Serious Frustrations with DJI - Help Needed

[Fogfire]

I know its been a few months. but since I am looking to live near Sequim and fly drones I thought I would add 2 cents.
1) As I think you have already figured out you like me where I live are dealing with DJIs terrible geofencing data. I live 5 miles out from an airport with LAANC Auto Approval to 400 feet. But DJI locks me to 200 feet which is a problem when the trees are 220 feet!! It took me forever to get my area custom unlocked. But I did and just renewed it in minutes.
2) You live at the end of local airport, so make sure if you get the drone unlocked you keep it below tree tops.. But I think you might be just SOL for DJI products because of that airport AND the bad data they would have to unlock.

This is how I got my 200 foot area unlocked to 400 feet for a 1.6 KM circle near my house.

• I provided a screen shots of the FAA UAS Map with the LAANC popup showing them the approved altitude of 400 feet.
• I made sure the circle I drew was drawn so it didn't enter the 200 foot area 5 blocks away.
• I registered my drone and sent a copy of my certificate.
• I sent a screen shot of the page that says I don't need an FAA application for this area to 400 feet.
  
  DO NOT AT ANY TIME PROVED a copy of an actual LAANC approval as it has a data and time stamp and they see that and deny in minutes not really understanding the system.

Last year I told them I was going to let the FAA know they were trying to add to their paper work by requesting an FAA documents for an Auto Approval area. Not sure if they looked that previous order up, but this year it took me less than an hour to get a one year unlock in my area.

I think if you can get the FAA to tell them you are OK that would help. But that civil aviation airport is going to make the unlock harder I guess even though the reason you are locked is the Sloppy drawing of the data for the Naval restricted air space that is only restricted near vessels.

 

[DanMan32]

What's ironic, especially in light of DJI being listed was that DJI was approved as a LAANC provider a couple years back. DJI was supposed to integrate LAANC into Go but they never did.
If they had, they could also automatically unlock geofencing after getting LAANC approval.

 

[hhung516]

I know its been a few months. but since I am looking to live near Sequim and fly drones I thought I would add 2 cents.
1) As I think you have already figured out you like me where I live are dealing with DJIs terrible geofencing data. I live 5 miles out from an airport with LAANC Auto Approval to 400 feet. But DJI locks me to 200 feet which is a problem when the trees are 220 feet!! It took me forever to get my area custom unlocked. But I did and just renewed it in minutes.
2) You live at the end of local airport, so make sure if you get the drone unlocked you keep it below tree tops.. But I think you might be just SOL for DJI products because of that airport AND the bad data they would have to unlock.

This is how I got my 200 foot area unlocked to 400 feet for a 1.6 KM circle near my house.

• I provided a screen shots of the FAA UAS Map with the LAANC popup showing them the approved altitude of 400 feet.
• I made sure the circle I drew was drawn so it didn't enter the 200 foot area 5 blocks away.
• I registered my drone and sent a copy of my certificate.
• I sent a screen shot of the page that says I don't need an FAA application for this area to 400 feet.
  
  DO NOT AT ANY TIME PROVED a copy of an actual LAANC approval as it has a data and time stamp and they see that and deny in minutes not really understanding the system.

Last year I told them I was going to let the FAA know they were trying to add to their paper work by requesting an FAA documents for an Auto Approval area. Not sure if they looked that previous order up, but this year it took me less than an hour to get a one year unlock in my area.

I think if you can get the FAA to tell them you are OK that would help. But that civil aviation airport is going to make the unlock harder I guess even though the reason you are locked is the Sloppy drawing of the data for the Naval restricted air space that is only restricted near vessels.


View attachment 120840

Thank you for sharing the steps you did dealing with DJI for the unlock!

 

[mchulst]

New to droning. Wife bought me a Mavic Mini for my birthday last week, and I am in the process of returning it due to DJI's incompetence. Would seriously appreciate some help/advice from everyone on this forum.

So we bought the mini due to the 249 gram, deal, and how it doesnt require FAA stuff. But what a blatant lie that is. But this drone was purely going to be used for my fishing trips in Washington state. More specifically the straits of juan de fuca. So when I got the drone, I placed it in my back yard/beach, and tried to start it up. Low and behold, the ******* thing wont start because it says its in a no fly zone?? first thing that goes through my head..."the ****? i live in a community with less that 500 people, and the nearest town is 30 miles away, something must be wrong" well.....after hours and hours of research, looks like DJI's dumb *** has the entire straits of juan de fuca as a red no fly zone. Why even produce a 249 gram drone then? just to take my money and make me look like a chump. Then make me deal with some online chineese chat rep for 8 days to get a way to finally return the drone? FML

So here is where I get really mad. I reached out to the coast guard, FAA, and the nearest airport, all of which are an the kitthawk app, and every single one of them tell me i should be able to fly in the open ocean there. Then finally, they get me in touch with an FAA rep for my area, (who has the following credentials: FAA, ATO Western Service Area (WSA) Service Center) and he tells me"

" Looking at your address, you are in Class G uncontrolled airspace and do not need an airspace authorization to fly here. Also, the area that you are noting is covered by a Department of Defense NOTAM but the NOTAM only says this (see below). If you follow that NOTAM and stay away from USN/USCG vessels laterally and vertically as described, you can fly here. The only controlled airspace in your area is way west of you over Port Angeles. My suggestion is you contact DJI and let them know that this is not controlled airspace and you are going to follow the directions of the NOTAM and have them unlock your UAS "

So to me, I have the right to fly this drone, but DJI has randomly decided to lock down all air space in the areas i fish. DJI does this because????.....they ******* suck is the only conclusion I have come to.

So then I found NoLimitDronez but they of course dont have a patch for the mini yet and no one knows when they will..

So i start looking at building an FPV drone, but then i realize i cannot use one while I am fishing because ill have to wear goggles, and so much for me getting some shots of me landing a nice halibut or king salmon..

So now that the mini is being returned? what are my options??

Here is what I want. something I can fly in my area (see attached images, I live on the water at miller peninsula, and plan to fish from Neah bay to my place, about 100 miles of ocean, as yuo can see its blocked off on the entire USA side. go figure Canada is totally open airspace) that has follow me feature, and is not more than $1000. It looks like the mavic platinum will work with NoLimit, but they dont make them anymore I would be more than happy to make my own, but i dont even know where to start. and honestly, i wont be flying this higher than 100'

any help is greatly appriecated. I didnt know it would be such a nightmare to get some stupid fishing videos from a drone. how does anyone even have this hobby in this hell hole of a state with all its NFZs? sorry for my frusturation, just annoyed that this kind of crap even exist.

That area is likely a no fly zone because Naval Base Kitsap. SSBNs (Submarines with Nuclear Weapons) Transit the strait to go out on patrol. I was stationed on an SSBN in Kingsbay, the Atlantic equivalent of Kitsap. We have the same restrictions there for security purposes.