Update - Firmware Release - [OP: Mavic Mini DOES NOT support unlock in no fly zones yet!]

[robert2]

When all those that received the MN for Christmas try to fly their drones and they can't (me included) there will be a lot of MN for sale, or returned.

Yes I am really 87, I'm older than dirt,
DJI needs to get on the ball, I have a phantom pro3, a phantom2, and a spark, they all can fly in the NFZ,
I'll answer your question before you ask, (old saying) he who dies with the most toys wins.

 

[netsonic]

Hey Robert, there is no fun in dying. Live long and prosper!

 

[robert2]

Hey Robert, there is no fun in dying. Live long and prosper!

I plan to, I told my Dr if I don't live to be 100, I'll come back and Haught him. LOL

 

[Louis08]

over a 100 miles from my home, I evidently entered a new locked blue zone. I had intentions of shooting some aerial video for the bride and groom of their special day.

Did you check your destination on the DJI Flysafe website (or similar) before leaving?

 

[robert2]

Did you check your destination on the DJI Flysafe website (or similar) before leaving?

Dji is the only MFG that blocks these NFZ, I wonder how many sales they have lost because of this.
Has any one have a record of accidents between aircraft and quadcopters there are, I can't find any. there are more bird strikes than anything (MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE A BIRD NFZ).

 

[Louis08]

Well, the discussion why the No-Fly-Zones got their name is another one....
Same goes for the question whether DJI is right in enforcing NFZ on their customers (playing on the safe side and avoiding any liability claims) or whether other manufacturers are right leaving the ultimate takeoff decision completely to their customers.

I live in a blue zone and can't fly at home - and yet I prefer DJI grounding my copter to having it confiscated by authorities after accidentally flying where I shouldn't have.

 

[robert2]

Well, the discussion why the No-Fly-Zones got their name is another one....
Same goes for the question whether DJI is right in enforcing NFZ on their customers (playing on the safe side and avoiding any liability claims) or whether other manufacturers are right leaving the ultimate takeoff decision completely to their customers.

I live in a blue zone and can't fly at home - and yet I prefer DJI grounding my copter to having it confiscated by authorities after accidentally flying where I shouldn't have.

Only a few questions,
Which authorities are you referring to?
Local police?
FAA?
airport personal?
any one that doesn't like drones?
I personal would like to see an ordinance passed by the airport authority or FFA , posted , that explains where you cannot fly.
I am by no means saying that you should fly near an airport. Only that it should be made clear by the airport authority (NOT BY DJI) where I can, and can not fly my drone.
MY TWO CENTS

 

[DJake_2000]

I live in a blue zone and can't fly at home - and yet I prefer DJI grounding my copter to having it confiscated by authorities after accidentally flying where I shouldn't have.

DJI could allow flying in a blue zone and still prevent you flying accidentally in or into law-regulated airspace though, as long as those two don't overlap.

 

[netsonic]

I live in a blue zone and can't fly at home - and yet I prefer DJI grounding my copter to having it confiscated by authorities after accidentally flying where I shouldn't have.

Half of December has already passed, you have to be patient for another 2 weeks and then you can fly once the update becomes available.

 

[George in Sacramento]

Apologies. I buried the lede, so here is a recap.

• DJI uses a Geo System that "locks" you out from flying in restricted zones.
• Normally, you can "self unlock" or "custom unlock" a blue "Authorization Zone" at Fly Safe – Drone Flying Tips, Policies & Regulations, and More – DJI
• This functionality is not yet available with the Mavic Mini. Estimated firmware release is "late December."

If the above does not clearly and concisely provide the right information (I'm new to drones) please let me know and I will adjust.

=== Original Post ===
So today is my first day as a drone pilot. I was airborne all of 90 seconds. Nope, did not crash, just had all sorts of connection issues. I'll skip the issue this morning where Best Buy did not have my drone and I had to drive an hour round trip to pick one up at another store. Plus I'll skip the part where I had to run to Taget to get a new SD card since the MM rejected my SanDis Ultra 32GB card.

So I'm in a restricted zone of Class C airspace. My home is in the box where the LAANC limit is zero feet, so as a recreational pilot, I can't fly in my own yard. Anyway, I figured I would try to get everything connected and try to spin up the drone in my garage. I've got plenty of space there. Nope, since I'm in that zone, would not let me take off. (Is there a way to do this?)

So I know there is a 100 foot limit box down the road about 250 yards with a nice clearing. Head over there, and put in my LAANC request and approved. All sorts of issues connecting AirMap with the controller. [Note - AirMap will not connect with the MM yet, not sure if we will be able to.] Tried over-and-over. Complete shut down of everything and start from scratch. AirMap crashing. Drone disconnecting from the controller.

Somehow, I got in the air and got an immediate message that I was in controlled airspace and the drone would land on its own in about 90 seconds. I took the opportunity to fly around a bit. Starts beeping and descending. I go over and catch it. OK, try again from scratch...

Previously, I had contacted DJI by chat to ask about flying in my house. They directed me to the DJI Flysafe website to fill out the form and request an unlock. I submitted that application just before I headed down the road to try and fly. And proceed to have all of those issues in that 100-foot limited area with my approval in both AirMap and Kittyhawk since I was having the issues with AirMap crashing. [Again, there is no connection between AirMap or Kittyhawk and the MM controller at this time.]

