Too many issues... too many restrictions recently developing.

[Falcon1az]

If I had known about all of these issues with software and firmware updates and this would be a part of the program or "experience", I would have delayed purchasing this machine.
Furthermore, with the software restrictions from DJI imposing flight limitations on their machines, only recently, I would have delayed purchasing this machine.
And lastly... if I had known I would have to submit an application to DJI to unlock a flying area near an uncontrolled Airport about 4 miles away so I could fly out a half mile in my backyard at 400 ft I would have said no thanks I don't need to be apart of this "experience".
This is becoming fantastically cumbersome and the "experience" is simply not worth the frustration. I may have very well taken all the video and pictures I'm going to take with this flying camera.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Is this a yellow authorization zone that is easily unlocked by clicking a button, or is it a true restricted zone?

 

[Top Hat]

Don't need all the crap FW update from DJI so i decided to stay foot on my original OEM FW 400 when I got my MP few months back. Till to this day I don't need permission from anyone when and where to fly my machine.

 

[Falcon1az]

The issue I struggle with is how these changes are implimented. I have not received 1... not a single email from DJI announcing a change. I'm a registered owner why not send an email telling me this is coming or here is a new change we implimented. These changes happen and I think something is wrong with the machine or the app or the goggles or the RC. The app has been a huge headache.
The other issue is corporate over-reach. I'm a pilot. I can jump in my Cessna and fly without any restriction on the airplane as to where or how I fly the airplane from Cessna. Cessna could impliment a program that would prevent the airplane from flying in a restricted area... a no-fly-zone. If I violate a law I am tracked down and relieved of my pilot license. I can buy a gun. I can go out and operate the gun within the guidelines without any restriction from Smith and Wesson as to how I operate the gun. Smith and Wesson could make a system to restrict how I operate the gun.
How the heck is flying my Mavic any different from Cessna... from Smith and Wesson... or Ford... or Harley Davidson? Come on DJI... I think you've way over stepped the boundaries of restricting your product. Severely over stepped.
Back off.

 

[Mr. Salty]

How the heck is flying my Mavic any different from Cessna...

It's pretty obvious, isn't it?

Flying a Cessna requires hours of classroom and flight training from qualified instructors, a big commitment on your part of time and money, and testing by qualified FAA personnel and a medical evaluation before you're licensed. In other words, you have to prove you know what you're doing.

The same applies to a lesser degree for a Ford or Harley. Smith & Wesson? Well, you'll get no argument from me there but further discussion would get into a political debate that the mods won't like.

But with drones, Mavic and otherwise, anybody with a few bucks to spare can go to Walmart, buy one and put it up in the air without ever bothering to read the instructions. And they're doing stupid things and making life difficult for the rest of us.

We had a kid where I live try to fly his quadcopter for the first time in the parking lot of the restaurant where he worked as a fry cook. Right across the street from an international airport. The wind took it and it was found the next day right next to the runway by airport security.

I just checked DJI's GEO map again. It's the first time I've looked at it since they first released it a few weeks ago. The red zones, the ones that really require jumping through hoops to get permission to fly in, are few and far between, and make complete sense why they're NFZs --- prisons mostly, and the very closest inner ring near airports.

I guess I just don't see it being much of a burden to fly in the yellow warning areas. Check a box on the DJI Go app and keep flying. That's it. It's a much better compromise that some of the severe restrictions or even outright bans going on in places like Canada.

 

[Falcon1az]

Well... we are going to agree to disagree on my Cessna point, on the Ford, Smith and Wesson, and Harley Davidson point. People have to access to these products and can operate them as they choose. No restrictions from the manufacturers (nothing on par with what DJI is doing).

I looked at the APP and don't see a "box" I can check and relieve myself from a 100' altitude and 150' horizontal flight restriction. Lol. I went to DJI and filed out an application to fly my machine (where I have been flying without any problem).

Corporate over-reach.

