Since you have to sign into your account every couple months or so, couldn't they just forcefully have those servers shut down and without the ability to sign in your drone won't launch? Seems like that would be a pretty easy thing for them to do to basically kill every DJI drone.
The FCC just gave itself the power to make a DJI drone ban stick
- Thread starter Flyin&Smilin
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anotherlab
Well-Known Member
They would have no reason to do so.
Not supporting existing customers is very different than not selling directly to new customers. There isn't a foolproof way to implement this that wouldn't risk affecting service to drones outside the US.
Doing something that dumb would incentivize people to reverse engineer the firmware. After Google shut off web service access to older Nest thermostats, some people hacked the firmware so the Nest would call new web services to allow them to continue to work. The same thing could happen with DJI drones.
Along the same lines, if DJI really wanted to play hardball, they could provide updates to US firmware that removes the need to call home, allows RID to be disabled, and turns off other limits. They could say this is a research-only firmware, and DJI does not authorize its use in FAA-controlled airspace.
Once the FCC revokes the drone model certification, I predict there will be no further software updates available for that drone model in the US.
In the past, they have not been region specific. But also in the past, all devices that received sw updates have been FCC cert. We don't know how DJI treats devices that don't have FCC or CE. We are 100% sure DJI can control sw updates because in the past, they used to roll them out in waves; back then it was based on load but I'm almost positive they can use other constraints. The US is not the only countries to rely on FCC so there's that as well.
and....I'm seeing it again
all the way thru the last 18 months people have been saying "this will never happen". Every negative step that has led down the stairs toward a ban had people saying that the next step wouldn't be taken....yet every step of the way it has been taken and we're a month away from the biggest step of all
and now, I'm seeing people saying that essentially bricking drones in the USA thru the Fly App can't happen. "it's too difficult"...."DJI wouldn't do it"
do I think it will happen? probably not. But the idea that it couldn't happen is completely naive and simply ignores the last 18 months
all the way thru the last 18 months people have been saying "this will never happen". Every negative step that has led down the stairs toward a ban had people saying that the next step wouldn't be taken....yet every step of the way it has been taken and we're a month away from the biggest step of all
and now, I'm seeing people saying that essentially bricking drones in the USA thru the Fly App can't happen. "it's too difficult"...."DJI wouldn't do it"
do I think it will happen? probably not. But the idea that it couldn't happen is completely naive and simply ignores the last 18 months
There is a slight difference here though. Previously the "this will never happen" claims were made regarding US Gov actions. Bricking drones requires an action from DJI. I'm not saying its not a concern, I'm currently testing various methods of keeping mine offline; however, it is different.
sure
but what if the FCC does retroactively ban some current models and the US government requires DJI to cooperate with the ban if they want to keep open an avenue to re-enter the American market at a future date?
it is not complex to identify IP addresses for the US
I didn't say it wasn't possible, but now you're requiring actions from multiple entities complicating things further and making it even less likely.
anotherlab
Well-Known Member
It's easy enough to spoof with a VPN to make that check useless. The GPS would be a bit harder to spoof,
anotherlab
Well-Known Member
As with just about every other prediction on this topic, there is no information to indicate that your prediction would come true.
While Canada has its own standards, DJI drones used in Canada use the "FCC mode" for radio power settings. DJI has no reason to interfere with the use of its products by its Canadian customers.
Ken Schmidt
Well-Known Member
Then We would be forced to get our updates from Canadian on Mexican sources? Or Australian?
I don't have proof and I know you are not asking for proof as that would be sorta disingenuous knowing the current climate we are in where it is literally impossible to provide anything that amounts to being close to "proof" hence why I only offered an opinion. However, if I provide you with some information there is a strong possibility this might happen, would you like to see it?
Yes, we can probably get our updates in other countries but don't forget when you fly GPS is involved so you never know how effective those updates can be. As others have mentioned, we'll always have options. I just hate for anyone to think there has to be a material reason for any of this to happen; when can we all get on the same page and realize nothing is off the table?
If the past ten years has taught me anything it’s that were living in a TV show and everything is on the table.
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