NFZ with permission - DJI says "no"

[fallengod]

just hack your drone... a quick google search is all you need.

 

[toddellis]

a drone is only one tool in the box. we have 10s of thousands of dollars in video gear and it all plays it's role in the production. an "all aerial" video rarely serves my client(s) purpose. i need permission to film in a hospital --- but i don;t have to ask red, canon, nikon or panasonic. it's ludicrous. as for a $23k job with a mavic? i'll shoot a $23k job with a gopro & a monopod - it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools. it's about marketing & pleasing the client - end of story.

that said -- thanks to digdat0 my problem is solved forever & i am officially finished arguing my point. thanks to most of you for your support & PMs.

 

[Superdaddy]

I am amazed at the number of people here trying to justify the reprehensible actions of a foreign corporate entity.

Wow.

Taking a shot at foreign companies, just because their foreign, seems to miss the point.

It is a matter of self-preservation for the industry, regardless of where the industry is primarily based at this time.

I get no one wants to have their product limited in any way and maybe DJI has gone too far but the market will correct this, i.e. people stop buying their drones and DJI will act accordingly.

On the other hand, many industries self regulate with the hope of avoiding the heavy hand of government. I can think of many industries, including the motion picture industry - a uniquely US Industry that have done the same. Many are probably too young to remember that the ratings systems were self imposed to avoid congressional action for fear of a more heavy handed approach. DJI is essentially saying the same thing, hey governments around the world, the industry and its users can take care of our own responsibly. It will be a bumpy road, but in the end I think it will help keep this hobby viable.

You really want a locked down drone, technologically driven or otherwise, just wait till the government, yes the US Government, cracks down.

 

[pob_sleuth]

It is not that I want to have the product I purchased be unlimited and unregulated (although that would be nice), I would just like to be able to actually use it at all... even with reasonable restrictions. I cannot fly my drone now for two weeks. Cannot even take off. Fully disabled. Why? Because the entirety of northern New Jersey is on full lockdown because Trump is at his golf course. Reasonable limits would be fine. Reasonable limits would say that my range is restricted within a certain distance of Trump. I am 15 miles away and my Mavic will not go much more than a mile before radio interference and topography cause a disconnect. So, why can't I fly 50-100 feet from my launch point (which is 15 miles away from the protection subject)?

At this rate, I don't need to wait for a government crack down on my drone... it has already happened vis a vis the DJI software systems. The government has DJI (and presumably other manufacturers) doing that job for them already.

 

[Islandguy27]

I have a Typhoon as well as 2 Mavic's and a Spark. The Typhoon is a formidable reliable machine. It is big and it is powerful. It is also a very stable platform for photography. I don't fly my Typhoon much anymore with the advent of the smaller drones but still wouldn't sell it.

 

[geigy]

So is there a problem with backing off to the 040 FW and app? I'm running the current version, but kind of counting on being able to do that if the occasion requires it.

Frustrating, but there are so many hundreds of videos on youtube of people who fly where they should not - hassling people, flying near manned aircraft, etc, and then proudly post the footage on youtube for all to see. I hate the restrictions, but I blame those flyers, and not DJI, for the mounting acrimony and pile of restrictions we are seeing.

If you think it's bad now, wait until various institutions - parks, construction firms, etc can send you a ticket, or intercept your drone, willy nilly without warning.

Winter is coming, unfortunately.

 

[Blades]

i am super-heated up right now - and either need talked off the ledge - or - a mavic pro alternative. i am a part 107 licensed UAV PIC & professional videographer. i have permission from the airport tower to fly in their restricted airspace & i cannot launch because a chinese company wants to police my movements. i've spoken to the airport director, i've spoken to the tower - and now i have sent dji an email to jump through their hoops to fly in this space.

NOT flying in this space will cost me $23,000. needless to say the mavic pro is the last dji product i will purchase. btw - all my dji stuff will likely be for sale soon ... so keep an eye out for that.


sorry for the rant -- i really AM looking for a solution

Here is someone else that is not happy with the no-fly zone restrictions. Will Temporary Flight Restrictions Ruin Jobs for Drone Operators?

 

[toddellis]

UPDATE: i went through the process with DJI. mapped out the location - sent the information & documentation, a signed letter on airport stationary ... and was denied by our Chinese overlords. the reason?

