Is firmware modification still possible

[UltraN00B]

Im somewhat of a software dev, and I see a few very old projects on Github that seem to have to do with modifying firmware and mucking with max limits, etc.
Are these projects still viable to customize latest firmware versions from DJI and load onto newer drones such as M4P?

Apologies if this is a sensitive topic, I checked the rules and didnt seem to find that this would be a bad question.

 

[Felix le Chat]

I suppose it depends on what you define as 'old'. Most of the firmware tweak projects were developed on the back of proprietary SDK's released for drones that used DJI Asst. 2 which still had the developer module that could be activated.

When DJI stopped releasing SDK's for their more recent drones (post Mavic 2): those projects became obsolete and access to proprietary firmware ceased to be 'tweaks' (hacks) undertaken legitimately through a developer door left open by DJI and became 'cracks' which takes a lot more time and effort to identify and exploit through holes in the code or back doors.

 

[Kilrah]

Are these projects still viable to customize latest firmware versions from DJI and load onto newer drones such as M4P?

Nope, in general when a way in is found DJI patches it through updates pretty quickly for the affected model, and is pretty good at not repeating the mistake on future ones.

So each hack basically works only for the model(s)/firmware version(s) they were initially released for. Everything later needs new research.

 

[PanoVolo]

Ask Ukrainians ) All Mavics they fly have custom firmware. Not sure if minis are as easily hackable.

 

[Lespaxvera]

Im somewhat of a software dev, and I see a few very old projects on Github that seem to have to do with modifying firmware and mucking with max limits, etc.
Are these projects still viable to customize latest firmware versions from DJI and load onto newer drones such as M4P?

Apologies if this is a sensitive topic, I checked the rules and didnt seem to find that this would be a bad question.

Yeah, Drone-Hacks keep modification a life for different models. I just updated mine.

 

[AntF1551]

Yeah, Drone-Hacks keep modification a life for different models. I just updated mine.

Which drone had an update for DH? Was it a DH V1 or DH V2 drone?

 

[kentsor]

Im somewhat of a software dev, and I see a few very old projects on Github that seem to have to do with modifying firmware and mucking with max limits, etc.
Are these projects still viable to customize latest firmware versions from DJI and load onto newer drones such as M4P?

Both Ukraine and Russia uses Mavics, and it would be suicide to use a drone that broadcasts it's location and the location of the operator. I was told by someone with direct connections to several drone teams that the first thing they do with a new Mavic is flash it with new firmware. The person runs collections for support of Ukraine and had just delivered a new Mavic 4 Pro to a unit when I asked about this.

I'm sure after the war it'll be revealed how they break into such drones, and perhaps the firmware will leak.