New Geo Fencing and Zones a complete mess for 107 Pilot

[Rick Lohre]

This new DJI zone blocking and unlocking has become a complete and utter [Language Removed by Moderator] for me as a 107 pilot with my new Mavic 2 when trying to fly in FAA restricted and even in non FAA restricted zones.
For instance, Downtown Cincinnati, no FAA restriction in the area but there's a HUGE blue circle. I'm prompted to unlock, but must do from a computer! WTH, I'm on site with client looking at me as if I'm a complete moron trying to get it to even take off.
I have submitted once for non FAA restricted area and another FAA zone where I had clearance by tower to fly, and even after approval for both, it did not take in the app so I still couldn't fly. I'm peeved!!!
Anyone know if it's app based or bird based? If app based, can I roll back to a previous version?
Thanks in advance for any perspective and advice.
Rick

 

[Thomas B]

First, welcome to the forum!... there’s a lot of good info here.

Some zones will remain no fly, like the 30 miles presidential visit in Florida. For routine NFZs like airports, etc, I use AirMap for LAANC clearance on my iPhone. It’s instantaneous. I have never been “grounded”.

Check all the other threads on this. They are numerous with a lot of info, how to’s, and explanations.

 

[Rick Lohre]

Basically...I'm seeing this in my area which is causing almost anything I fly near Cincinnati to be a total pain in the butt. I have 70 properties to fly over the coming month for a legal trial and this will all but make my life a complete pain to try and complete with the new system.
Anyone know when it took effect?

 

[Rick Lohre]

I've used AirMap previously, but now the FAA tower is not receiving through them anymore as well it does not tie into the DJI NFZ's in the DJI Go app...

 

[JAW]

Don't know if this helps, but see A. 3. a. to c. of
https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/assets/File/Procedures/12227.pdf

 

[Thomas B]

Basically...I'm seeing this in my area which is causing almost anything I fly near Cincinnati to be a total pain in the butt. I have 70 properties to fly over the coming month for a legal trial and this will all but make my life a complete pain to try and complete with the new system.
Anyone know when it took effect?

I notice that the blue is opaque. As in other areas where this has been seen recently, I’d bet there is a pro baseball field (or similar) at the center.
In the other cases this appearance was from DJI causing the temporary NFZ for each game to post at the same time. The “stacking” of all of the translucent blue circles made an opaque blue circle. Maybe you know the area and can check that idea.

BTW, I use AirMap for LAANC approval, most recently yesterday. It worked for me without a hitch and approval was in seconds.

 

[Thomas B]

One last thought. You said you had permission to fly a NFZ in another location, as I understood you first post. If so, somewhere in the app there is a place where you will find that and can disable it by just unchecking it. Apparently the approval for one site once expired overrides any other site.

 

[PhantomFandom]

First, welcome to the forum!... there’s a lot of good info here.

Some zones will remain no fly, like the 30 miles presidential visit in Florida. For routine NFZs like airports, etc, I use AirMap for LAANC clearance on my iPhone. It’s instantaneous. I have never been “grounded”.

Check all the other threads on this. They are numerous with a lot of info, how to’s, and explanations.

Getting LAANC authorization is completely different from unlocking a NFZ with DJI. If you are flying in a DJI locked zone, you must generally do both. LAANC is for gaining authorization to fly in an are that is restricted by the FAA, for instance close to an airport. DJI however does not tie into that (at least not yet) and thus your drone will not start up. That is where you need to unlock the zone either on-site through DJI Go 4, or in advance through the website. If you do it on-site, your mobile device needs a connection to the Internet. If you do it in advance, you need to at some point also connect your device/controller to the Internet.

The unlock is based on the specific controller. If you do it in advance, you need to provide the SN of the controller you will be using.

It can be a real pain. DJI has been cleared as a LAANC provider so hopefully the entire procedure can be integrated and streamlines once DJI gets it working.

 

[rickw]

This new DJI zone blocking and unlocking has become a complete and utter cluster-f#$% for me as a 107 pilot with my new Mavic 2 when trying to fly in FAA restricted and even in non FAA restricted zones.
For instance, Downtown Cincinnati, no FAA restriction in the area but there's a HUGE blue circle. I'm prompted to unlock, but must do from a computer! WTH, I'm on site with client looking at me as if I'm a complete moron trying to get it to even take off.
I have submitted once for non FAA restricted area and another FAA zone where I had clearance by tower to fly, and even after approval for both, it did not take in the app so I still couldn't fly. I'm peeved!!!
Anyone know if it's app based or bird based? If app based, can I roll back to a previous version?
Thanks in advance for any perspective and advice.
Rick

purchase NLD app,that will fix it

 

[Thomas B]

Getting LAANC authorization is completely different from unlocking a NFZ with DJI. If you are flying in a DJI locked zone, you must generally do both. LAANC is for gaining authorization to fly in an are that is restricted by the FAA, for instance close to an airport. DJI however does not tie into that (at least not yet) and thus your drone will not start up. That is where you need to unlock the zone either on-site through DJI Go 4, or in advance through the website. If you do it on-site, your mobile device needs a connection to the Internet. If you do it in advance, you need to at some point also connect your device/controller to the Internet.

The unlock is based on the specific controller. If you do it in advance, you need to provide the SN of the controller you will be using.