"A form of positive identification of the person signing the statement must be provided"

when i asked the airport director if he would consider sending a copy of his ID to china he said, and i quote "**** no." and i cannot disagree.

on with plan "a"

 

[CashCache]

UPDATE: i went through the process with DJI. mapped out the location - sent the information & documentation, a signed letter on airport stationary ... and was denied by our Chinese overlords. the reason?

"A form of positive identification of the person signing the statement must be provided"

when i asked the airport director if he would consider sending a copy of his ID to china he said, and i quote "FUUUUUUUU%%%%%%K no." and i cannot disagree.

on with plan "a"

I don't blame that guy one bit. The good news is that you learned everything you need to know in this thread to never have to worry about losing a job because DJI feels they need to be the worlds drone police. You did everything right and still got screwed. Good luck on your shoot. Please post back with how it went.

 

[toddellis]

such as ringing the tower on a supplied number

did just that. sent them the number. here is what they require:

Please submit a documentation that identifies your name. Examples of such documentation include but are not limited to a driver’s license, the front of a major credit card, a national identification card, a student ID card, etc.

 

[bunzik]

 

[bunzik]

Problem solved

 

[toddellis]

hi bunzik. yes, thanks --- i did that --- and yes, my problem is solved. i only posted again to alert others to an issue. even if you DO follow DJI's draconian "policy" - even if you DO have permission from the tower - unless you have a tower official willing to share their credit card or drivers license with a private (state owned) chinese company - you ain't flying unless you take the above drastic measures.

it's a real shame. i love my mavic, but for all this time & trouble, i could have rented a plane.

 

[2nckayakers]

Look I don't like the NFZ's and I really don't like DJI tightening the noose with every single update, but they are just looking after their best interests because they would rather have some people flying drones in the safe spaces than no one flying drones anywhere. Not trying to defend them because personally I hate it, but that is the reason they do it.

NOW, if you think DJI is bad then your going to blow your stack when you read this one; Police Push Tracking for Civilian Drones

 

[toddellis]

i tried to follow their rules - it's not possible. the part they don't get is - in china if dji says "show me your papers" folks say "ok". in the united states we say "probably not."

 

[AlanTheBeast]

i am super-heated up right now - and either need talked off the ledge - or - a mavic pro alternative. i am a part 107 licensed UAV PIC & professional videographer. i have permission from the airport tower to fly in their restricted airspace & i cannot launch because a chinese company wants to police my movements. i've spoken to the airport director, i've spoken to the tower - and now i have sent dji an email to jump through their hoops to fly in this space.

NOT flying in this space will cost me $23,000. needless to say the mavic pro is the last dji product i will purchase. btw - all my dji stuff will likely be for sale soon ... so keep an eye out for that.


sorry for the rant -- i really AM looking for a solution

You can request an unlock via DJI GEO System - Up-to-date Information On Where to Fly and an e-mail address there.

Yeah. Planning required. Imagine that.

 

[toddellis]

alanthebeast --- check page 3 of this thread --- tried that --- doesn't actually work.

it's a shame.

 

[Blades]

Look I don't like the NFZ's and I really don't like DJI tightening the noose with every single update, but they are just looking after their best interests because they would rather have some people flying drones in the safe spaces than no one flying drones anywhere. Not trying to defend them because personally I hate it, but that is the reason they do it.

NOW, if you think DJI is bad then your going to blow your stack when you read this one; Police Push Tracking for Civilian Drones

Yes I love this part! And it is why I will not buy another DJI product again.
"California-based uAvionix Corp. has developed a radio transmitter as small as a dime that would provide precise drone tracking data, according to its website. China-based SZ DJI Technology Co., the world’s largest civilian drone manufacturer, earlier this year said it could adapt existing radio-control signals to identify and track its devices. The same data could also be transmitted on cellular networks." Wow so Amazon , Google Verizon, T-Mobile all stand to make tons of money when they lock all of us hobbyist to a little flying field with dues and nothing to look at and the big $$ will control the skies under 400ft..

 

[royalhghnss]

You can request an unlock via DJI GEO System - Up-to-date Information On Where to Fly and an e-mail address there.

Yeah. Planning required. Imagine that.

Reading the thread required. Imagine that. He already did that.

Maybe read the thread next time before firing off a snarky comment?

 

[Blades]

Reading the thread required. Imagine that. He already did that.

Maybe read the thread next time before firing off a snarky comment?

I see his comments on a lot of posts. He is a "A hole" I put him on my ignore list....