Geofencing

andrew124c42+ · May 5, 2023

I am essentially new here with no experience with DJI drones. I live in the DC area with it's SFRA. Guys I know on the edge of it tell me they often get locked out. So, I purchased an AUTEL Evo 2 Pro V2 which after 20 hours flew off despite being in VLOS. Autel is way behind DJI but I really don't want to deal with Geofencing. I have looked at mods but there are none for the Mavic 3.

I find all of this very frustrating.

Any advice would be appreciated.

waynorth · May 6, 2023

I think the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom were the last DJI drones that could remove geofencing with a "hack" from drone-hacks.com
That is one reason why I still keep my Mavic 2 drones, I hate that DJI stops me from flying where I legally can fly.
Of course I never fly where I am not allowed, but it is important to know that it is not illegal to remove the geofencing system in drones. You alone as a pilot are responisble to fly legally.
So get a Mavic 2 Pro or two in good condition, and buy a few batteries, they are available. It is a very good drone, with excellent photo quality from its 1" sensor, and it is a reliable and well proven drone.

DoomMeister · May 6, 2023

Here is a link to the DC SFRA https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/community_engagement/no_drone_zone/dc.

Inside the 15 mile radius inner ring recreational pilots cannot fly. §107 must apply for special waivers to fly.

The outer ring up to 30 miles radius you can fly, but must follow the stated rules.

There are a lot of other areas where drone flight is totally restricted or forbidden within and near this area of the country. Please abide by the laws. Flying drones is a privilege and not a right.

I have zero sympathy for anyone breaking the rules in this area of the country and very little if any anywhere else.

ExUmbra.Solutions · May 6, 2023

DroomMeister is correct. As a Part 107 pilot and a government employee living in DC for many years there isn’t a good way to fly. 15 miles in DC can be quite a drive to get out of the inner restricted ring.

The waiver process works, a year or so ago I flew a mission around the broadcast tower near DHS headquarters, the Nebraska Ave Complex. But no one wants to do waivers for every single flight and in this case you have to prove you have a business need just to get the process started.

With the proper waivers or LAANC DJI a is usually pretty conducive to unlocking flight in geozone area, and while I agree that DJI drones can be a pain with their geozones, in this case the geozones aren’t much more restrictive than the actual flight rules.