It can be a real pain. DJI has been cleared as a LAANC provider so hopefully the entire procedure can be integrated and streamlines once DJI gets it working.

Good explanation. Thanks.
Seems DJIs variances with most other apps is a big part of the problem.
I have never used the DJI app for getting clearance, maybe that alone is the difference in how my software runs. It’s all stock DJI other than AirMap. I actually fly with a CS.

 

[terradriller]

This new DJI zone blocking and unlocking has become a complete and utter cluster-f#$% for me as a 107 pilot with my new Mavic 2 when trying to fly in FAA restricted and even in non FAA restricted zones.
For instance, Downtown Cincinnati, no FAA restriction in the area but there's a HUGE blue circle. I'm prompted to unlock, but must do from a computer! WTH, I'm on site with client looking at me as if I'm a complete moron trying to get it to even take off.
I have submitted once for non FAA restricted area and another FAA zone where I had clearance by tower to fly, and even after approval for both, it did not take in the app so I still couldn't fly. I'm peeved!!!
Anyone know if it's app based or bird based? If app based, can I roll back to a previous version?
Thanks in advance for any perspective and advice.
Rick

Have you tried Litchi as an app vs DJI Go? It has some features that DJI does not have and it my not have the Geofence issue. Just a thought for a $25 download it may solve your problem.

 

[John 8 Degree]

Have you tried Litchi as an app vs DJI Go? It has some features that DJI does not have and it my not have the Geofence issue. Just a thought for a $25 download it may solve your problem.

I have the the Smart Controller and haven’t been able to install Litchi

 

[Misand]

First, welcome to the forum!... there’s a lot of good info here.

Some zones will remain no fly, like the 30 miles presidential visit in Florida. For routine NFZs like airports, etc, I use AirMap for LAANC clearance on my iPhone. It’s instantaneous. I have never been “grounded”.

Check all the other threads on this. They are numerous with a lot of info, how to’s, and explanations.

Does the AirMap work on iPad as well ?

 

[sar104]

Have you tried Litchi as an app vs DJI Go? It has some features that DJI does not have and it my not have the Geofence issue. Just a thought for a $25 download it may solve your problem.

Litchi does not bypass the DJI geo restrictions.

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

You can also use KittyHawk for LAANC approvals. Many good tools and functions in KittyHawk. Many in the commercial and hobby realm do not support AirMap as their owners are strong lobbiest working to restrict UAV pilots to their own benefit.

As for DJI, you can go on their website and request an unlock which is good for 3 days. Or you can request a custom unlock good for an extented period of time and up to a 10 mile radius.

 

[Rick Lohre]

This has basically rendered my drone USELESS for business purposes. As a licensed 107 pilot who flies multiple missions a week, to have to unlock TFR's that are improperly put into place and stacked (READ: MLB games stacked one on top of each other in perpetuity in Cincinnati, OH) and for the unlock to only last 3 days, I have had to turn down thousands of dollars in missions in this area due to the last minute nature of the jobs to guys who are running outside of the system using either non geofenced drones or drones which circumvent the restrictions via illegal apps and hacks!!
Sucks to pay attention and follow the rules and only be shut down because of it.
Add to all of that, DJI does not approve more than 75% of the time because they require "documentation" which in the US, we do not have or need for TFR's that aren't actually active!!!! SMH

 

[rickw]

that's why most guys are running not illegal but different apps because of dji screw ups

 

[jspil]

I have gotten a lot of NOTAM's from the FAA in the Cincinnati area lately. All dealing with VIP movements. I'm not sure if these are what's been affecting you, but I thought it was worth a mention.

 

[Shon]

This has basically rendered my drone USELESS for business purposes. As a licensed 107 pilot who flies multiple missions a week, to have to unlock TFR's that are improperly put into place and stacked (READ: MLB games stacked one on top of each other in perpetuity in Cincinnati, OH) and for the unlock to only last 3 days, I have had to turn down thousands of dollars in missions in this area due to the last minute nature of the jobs to guys who are running outside of the system using either non geofenced drones or drones which circumvent the restrictions via illegal apps and hacks!!
Sucks to pay attention and follow the rules and only be shut down because of it.
Add to all of that, DJI does not approve more than 75% of the time because they require "documentation" which in the US, we do not have or need for TFR's that aren't actually active!!!! SMH

If you have lost so much money in jobs, there is always the Autel Evo...You don't have the geo-fencing issues. Carry it with you as a backup... I have heard of many that switched to Autel for this very reason.

 

[Rick Lohre]

FYI. I was able to finally secure unlock for area within KLUK airport area.
They needed a "signed authorized document" so I gave them one.

If you have lost so much money in jobs, there is always the Autel Evo...You don't have the geo-fencing issues. Carry it with you as a backup... I have heard of many that switched to Autel for this very reason.

If you have lost so much money in jobs, there is always the Autel Evo...You don't have the geo-fencing issues. Carry it with you as a backup... I have heard of many that switched to Autel for this very reason.

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually built my first drone way back in 2008 when I had to solder my own circuit boards etc. I'm thinking of trying that again too! LOL. At least I'm in control. I'll research the Autel Evo as I do need a backup since all of my other backups are DJI based. Smart suggestion.
Cheers,
Rick