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

The issue I struggle with is how these changes are implimented. I have not received 1... not a single email from DJI announcing a change. I'm a registered owner why not send an email telling me this is coming or here is a new change we implimented. These changes happen and I think something is wrong with the machine or the app or the goggles or the RC. The app has been a huge headache.
The other issue is corporate over-reach. I'm a pilot. I can jump in my Cessna and fly without any restriction on the airplane as to where or how I fly the airplane from Cessna. Cessna could impliment a program that would prevent the airplane from flying in a restricted area... a no-fly-zone. If I violate a law I am tracked down and relieved of my pilot license. I can buy a gun. I can go out and operate the gun within the guidelines without any restriction from Smith and Wesson as to how I operate the gun. Smith and Wesson could make a system to restrict how I operate the gun.
How the heck is flying my Mavic any different from Cessna... from Smith and Wesson... or Ford... or Harley Davidson? Come on DJI... I think you've way over stepped the boundaries of restricting your product. Severely over stepped.
Back off.

Flying a Cessna is not the same at all. For one thing, when you fly your Cessna you are putting yourself at physical risk. Your attitude amazes me, it truly does.

 

[Falcon1az]

Well I'm glad your amazed! I truly am.

I have to ask... why doesn't Cessna have a devise on their airplanes that warning you if you are flying in a restricted area? Why can you drive 100mph or more in your Ford Tarus? Why can you shoot your Smith and Wesson... where ever you want?

 

[Oconnb910]

Well I'm glad your amazed! I truly am.

I have to ask... why doesn't Cessna have a devise on their airplanes that warning you if you are flying in a restricted area? Why can you drive 100mph or more in your Ford Tarus? Why can you shoot your Smith and Wesson... where ever you want?

Quite honestly I'm starting to believe that it is because these things are so much freaking fun! It seems like anything that makes people happy draws in the attention of negative people that somehow want to diffuse that from happening! You are correct with all your other examples and I agree that it is ridiculous that they are so hard on most drone Flyers considering that most of them really just want to have fun with it they want to take some nice pictures have a good time with it and call it a day they're not out there looking to cause trouble and chaos and peeping Toms and all that stuff, the world is just really turning into a negative place and it is a sad statement of our society!

 

[Oconnb910]

Federal regulations allowing hobbyists and businesses to buy drones, led to plunging prices and explosive growth in the industry. There are now more than 1.1 million consumer drones in the skies over the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Companies are using the technology in everything from utility inspections to movie sets, agriculture, real estate, scientific research and law enforcement.

 

[Oconnb910]

Federal regulations allowing hobbyists and businesses to buy drones, led to plunging prices and explosive growth in the industry. There are now more than 1.1 million consumer drones in the skies over the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Companies are using the technology in everything from utility inspections to movie sets, agriculture, real estate, scientific research and law enforcement.

So if this is true why aren't we seeing way more accidents in the air if people are being so irresponsible how come we're not seeing planes crashing into these things and taking down people and everything else? How many actual incidents have there been with plane versus drone? I understand that there have been plenty of people spotted doing the wrong thing apparently! But still that does not constitute actual wrongdoing if it's not hurting anyone affecting anyone blocking anybody civil liberties or any of that good stuff. I understand that might even be an Outreach to the rules but I think the rules maybe a little too harsh also! And I don't see them letting up I see them getting worse!

 

[Falcon1az]

Well... it goes back to this, the FAA has guidelines for flying drones for hobbyists... and they have part 107 for commercial drone operators. I don't need DJI sending my machine GEO fencing updates to keep me from following the guidelines. No more than I need Ford putting a restrictor on the Tarus for 70mph speed limit or a 35mph speed limit.

 

[Mr. Salty]

I have to ask... why doesn't Cessna have a devise on their airplanes that warning you if you are flying in a restricted area?

Presumably, as a licensed pilot, you're educated about NFZs, NOTAMs, TFRs, and know to check for them, and know the consequences if you don't and stray into restricted airspace. Billy the fry cook who picks up a quad at Walmart does not.

Why can you drive 100mph or more in your Ford Tarus?

Legally you can't in the U.S. and you know the consequences if you get caught. And in several countries driving only 100 mph is considered slow.

Why can you shoot your Smith and Wesson... where ever you want?

You can't. Especially in the same places you can't fly your drone. Try it and get back to us.

