Mavic Pro sending Coordinates to Authorities

[PrimoQuest]

Not sure if this has been discussed before here, but I saw a Youtube video where a Mavic Pro user talked about how the Mavic Pro sends your coordinates to local authorities. I'm a little concerned because I am close to a nature area and I am worried that I'll receive a fine in the mail (or a knock on the door) for flying over restricted areas.

What do you know or think about this? Should we be concerned that this will cause a lot of us Mavic Pro users to become targets for government agencies to create a new revenue stream?

Thanks!

 

[msinger]

I saw a Youtube video where a Mavic Pro user talked about how the Mavic Pro sends your coordinates to local authorities

Got a link?

 

[Callum]

Sounds like complete BS to me.

Local authorities don't have the time or resources to monitor who's flying what, where and when.

Would do nothing for DJI brand if it was found they were sharing location and account details.

Also probably illegal depending where you are of course.

 

[LivinLarge]

Aeroscope?

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Aeroscope?

I echo what @Callum has stated above. Yes, Aeroscope is an available tool for local municipalities to use, but it comes at a price. There's a price for the hardware, subscription fee for the software service and more importantly a cost for a dedicated resource to monitor. Oh, and it's only valid for DJI platforms.

 

[Photo Booth]

Maybe try not flying in restricted areas?

Personally, I think anything authorities do to catch people using their drone in restricted areas or flying in a dangerous or unsafe manner is okay by me. Careless and wreckless rule breakers give all drone pilots a bad name. I'd rather authorities catch the specific culprits than inact additional restrictions that affect everyone.

Mark

 

[Callum]

Maybe try not flying in restricted areas?

Personally, I think anything authorities do to catch people using their drone in restricted areas or flying in a dangerous or unsafe manner is okay by me. Careless and wreckless rule breakers give all drone pilots a bad name. I'd rather authorities catch the specific culprits than inact additional restrictions that affect everyone.

Mark

Yeah something like aeroscope that can be deployed at critical sites. It's only identifying drones within its range that have already violated the restricted airspace they are in.

DJI simply giving out coordinates and account details of all users without any proof of wrong doing would be a massive violation of privacy.

 

[LivinLarge]

DJI simply giving out coordinates and account details of all users without any proof of wrong doing would be a massive violation of privacy.

Man Finds DJI Customer Data Exposed, Gets Threat and Rejects $30K Bounty

 

[locoman]

Man Finds DJI Customer Data Exposed, Gets Threat and Rejects $30K Bounty

This isn't even applicable.

 

[Photo Booth]

Yeah something like aeroscope that can be deployed at critical sites. It's only identifying drones within its range that have already violated the restricted airspace they are in.

DJI simply giving out coordinates and account details of all users without any proof of wrong doing would be a massive violation of privacy.

Depending on circumstances, a person can have a reasonable expectation of privacy. But a drone is not a person. Whether a drone is flown in a restricted area or an unrestricted area the drone doesn't have any right to privacy. The pilot may be outside the restricted area or in it. But the restriction doesn't typically apply to the person, it applies to the presence of an airborne drone.

Just as authorities can get a court order to compel Apple to provide your iPhone's location during a certain period, so will DJI provide the information for your drone.

Congress has given the FAA the control of ALL airspace above the US. When you fly a drone you are under the purview of the FAA, whether you like it or not. It's not the same as just walking down Main Street USA minding your own business or sitting in you living room watching TV.

I remind you that the OP admitted to flying in a restricted area. The conversation would be different if no such violation occurred.

Mark

 

[LivinLarge]

This isn't even applicable.

Did you read the article? Here's a quote " Finisterre discovered that he was able to access private data uploaded by DJI customers — not just flight logs and aerial photos, but also government IDs, drivers licenses, and passports. What’s more, some of the flight logs appeared to have been sent from government and military domains"
Who knows what information is being collected or what is being done with it?
No other drone maker is doing this.

 

[Callum]

Depending on circumstances, a person can have a reasonable expectation of privacy. But a drone is not a person. Whether a drone is flown in a restricted area or an unrestricted area the drone doesn't have any right to privacy. The pilot may be outside the restricted area or in it. But the restriction doesn't typically apply to the person, it applies to the presence of an airborne drone.

Just as authorities can get a court order to compel Apple to provide your iPhone's location during a certain period, so will DJI provide the information for your drone.

Congress has given the FAA the control of ALL airspace above the US. When you fly a drone you are under the purview of the FAA, whether you like it or not. It's not the same as just walking down Main Street USA with minding your own business or sitting in you living room watching TV.

I remind you that the OP admitted to flying in a restricted area. The conversation would be different if no such violation occurred.

Mark

My point was more that aeroscope is acceptable to me. Serial number identification in the field and can get user by court order.

Saving all users historical locations on servers and passing them along with user details to god knows what organisations is not.

The conversation was not about wether OP was flying in a restricted area. It was wether DJI are passing data illegally to authorities on every flight you make. That was OPs question.

Oh and the FAA couldn't give a **** where I fly my drone

 

[sar104]

Did you read the article? Here's a quote " Finisterre discovered that he was able to access private data uploaded by DJI customers — not just flight logs and aerial photos, but also government IDs, drivers licenses, and passports. What’s more, some of the flight logs appeared to have been sent from government and military domains"
Who knows what information is being collected or what is being done with it?
No other drone maker is doing this.

The main point of that article was the PII. Flight logs obviously exist on DJI servers - certainly via the sync process, possibly without it. But that does not in any way indicate that flight data are then being transmitted to "local authorities", even by DJI, let alone by the aircraft itself.

 

[LINXXL]

Did you read the article? Here's a quote " Finisterre discovered that he was able to access private data uploaded by DJI customers — not just flight logs and aerial photos, but also government IDs, drivers licenses, and passports. What’s more, some of the flight logs appeared to have been sent from government and military domains"
Who knows what information is being collected or what is being done with it?
No other drone maker is doing this.

Why would anyone upload passport or license data to DJI. The only personal info that DJI has on you is what you have supplied to them.

 

[Callum]

Why would anyone upload passport or license data to DJI. The only personal info that DJI has on you is what you have supplied to them.

There was a thread recently where someone purchased from DJI store. Before processing order they asked for a copy of ID as an enhanced validation.

Could be that.

 

[PrimoQuest]

Here is a video I watched yesterday that had me a little concerned.

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Here is a video I watched yesterday that had me a little concerned.

Sell your drone...they're coming for ya.

 

[ac0j]

sell it quick, before they walk up on you and throw it in an ocean or something.

 

[NastyNate]

sell it quick, before they walk up on you and throw it in an ocean or something.

too soon[emoji1]

 

[MichiganMavic]

Maybe try not flying in restricted areas?

Personally, I think anything authorities do to catch people using their drone in restricted areas or flying in a dangerous or unsafe manner is okay by me. Careless and wreckless rule breakers give all drone pilots a bad name. I'd rather authorities catch the specific culprits than inact additional restrictions that affect everyone.

Mark

I agree with Mark on this matter.
Good to hear you got your MP Mark[emoji106].
(NoLid from Miata.net).