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

[BigDuke6ixx]

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.

Same here. Unfortunately some people cannot be reasoned with.

 

[SteveNunez]

I fully understand the original posters sentiments.
It is getting more and more restrictive to enjoy our drones and yes I understand about "anyone" with the funds can go out and buy one and potentially cause an accident but this too applies to anything dangerous like a chainsaw which any kid of any age can go and buy from a hardware store- and I bet there are far more chainsaws sold than drones but no registration exists for them (and the countless other potentially dangerous items anyone can purchase)......I feel to some degree there is a mass type of fear of drones by the general public and officials are all too eager to draw up legislation and support to restrict them further. I'm not against registration or similar type restrictions but it seems to be getting very restrictive on a daily basis and it won't be long before a single high profile accident happens when a politician will suggest a complete ban (but except for businesses of course)........I just don't see positivity towards drones or the embracing of this technology by the general public in the future unless a marketing campaign is set into motion depicting them as fun, safe, flying cameras (or similar) a family cam enjoy.
Sorry for the rant, but I'm sure many of you feel similarly.
(I'll be keeping a few of my older, unrestricted drones around as I feel they may become valuable/collectable in the future!)

 

[seawolf]

GEO fencing is nice, I get it. But the reality is cities and states are enacting a patchwork of regulations, many of which are difficult to become aware of. None of this is included in geofencing. Go to a new town, very difficult to find out what is allowed, it's constantly changing, where to looks . DJI needs to get in front of the local laws issue as that will ultimately kill the business if there is no where one can fly. I'd like to see local laws incorporated into geofencing so pilots can get one source of what is permitted or not. As it is, it's is getting way too complicated.

 

[SteveNunez]

SeaWolf- agreed.....I believe I read somewhere DisneyWorld (DisneyLand?) asked the city government of Orlando, Florida to ban drones in selective areas and last I recollect there is an effective drone ban in many Orlando areas as a result. If big business can pressure local governments to enact such policies imagine what the future holds!
The drone consortium needs to film commercials showing the amazing photography and videography drones are capturing and show them in a positive light to restructure the current viewpoint society has on drones currently.

 

[Falcon1az]

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.

Yeah, I cycled the beginner mode to be sure I wasn't getting a bad indication in the APP. The APP has been quite unstable. But your right, the machine is behaving like its in beginner mode. But that wasn't the setting - checked and cycled.
I receive the warning that I'm within 5 miles of an uncontrolled airport. I've been able to fly with no restricition up to this weekend then for an unknown reason (and these unknown reasons with the Mavic are becoming quite tiresome) I'm restricted to 100' vertical and 150' lateral. Lol! Its a joke.
Applied to DJI for a key to unlock the airspace - rejected. Msg attached.
Went out this morning. Fired the machine up and climbed to 135', no restriction. Didn't have time to test. NO SETTING CHANGES IN THE APP. Its a joke. Today I could climb over 100'. ...a joke.
The reality is becoming you just don't know what your gonna get when you fly the Mavic. My experiences have not been confidence inspiring.

 

[Falcon1az]

