[POLL] Requirement to self-unlock NFZ: Reasonable or Infringing on Freedoms

[floyd]

Not having flown here because it's winter and the weather has been inhospitable, I wasn't aware of the new flight restriction requiring DJI drone pilots self-unlock certain NFZs. So, of course, I googled the topic and searched this forum and learned this pain-in-the-a$$ procedure. During my reading I found it interesting how polarizing this new DJI policy is among drone pilots.

So I though it might be interesting to visually see where this forum stands on DJI forcing its drone pilots to complete this additional step before flying.

 

[packnrat]

how about if the auto manfuctures installed a device to keep you from driving into "that" city. across a state line, over a set speed, or only you can drive that car? and everybody had to blow into the test device to start the car.

the manf of any product is not responsible for what a person can or can not do with said device.

 

[Thomas B]

All your statements about cars will be true as soon as the self-driving ones hit the market. Back on topic: The crux as I see it is that without placing the mentioned limits on their drones, even if user defeatable, DJI becomes liable. If you defeat those limits then the user is liable... airplanes, not to mention lives, are expensive and a deep pocket is most liable to pay for a disaster.

 

[packnrat]

so if a drunk driver hits me and he is speeding. i can sue the auto dealer? the auto manufacture?

 

[Thomas B]

If cars had a breathalyzer maybe so...

 

[packnrat]

but those are aftermarket stuff that are only installed via a court order. it would be better to just hang a drive a car go to prison thing over the drunks head. kinda like the three strikes law, but your out in one here.

 

[Thomas B]

Agreed

 

[zocalo]

I don't like it, but there are enough jerks out there that will do stupid things with drones in NFZs near major airports that I see it as the lesser of two evils. The only realistic alternative is going to be mandatory enforcement of NFZs with no option to override, including for every little grass strip out there. Of course, we might end up there anyway, if the jerks keep flaunting the rules and it gets legislated.

DJI *could* make the process a little easier though, especially for scenarios where people might justifiably want a permanent self-unlock of a small number of NFZs for whatever reason.

 

[old man mavic]

due to all the negative media coverage recently and the fact that new regulations both here in the UK and USA are in the pipeline DJI are trying to distance themselves from the law breakers by attempting to show that they agree with the rule makers with reguards to illegal flying near airports etc this is due in part to the fact that by doing so they hope that the market for their drones will continue to expand

 

[packnrat]

only problem is that most do not like the government controlling there privet lives and what we do in them.

those who want to break the law will do so no matter what controls are in place.
aka: how many laws are needed to say murder is wrong? the same goes for everything else.
like in a movie i once saw, a guy had extended time to live so he could save someone, but it was via the sand in his fist, the harder he gripped it, the faster it fell out. same for all controls, the harder they try, the more that slip through.

to many laws,
to much oversight,
to much control.

the more that will turn to the dark side.

if it contunes that way, then you will be required to contact the faa... or some other letter bureaucrat, to beg clearance to fly 15 feet up in your back yard.

 

[old man mavic]

only problem is that most do not like the government controlling there privet lives and what we do in them.

those who want to break the law will do so no matter what controls are in place.
aka: how many laws are needed to say murder is wrong? the same goes for everything else.
like in a movie i once saw, a guy had extended time to live so he could save someone, but it was via the sand in his fist, the harder he gripped it, the faster it fell out. same for all controls, the harder they try, the more that slip through.

to many laws,
to much oversight,
to much control.

the more that will turn to the dark side.

if it contunes that way, then you will be required to contact the faa... or some other letter bureaucrat, to beg clearance to fly 15 feet up in your back yard.

i agree that no matter what rules are in place the _____will always find ways to break them the problem is that governments have to be seen to be responding to the so called threat that drones are supposed to pose i was not trying to justify DJIs response to the proposed new rules but to say that it is a marketing strategy to allow them to sell more drones

 

[packnrat]

if dji does more control, then i will never buy another one of there units. sure i am just one, but how many of us "one" are out here?

it is NOT up to a communist chinese to say how we do anything in the United States of America.

and the elected officials do not need to make more laws to control anything here. just enforce the laws on the books now.
be aggressive with law breakers, or wait they are letting convicted violent felons out years early.
i gather that most in congress do not even know what is the next line on there teleprompters.
do they even know what ad-ons (pork) are in the bill they want passed?

 

[Tbredhed]

only problem is that most do not like the government controlling there privet lives and what we do in them.

those who want to break the law will do so no matter what controls are in place.
aka: how many laws are needed to say murder is wrong? the same goes for everything else.
like in a movie i once saw, a guy had extended time to live so he could save someone, but it was via the sand in his fist, the harder he gripped it, the faster it fell out. same for all controls, the harder they try, the more that slip through.

to many laws,
to much oversight,
to much control.

the more that will turn to the dark side.

if it continues that way, then you will be required to contact the faa... or some other letter bureaucrat, to beg clearance to fly 15 feet up in your back yard.

I don't like to wade into these political debates but I just needed to reply. Contrary to belief not everything is a "right", you don't have a to fly a drone, you don't have a right to drive a car, I could go on but I'll just reply to these two instances. Drones are getting ever more restricted everywhere because people feel they have the "right" to fly where ever they want whenever they want, if DJI didn't install the geofencing/NFZ then you can be guaranteed that governments everywhere would be forcing them to do it or worse, such as banning sales to anybody but fully licensed pilots.

