (no by default).

I'm aware this was a learning experience, and luckily for me it didn't end badly. However no one is born knowing everything about every situation. DJI has no information about this in the manual, and the software handles the situation in a less than ideal way. Hopefully we can all learn and with any luck DJI will make some changes as well.

thanks

I think their point was if you know you're in an authorization zone, YOU shouldn't have even tried to fly until you had that squared away.

And you should be checking before you take off.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I think their point was if you know you're in an authorization zone, YOU shouldn't have even tried to fly until you had that squared away.

And you should be checking before you take off.

In hindsight, I don't disagree - however this is not indicated in the owners manual.

 

[011111110]

I think their point was if you know you're in an authorization zone, YOU shouldn't have even tried to fly until you had that squared away.

And you should be checking before you take off.

And his point was that nothing in the user manual or the app gave him any indication that his drone would land without any way to override it.

Suppose I know I'm in an authorization zone, I get authorization but fail to tell the drone about it, and I take off. Then the drone figures out where it is, assumes I don't have authorization, and lands in a lake.

The suggestion to add toggle in the application to "Allow takeoff without GPS lock", with a default of NO, is a good one.

 

[Meta4]

Suppose I know I'm in an authorization zone, I get authorization but fail to tell the drone about it, and I take off. Then the drone figures out where it is, assumes I don't have authorization, and lands in a lake.

Then you're not much of a pilot.
It's not hard to wait for GPS and recording your home point before launching.
It should be your normal practice anywhere you fly anyway, not just when launching from beside a body of water.

The suggestion to add toggle in the application to "Allow takeoff without GPS lock", with a default of NO, is a good one.

There's no need to make things more complicated.
The solution is to understand how your drone works and fly accordingly.

 

[011111110]

Then you're not much of a pilot.
It's not hard to wait for GPS and recording your home point before launching.
It should be your normal practice anywhere you fly anyway, not just when launching from beside a body of water.

There's no need to make things more complicated.
The solution is to understand how your drone works and fly accordingly.

My piloting skills are irrelevant to whether or not the suggested fix is a good one. It is. You can change the setting from the default if you want. The OP's point was that this behavior is not documented anywhere in the manual, and can cause the drone to be lost (or worse) if not known.

Personally, I would prefer no geofencing at all and let the pilot decide when and where they can safely and legally fly. But if the drone is going to enforce a geofence by forcibly taking over the controls, then it should not fly at all until all the conditions for enforcing it are met. Suddenly taking the controls out of the pilot's hands when it gets a GPS lock is a bad solution.

 

[Meta4]

My piloting skills are irrelevant

When you pose a hypothetical question and ask Suppose I do something.
The answer is going to relate to your hypothetical piloting.

The OP's point was that this behavior is not documented anywhere in the manual, and can cause the drone to be lost (or worse) if not known.

There are many kinds of poor piloting that could lead to loss of a drone, but are not fully explained in the manual.
I guess you better talk to DJI to have them all fully documented.

The flyer even acknowledged knowing that he was flying in an authorisation zone.
Ultimately flyers have to take some responsibility for what they do.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

When you pose a hypothetical question and ask Suppose I do something.
The answer is going to relate to your hypothetical piloting.

There are many kinds of poor piloting that could lead to loss of a drone, but are not fully explained in the manual.
I guess you better talk to DJI to have them all fully documented.

The flyer even acknowledged knowing that he was flying in an authorisation zone.
Ultimately flyers have to take some responsibility for what they do.

For the Forced Landing mode, I would have concern taking responsibility for something beyond my control. When DJI took control of the drone via forced landing, they became responsible for it, because they did not in any way indicate this was a possibility while operating the drone. Had this mode been indicated, then they'd have a leg to stand on. Had this been documented as to what the mode is, and what could cause it, it could have been avoided entirely.

I am not directly opposed to a geo location forced landing, that can be a valuable safety tool.
(Although I'd think there should be a way to safely get the drone closer to the GPS of the phone, while minimizing any safety concerns).

I am opposed to that mode occurring without proper documentation.

Telling someone they have 'poor piloting' for a situation that is never indicated or defined is inaccurate.
Imagine your car having a "full throttle" or "self destruct" mode that's not indicated in the manual as something that's possible.
If the operator was made aware of what could cause this, and how to resolve it, they would both avoid it, and better be able to correct the problem.