 

[Oconnb910]

Well... it goes back to this, the FAA has guidelines for flying drones for hobbyists... and they have part 107 for commercial drone operators. I don't need DJI sending my machine GEO fencing updates to keep me from following the guidelines. No more than I need Ford putting a restrictor on the Tarus for 70mph speed limit or a 35mph speed limit.

And I agree with you on that point also! LOL I'm sorry your thing just triggered me into what I was feeling about this whole thing also because it makes me feel like a criminal every time I go out into the world and try to find a place to fly my mavic and it really just takes away from the whole experience!

 

[Falcon1az]

I really enjoy my machine. I do. I've got some great videos... great pictures. I've also got a machine, the NEO, with a 1.3Ghz video system and a Dragonlink rcvr that gives me quite excellent range as well. I have a GoPro with a gimbal on this machine and the videos and pictures rival what I get from the Mavic. The NEO is larger, not as good in many aspects, but it is not inhibited by all the firmware, app, and other issues the Mavic is inhibited by. Guess who built the fight controller... DJI, the Naza lite. The more frustrating the "upgrades" to the Mavic become... the more I may turn to my NEO. That will beg the question... why do I have the Mavic.

 

[Oconnb910]

Once again I understand what you're saying and the sad part is that I hear rumors of Regulation across-the-board from all drone makers to be in compliance with this whole geofencing and all that crap in order to be able to at least be semi-legal at any given point LOL

 

[WIMMPYIII]

I showed you how you can fix all of your problems and make the mavic more capable than it ever was.

 

[Grey Wolf]

It's pretty obvious, isn't it?

Flying a Cessna requires hours of classroom and flight training from qualified instructors, a big commitment on your part of time and money, and testing by qualified FAA personnel and a medical evaluation before you're licensed. In other words, you have to prove you know what you're doing.

The same applies to a lesser degree for a Ford or Harley. Smith & Wesson? Well, you'll get no argument from me there but further discussion would get into a political debate that the mods won't like.

But with drones, Mavic and otherwise, anybody with a few bucks to spare can go to Walmart, buy one and put it up in the air without ever bothering to read the instructions. And they're doing stupid things and making life difficult for the rest of us.

We had a kid where I live try to fly his quadcopter for the first time in the parking lot of the restaurant where he worked as a fry cook. Right across the street from an international airport. The wind took it and it was found the next day right next to the runway by airport security.

I just checked DJI's GEO map again. It's the first time I've looked at it since they first released it a few weeks ago. The red zones, the ones that really require jumping through hoops to get permission to fly in, are few and far between, and make complete sense why they're NFZs --- prisons mostly, and the very closest inner ring near airports.

I guess I just don't see it being much of a burden to fly in the yellow warning areas. Check a box on the DJI Go app and keep flying. That's it. It's a much better compromise that some of the severe restrictions or even outright bans going on in places like Canada.

Actually, Transport Canada has eased up on some of the restrictions.
You can now even fly over people as long as you are between 300 and 400 feet high even though we must comply with the altitude limit of 290 feet!
Go figure! Thanks Marc Garneau, Transport Minister!
I guess being an astronaut has clouded your judgment!

 

[JeffM46]

Well... we are going to agree to disagree on my Cessna point, on the Ford, Smith and Wesson, and Harley Davidson point. People have to access to these products and can operate them as they choose. No restrictions from the manufacturers (nothing on par with what DJI is doing).

I looked at the APP and don't see a "box" I can check and relieve myself from a 100' altitude and 150' horizontal flight restriction. Lol. I went to DJI and filed out an application to fly my machine (where I have been flying without any problem).

Corporate over-reach.

Just a question and a comment. First, with the limit you mention, are you certain you're not in beginner mode? Second, the warning and boxes you can check only appear when you start flying in a yellow zone. I live within two miles of an uncontrolled airport and can fly however I wish, but the disclaimer always shows up at the start of each flight.

 

[danman999]

Once again, people who think their $1,000 toy makes them an expert aviator qualified to fly in any airspace. As a real airplane pilot who went to P.141 flight school and spent tens of thousands of dollars earning my certificate, ratings and endorsements, it makes my blood boil.