I get back to see this email concerning my unlock application.




All during my experience, I was asked a couple of times to check off a box and agree to terms and conditions since I was flying in restricted airspace. It was almost like a waiver. Although I checked off the box and agreed, still could not fly.

I spent a couple hours getting the drone today, and then another four hours trying to fly. I'm mentally exhausted, the sun goes down in about 30 minutes, and I have to get some work done.

Sorry for the rant.

Thank you SO much for your post!

I live a few blocks inside Class D airspace near downtown Sacramento. Setting up for my first flight. Restricted airspace. OK, no problem. I registered for LAANC, got approval, went outside to fly. Nope. Back inside, search for a solution, nothing. I felt like an idiot.... and now I finally discover there IS no solution but to wait for a firmware upgrade. I could have gone to a park down the street outside the zone, but what the hell???? I wanted to fly in my yard. It seems DJI could have saved us all a lot of trouble by just mentioning this limitation somewhere (but maybe that would hurt sales?) Thanks again.

 

[MMMark]

Seems we are all suffering from the frustration on the issue and DJI's lack of transparency about not only the issue, but when it will be cured. If I were to take the stance in my profession as DJI has regarding "late December" if I would've survived the lack of transparency, I'd be in deep for not stating a cure date for the problem.

For clarity, I am able to fly my P3 in my neighborhood by simply agreeing to the location and being aware of the warning. I never considered that my new DJI drone would be limited in the same airspace.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[robert2]

Seems we are all suffering from the frustration on the issue and DJI's lack of transparency about not only the issue, but when it will be cured. If I were to take the stance of DJI regarding "late December" if I would've survived the lack of transparency, I'd be in deep for not stating a cure date for the problem.

For clarity, I am able to fly my P3 in my neighborhood by simply agreeing to the location and being aware of the warning. I never considered that my new DJI drone would be limited in the same airspace.

Thanks,

Mark

well said,
Its like a little boy standing under an apple tree waiting for the last apple on the tree to fall, never knowing when it will fall. maybe a week maybe two weeks, maybe ????never.

 

[floyd]

I plan to, I told my Dr if I don't live to be 100, I'll come back and Haught him. LOL

Robert, I wish I had your attitude toward aging. I'll be turning 62 in a few weeks and am really struggling with my mortality. When I was "young" or "middle-aged" getting "old" was something far away, not to be worried about. Now death's door is just a few steps away. I know worrying and stressing about death is irrational, pointless and wastes time that could be spent being happy, but I just can't stop wondering if the next doctor check-up will expose cancer or heart disease. Any ache or pain and I think the worst.

 

[Stevee7270]

well said,
Its like a little boy standing under an apple tree waiting for the last apple on the tree to fall, never knowing when it will fall. maybe a week maybe two weeks, maybe ????never.

Maybe never

 

[robert2]

Robert, I wish I had your attitude toward aging. I'll be turning 62 in a few weeks and am really struggling with my mortality. When I was "young" or "middle-aged" getting "old" was something far away, not to be worried about. Now death's door is just a few steps away. I know worrying and stressing about death is irrational, pointless and wastes time that could be spent being happy, but I just can't stop wondering if the next doctor check-up will expose cancer or heart disease. Any ache or pain and I think the worst.

I will make this long story short.
When I was born, I had a heart defect, (bad aorta valve), Dr told my parents that I wouldn't see my 5th birthday, 5 years came and went, 10 years came and went, 20 years came and went, when I was 34 and in really bad health, Dr told my 6 months at most, or they just were just experimenting with open heart surgery, Dr told my that this may be my only chance to live, I was 29th on the table for the procedure, number 28 and number 30 didn't make it. I did but they had to open me up the second time for a staff infection. no one will believe this but they had to operate without anesthesia , I passed out. I will stop here. There is a lot more to this story, but I could write a book. I wake up every morning and I'm still breathing. I say to myself well I made it through another night. I am married, same women, pretty much lived together since she was 14. I really am 87, have a few aches and pains had a great life, no complains, don't worry about nothing, poor as a church mouse but made some smart investments, every thing paid for, no inherence, was left a lawn mower, that's all.
my advice LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE ITS YOUR LAST, AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING .
HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS
PS: your just a kid you have at least 30 more years left

 

[steve495]

With respect, please keep my thread on topic. I suspect there are many people watching this thread for information specific to the "late December" firmware release. Let's stick to that subject only.
If you have new information about the firmware release, or if you see the firmware is released, please do post here and I will update the original post and subject line.

 

[robert2]

With respect, please keep my thread on topic. I suspect there are many people watching this thread for information specific to the "late December" firmware release. Let's stick to that subject only.
If you have new information about the firmware release, or if you see the firmware is released, please do post here and I will update the original post and subject line.

Sorry for the above post, just answering the poor 62 year young guy. won't do it again.

 

[old man mavic]

dont worry about going off topic once in a while ,we have all done it at some point ,and if things do get to far from the OP, then a moderator will step in and put us right

 

[DanMan32]

Let's also be careful on getting off topic about getting off topic. [emoji16]

 

[robert2]

Let's also be careful on getting off topic about getting off topic. [emoji16]

LOL