Had I operated it in an unsafe fashion, and caused damage to property or person, while in control, I fully accept that responsibility and I do take flying seriously. So seriously that I am genuinely looking to improve the experience for everyone. The purpose of these advanced drones is to help people fly, make things easier, and allow fewer opportunities for issues. Adding text to the manual seems trivial to explain this mode. Adding the toggle may take a few hours of coding, but I think it's a great idea. If you never need it, and always fly with GPS lock, you wouldn't even notice it. Turning it 'off' could result in a pop up indicating it's not recommended, and possible issues of flying without GPS.

Anyway, I post to help others, if you find it helpful, great, if not, I'm not going to worry too much.

 

[Repaid1]

A JFYI but DJI drones have been doing this for over 5+ years. As commented it isn't documented but it is very well known through the community. Dating back to the P3 and Inspire 1. There have been a few reports over that time where people have taken off without home position being recorded, which newer owners are now learning is a big no-no for many reasons, most do not have skills to fly in Atti mode and just crash, around 10 reports, if that, have the issue you describe been reported with autolanding in water or such (note that isn't even a 10000th of a percent of DJI flyers). The side issue as described here and taking off or flying into a close by NFZ. DJI is well aware of it and has been for over 5 years...and they haven't changed anything either in operational format or documentation over that time.

So in short they haven't gave it a thought to change for this long, so I doubt highly they would even give a suggestion for it now any weight, it is not a concern for the masses as most use due diligence and wait for proper GPS lock before flying. If not they just climb up till they get it before flying off.

Do what you want and contact them, but understand that it isn't the first rodeo with DJI and this subject. Other than that there are many thread topics over the years and videos cover this and posting here isn't any different from the other sites that new pilots/members will find if they don't bother to search for it, because you can't search for something till your aware or the issue happens to them anyway...Just my 2 cents

Also note that when the forced landing is engaged, you cannot cancel it, you cannot apply throttle to stop it, however you can still fly out of zone or maneuver for a safe landing if high enough. When you aquire GPS your map view will show the zone and as such direction out. I keep my gimbal on 90° snap down view on my C1 button as a emergency tool. If anything happens where I have to check for emergency landing I am looking down view and maneuvering for a clear LZ.

This is a 4 year old post on here describing the situation at that time: How to: avoid GEO System-induced forced landing and crashes

 

[Maverick74]

FYI: DJI does not reference what happens when you take off without GPS inside an authorization zone.
Without GPS, the drone is allowed basic flight, up to the limits stated in the owners manual.
(16' high), Manual does not state a distance limit.

https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/Mavic_Air_2/Mavic_Air_2_User_Manual_v1.4_en.pdf

Once the craft acquires a GPS signal, (and knows it's in an authorization/unlock zone), it will FORCE a landing. Within 90 seconds. Even if it's 1,000 feet from you...

This forced landing is not a 'please land' or 'returning home' it's a "your drone WILL land within 90 seconds, regardless of the landing situation.

While this situation can be prevented by waiting for a GPS signal before take off - this scenario is not covered in the manual.

Thus, be sure your GPS signal is strong before take off. Especially if you think you're in one of these zones.

Drone safely

Thank you for that!! I had that happened the other day and had no idea why it did that. I thought the FAA or someone else did that,, I was in authorized zone with in VLOS and with in 90 secs I got a landing message I traversed through deep woods and swam across a creek to where it landed by luck. I wasn’t flying again u til I found out why it did that. From the sound of it I took off before GPS updated.. I’ve looked everywhere if it can be shut down mid flight by FAA or aircraft and have found nothing..

 

[Meta4]

Thank you for that!! I had that happened the other day and had no idea why it did that. I thought the FAA or someone else did that,, I was in authorized zone with in VLOS and with in 90 secs I got a landing message I traversed through deep woods and swam across a creek to where it landed by luck. I wasn’t flying again u til I found out why it did that. From the sound of it I took off before GPS updated.. I’ve looked everywhere if it can be shut down mid flight by FAA or aircraft and have found nothing..

No .. your drone cannot be shut down by aircraft or the FAA.
They have no way to even tell you are flying.
If you launch before getting good GPS location data, the drone has no idea where it is or what restrictions may apply there.
That's just one reason you should wait for GPS before flying away (and there are others too).

If you post your flight data, someone will be able to confirm for you whether this was the cause of your incident or if it was something else.
Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
That will give you a detailed report of the flight.
Come back and post a link to the report it gives you.
Or .. just post the txt file here.