To my point...
I changed absolutely nothing on the machine... on the app... no setting changes whatsoever.
I changed nothing.
I just returned from flying three batteries worth.
The first battery was intelligent flight mode Waypoint. The last six attempts have all failed. Today it worked flawlessly.
I changed nothing.
The second battery was set up for range testing in sport mode. I was able to climb well beyond 100ft and fly well beyond 150ft laterally. I climbed the machine to 300ft leveled off. Switch to sport mode and proceeded to fly south from my present position. I flew the machine at approximately 38 to 40 miles an hour over 8000 ft south of my present position without any issues whatsoever.
I changed nothing.
No explanation no reason for this test to go successfully based on the last six, seven flights I've had with this machine.
I changed nothing.
The third battery was designed to use the goggles. I put the goggles on started it up everything connected correctly no issues. I climbed to 200 ft without issue flew away from my position and entered the head tracking mode at about 2,000 ft laterally from my present position. The machine worked flawlessly no issues whatsoever. No warnings or any problems with airspace limitations whatsoever.
I changed absolutely nothing.
There is no reason to believe any of these flights should have been successful. I have had problems with every flight I've made over the last 5 days.
The last flight I made before putting this away I could not climb over 100 feet or fly Beyond 150ft laterally from my position.
I have been an advocate of the mavic pro. My position on this machine has changed. This experience is not for everyone. You must have great patience.
There are cases when it has performed beautifully, today is a perfect example. On other days and for no reason whatsoever, the machine performs horribly.
I'm going to keep it.
I think if I bring it to an event with the intention of taking photos and pictures of family it will work beautifully. I believe I can reliably accomplish that goal.
However taking the machine out to an area where you want to fly some distance away Beyond line-of-sight and video a structure or other type of image you should expect the machine to be unreliable. Expect the unexpected.
For no reason at all, expect you may not be able to climb above 100 ft. For no reason at all you should expect that you won't be able to fly beyond 150ft laterally from your present position.

That being said I still think it was worth the $1,800 I put into this machine.

Today I'm thrilled.
I really enjoyed it and it worked just like I expected it to. Today was exciting. It was fun and this is why I bought the machine.

 

[gnirtS]

Same here. Unfortunately some people cannot be reasoned with.

I really dislike the word "pilot" in terms of flying these consumer drones. "Operator" is probably more accurate.

You require absolutely no pilot skills. No training or assessments in meteorology, emergency procedures, rules of the air, aerodynamics, navigation,nothing.
Its effectively a camera on a really big tripod you can move around. You aren't "piloting" in any sense of the word. Hell, most of the people dont even bother reading the user manual yet alone sitting an exam !

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

I really dislike the word "pilot" in terms of flying these consumer drones. "Operator" is probably more accurate.

You require absolutely no pilot skills. No training or assessments in meteorology, emergency procedures, rules of the air, aerodynamics, navigation,nothing.
Its effectively a camera on a really big tripod you can move around. You aren't "piloting" in any sense of the word. ****, most of the people dont even bother reading the user manual yet alone sitting an exam !

Exactly. It also has to remembered that most people are stupid so the restrictions have to reflect that.

 

[Falcon1az]

Interesting to consider, "...so the restrictions have to reflect that."

Is up to the manufacturer to impose restrictions?
Is it the manufacturer's responsibility if a "user" or "operator" or "pilot" operates a product beyond the "restrictions"?
Does the manufacturer share, in anyway, the liability for an operator, user, pilot, whatever..., operating the product outside of the "restrictions"?

 

[The Angry Prepper]

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

Just hit the small "x" and fly. You can still fly.

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

Interesting to consider, "...so the restrictions have to reflect that."

Is up to the manufacturer to impose restrictions?
Is it the manufacturer's responsibility if a "user" or "operator" or "pilot" operates a product beyond the "restrictions"?
Does the manufacturer share, in anyway, the liability for an operator, user, pilot, whatever..., operating the product outside of the "restrictions"?

It makes good business sense for DJI to be cautious. Whether you like it or not there is great public concern over drones and the big name manufacturers will reflect that with the limitations they set. Of course the ultimate responsibility will always remain with the user, but most people are stupid...

 

[Falcon1az]

It makes good business sense for DJI to be cautious. Whether you like it or not there is great public concern over drones and the big name manufacturers will reflect that with the limitations they set. Of course the ultimate responsibility will always remain with the user, but most people are stupid...

It is interesting to consider this in terms of another product. Take an automobile for instance or anything that can be operated on a public road-way. Why do manufacturers make a car with 700 hp? Why do manufacturers make a motorcycle thaT runs over 200 mph... and IS street-legal?
Lets move from the public road-ways. What about a gun? Why doesn't Ruger, for instance, include a Geofencing trigger lock on their guns? It would be nice to know you couldn't shoot it in a "gun-free zone" wouldn't it?
I think DJI has far and away over-done this restriction/geofencing software on their drones. They have NO MORE responsiblity than Chevrolet... Ruger... Kawasaki... and yet they are all over data-feeds from my machine back to their database. They are ALL OVER sending software to my machine to keep track of it.
B.S.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Take an automobile for instance or anything that can be operated on a public road-way. Why do manufacturers make a car with 700 hp? Why do manufacturers make a motorcycle than runs over 200 mph... and its street-legal?