Driving a car is also a privilege that can be taken away at anytime, and as far as you being able to sue an auto manufacturer if you are in an accident, that is covered by the need for you to pass a drivers license test. If you got your license and crashed it's your fault, if you didn't get a license I doubt you could claim ignorance since even a 6 year old knows you need a license to drive a car, besides which ignorance of the law isn't a defence.

Plenty of auto manufactures regulate your vehicle, most cars sold for the last 25 or 30 years have a governor that won't let you exceed a certain speed, on my truck it's 160 km/h my SUV is 180 km/h.

I personally believe the only thing keeping the(choose whatever national regulatory body controls the airspace in your country, TC, CASA, CAA, FAA) from placing severe restrictions on drones is the geofencing that DJI has installed into their devices.
I'm sure I'll get a lot of hate for this but i look forward to seeing how people respond.
Cheers

 

[old man mavic]

I don't like to wade into these political debates but I just needed to reply. Contrary to belief not everything is a "right", you don't have a to fly a drone, you don't have a right to drive a car, I could go on but I'll just reply to these two instances. Drones are getting ever more restricted everywhere because people feel they have the "right" to fly where ever they want whenever they want, if DJI didn't install the geofencing/NFZ the you can be guaranteed that governments everywhere would be forcing them to do it or worse, such as banning sales to anybody but fully licensed pilots.

Driving a car is also a privilege that can be taken away at anytime, and as far as you being able to sue an auto manufacturer if you are in an accident, that is covered by the need for you to pass a drivers license test. If you got your license and crashed it's your fault, if you didn't get a license I doubt you could claim ignorance since even a 6 year old knows you need a license to drive a car, besides which ignorance of the law isn't a defence.

Plenty of auto manufactures regulate your vehicle, most cars sold for the last 25 or 30 years have a governor that won't let you exceed a certain speed, on my truck it's 160 km/h my SUV is 180 km/h.

I personally believe the only thing keeping the(choose whatever national regulatory body controls the airspace in your country, TC, CASA, CAA, FAA) from placing severe restrictions on drones is the geofencing that DJI has installed into their devices.
I'm sure I'll get a lot of hate for this but i look forward to seeing how people respond.
Cheers

no hate from me i have no problem with geofencing it has been used on many drones not just DJI

 

[theDRONEranger]

Is it DJI only that requires self-unlock? If not, who else?
Are there alternative programs to use, on DJI product, instead of even touching DJIGO4? Or are we locked in as slaves to DJI?

 

[old man mavic]

never thought when i started drone flying that it would invoke such a radical response from people with reguards to freedom we live in a world of government control in all aspects of our lives privacy is not something that exists anymore the powers that be know everything about you from the day you were born the computer age has seen to that so we will just have to suck it up and get on with it or as in these posts bitterly complain about it but it aint going to change a darn thing

 

[old man mavic]

if dji does more control, then i will never buy another one of there units. sure i am just one, but how many of us "one" are out here?

it is NOT up to a communist chinese to say how we do anything in the United States of America.

and the elected officials do not need to make more laws to control anything here. just enforce the laws on the books now.
be aggressive with law breakers, or wait they are letting convicted violent felons out years early.
i gather that most in congress do not even know what is the next line on there teleprompters.
do they even know what ad-ons (pork) are in the bill they want passed?

dear packnrat if you feel so strongly about communist chinese i wonder what made you buy a DJI drone in the first place perhaps one made in France like a parrot drone would have been a better choice just saying that all

 

[old man mavic]

i am not going to make further replies on this thread as i feel that the content and some of the views expressed have to some extent broken community guidelines this is a forum about drones not for political views

 

[floyd]

I agree with the post related to many activities done by Americans are a privilege, not a right. And I also feel regulation is necessary to "help" maintain safe practices. HOWEVER, I don't need a Chinese company or any foreign company/country telling me when and how I can fly my drone. Imagine if BMW or Honda or Toyota restricted the use of their products. I think the big problem is DJI, while not the only drone manufacturer, has, in practice, a monopoly.

I would have no problem with the FAA developing (with industry input) regulations beyond what is already in place.

Some of you are probably saying to yourself or out loud, "Floyd, don't like the DJI policy? Buy a different drone!" I never understood that rational. If you don't like something... quit. This restriction is unnecessary, but I'm not going to cut off my nose to spite my face. Putting aside this infringement, DJI makes a great drone. That doesn't mean I have to be all huggy and kissy about everything they do.

Change only occurs when other views and ideas are expressed. Yes, stay quite, cover your eyes and you get what you deserve. OR, speak up and try to make the industry better. I tell my kids... you don't vote, you have no right to complain!

theDRONEranger brings up a good point... what other apps are available that don't restrict flying capabilities? Litchi?

 

[zocalo]

There seem to be a few people here that are blaming DJI for the NFZs, presumably because they have them and some other vendors do not, but I don't really feel that this is an entirely fair or informed assessment. DJI does implement the mechanism by which NFZ are implemented - it's absolutely coded into their app - but much of the actual data for those NFZs is actually provided to DJI by regional authorities. e.g. the FAA and DoD in the case of the US, CAA and MoD in the case of the UK, and so on.

I see this more as an attempt at industry self-regulation, the alternative to which is government enforced legislation, which might happen anyway but that's by the by at this point. How do you think the latter will go, given that it's possible to build your own drone/RC aircraft? Mandatory licensing, including of hobbyists? Much harsher penalties for non-compliance with/infringement of NFZs, or flying without a license (sure, they have to catch you first, but still? Keep in mind the DJI can - and does - currently let you override their NFZs when appropriate to do so (and I've done this - and flown legally - on multiple occassions).

Be careful what you wish for, I guess.