Different countries have different laws and carmakers would face difficulties making vehicles tailored to each market. As it is there are all kinds of mandated equipment on your car that you just aren't complaining about.

Why doesn't Ruger include a Geofencing trigger lock on their guns? It would be nice to know you couldn't shoot it in a "gun-free zone" wouldn't it?

People have been pushing for smart-gun technology for years, but the gun lobby is batshit crazy and almost put Smith and Wesson out of business a few years for even thinking about introducing such technology.

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

It is interesting to consider this in terms of another product. Take an automobile for instance or anything that can be operated on a public road-way. Why do manufacturers make a car with 700 hp? Why do manufacturers make a motorcycle than runs over 200 mph... and its street-legal?
Lets move from the public road-ways. What about a gun? Why doesn't Ruger include a Geofencing trigger lock on their guns? It would be nice to know you couldn't shoot it in a "gun-free zone" wouldn't it?
I think DJI has far and away over-done this restriction/geofencing software on their drones. They have NO MORE responsiblity than Chevrolet... Ruger... Kawasaki... and yet they are all over data-feeds from my machine back to their database. They are ALL OVER sending software to my machine to keep track of it.
B.S.

Cars could easily be limited to the speed limited of the road they are being driven on and I see no reason why this isn't being done. Same for guns too, no fire zones.

 

[TerryJ]

Blame people like DigDato for all the new restrictions and laws as he teaches people to mod their Mavic. Completely irresponsible and stupid!!

 

[GFCutler]

A GENERAL OBSERVATION.
I thought America was 'The Land Of The Free' - but as someone from England looking in on some of the letters in here, I sometimes wonder?
It seems as free as a short length of string. And while I'm commenting about some of the entries, how about you guys commending and not berating the pilot that took time out and supplied everyone with a credible and usable check-list for our 'TOYS'! A drone is a proper and very real a/c and should be treated as such - not as something you get as a gift with a comic!
I don't care who I upset when I remind everyone of a little phrase we use quite a lot in England - it's 'Thank You!'

 

[Edward De Bruyn]

There is a point regarding cars in limited speed areas. It's your responsibility when you do something wrong but if you want the car respond to your commands, even in "forbidden" zones, speed or other restrictions....
Understand fully the need for NFZ in the proximity of airports, it`s maybe not for us, hobbyists, but more for some people with bad intentions.
But nice thats the case but I know that these people will and know how to contour these restrictions with ease.
But still don't understand the NFZ in parks, for example in Tenerife, the Teide, has only rocks, some areas are even closed because the goats are shot several times a week.
And drones are forbidden...maybe because a crash on the Teide could make it to erupt...???
Don't know if these "NFZ" make the drone to prevent a flight as well ?
Is it so that in National parks the drone wouldn't fly as well ?
Regarding indoor flight I think it is a totally different thing and there shouldn't be any restrictions as well.
Drones just don't fly outdoors on there own...
For example, my car doesn't go outside on it's own, I hope...
So even in a NFZ, inside flight should have a go, once outside it should be stopped. And inside my living room I can say that I didn't see to much air traffic inside until now.

 

[rickopatamus]

Litchi FTW .....again.....as always

 

[Ursus Horribilis]

I'm with you, and I'll never buy another drone. As far as I'm concerned, they can keep them. I'll just spend more time playing my banjo.

Bud

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.

 

[Brojon]

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.

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.

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

Note that Fry Cook wasn't prevented from purchasing the drone - so there's one hands off for you.
You can in fact shoot a gun anywhere you please - there is NOTHING to prevent you which is the OPs point. There will be consequences perhaps but that should apply to drones also.