Update - Firmware Release - [OP: Mavic Mini DOES NOT support unlock in no fly zones yet!]

Online151 · Dec 27, 2019

Frustrated here too! I live in central London and am literally grounded by DJI. There are some restrictions that would make sense - height under flight paths, staying away from sensitive areas etc but the red zone restrictions are too onerous, too wide and applied without genuine need. To compound things I also live near Oval cricket ground and again there’s a blanket ban on flight. I have no interest in flying over the Oval ground but I would like to fly in my garden and safely near where I live. I understand the principal of these zones but they are too wide and applied without much thought. The whole thing is like using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Overkill! And it’s killing me... I can’t fly, can’t practice, can’t play, can’t improve with my Mini. It’s very disappointing.

TDZHDTV · Dec 27, 2019

Online151 said:
Frustrated here too! I live in central London and am literally grounded by DJI. There are some restrictions that would make sense - height under flight paths, staying away from sensitive areas etc but the red zone restrictions are too onerous, too wide and applied without genuine need. To compound things I also live near Oval cricket ground and again there’s a blanket ban on flight. I have no interest in flying over the Oval ground but I would like to fly in my garden and safely near where I live. I understand the principal of these zones but they are too wide and applied without much thought. The whole thing is like using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Overkill! And it’s killing me... I can’t fly, can’t practice, can’t play, can’t improve with my Mini. It’s very disappointing.

To add further pain to your experience, any garden flight would have to be 50m away from any other property, vehicles etc unless you have permission from owners, highly unlikely in London I expect.

Online151 · Dec 27, 2019

TDZHDTV said:
To add further pain to your experience, any garden flight would have to be 50m away from any other property, vehicles etc unless you have permission from owners, highly unlikely in London I expect.

I did ask my neighbours and they gave permission but alas no luck with the geo fencing :/

robert2 · Dec 27, 2019

lprising said:
robert2, well, I am one of the unfortunate ones who DID NOT know what I was going to get when I ordered the Mini as there was no information about the forced NFZ "feature", even though I tried to research things beforehand.
Besides, this is my very first and only drone since I am one of the plebs who cannot afford several drones - not even a more advanced one than the Mini is.
Otherwise I do agree with you. Let's just wait patiently and see - there is no other option, anyways.

trust me it will come, I'm waiting for the litchi app, much better than the DJIfly app. Just because I am fortunate to have more drones doesn't mean it doesn't bother me any less.
by the way, I moved to Florida, 50 years ago, with only $20.00 to my name, worked my *** off many years to get what I have.

DanMan32 · Dec 29, 2019

I'm betting those in "red" zones that were able to "unlock" were really in orange "enhanced warning" zones. EW zones with any Mavic only require checking a few check boxes. Blue requires a few more steps online, either through the app or on the web which the MM can't yet handle. True red zones require documentation be sent to DJI as those are over center of large airports, prisons and places like that.

Th3DroneroGT · Dec 29, 2019

We are already in "end of December" and DJI does not launch the update, will it be the end of December of the other year that is 2020?

robert2 · Dec 29, 2019

Th3DroneroGT said:
We are already in "end of December" and DJI does not launch the update, will it be the end of December of the other year that is 2020?

two days left, come on DJI

Mermeth · Dec 29, 2019

In another forum somebody posted last week that they got from dji support “end of December or early January”. Guess we’ll find out soon...

TDZHDTV · Dec 29, 2019

Twitter today

Th3DroneroGT · Dec 29, 2019

usually at what times do updates usually come out?

Mermeth · Dec 29, 2019

Thanks for sharing.

TDZHDTV said:
Twitter today

I got the same canned answer from dji

robert2 · Dec 29, 2019

Mermeth said:
In another forum somebody posted last week that they got from dji support “end of December or early January”. Guess we’ll find out soon...

what I want more than anything is DJI to allow the litchi app to work with the mavic mini, this app will allow the mini to operate in the NFZ, this is much more important than any update that DJI can give.

calltrex · Dec 29, 2019

sauwinglam said:
It is for this reason I have stopped flying Mavic and fly Autel Evo exclusively. No Mavic Mini for me. Put a deposit on Skydio 2 yesterday.

only thing i dont like about it is -5°C to 40°C. i would use it for sledding. the mavic can goto -20c

DanMan32 · Dec 29, 2019

robert2 said:
what I want more than anything is DJI to allow the litchi app to work with the mavic mini, this app will allow the mini to operate in the NFZ, this is much more important than any update that DJI can give.

Using Litchi will not override DJI geofencing. The geofencing is in the firmware along with the flysafe database for the firmware to refer to.

bfindlay · Dec 30, 2019

way too excited to get my drone tomorrow. really hope I don't run into this issue. seems to be people near the larger controlled airports that run into this issue

Th3DroneroGT · Dec 30, 2019

bfindlay said:
way too excited to get my drone tomorrow. really hope I don't run into this issue. seems to be people near the larger controlled airports that run into this issue

In theory tomorrow the update should come out or on Tuesday, if not what will happen is that many people will return to know that DJI did not keep his word

netsonic · Dec 30, 2019

robert2 said:
what I want more than anything is DJI to allow the litchi app to work with the mavic mini, this app will allow the mini to operate in the NFZ, this is much more important than any update that DJI can give.

For this to happen they need to make the SDK available first. For this one, there is no eta, as Litchi said this themselves.

I would be more than happy to be able to unlock the blue zone first, for the rest I can wait. Each day I wake up, fire the Fly App, check if there is any update and then continue to say to myself.. maybe tomorrow. Well.. today is the 30th of December 2019 and there are only 2 days of this year left.

MMFlyer · Dec 30, 2019

I contacted DJI, and they told me I would be responsible for shipping if I wanted to return the Drone, and I was out of the 7 Day return window cuz I purchased it two weeks ago. I contacted PayPal just in case this morning told them I have all the necessary documentation as to being misled to when the firmware would be released, as of right now this drone is inoperable. They said with the information I have for PayPal the agent told me there should be no reason I can't get my refund and to get the seller to pay for the return shipment. I hate the fact that DJI has no transparency on this issue and the only response we get is a generic message of a late-december firmware release

robert2 · Dec 30, 2019

DanMan32 said:
Using Litchi will not override DJI geofencing. The geofencing is in the firmware along with the flysafe database for the firmware to refer to.

I would like politely disagree with you, I have been using litchi for several years with my other drones, works every time.
happy new year

Scottalmas · Dec 30, 2019

I'd love to see Litchi add on screen stick controls for the mini so I can leave the remote behind. Some version of Follow/Active track would be amazing. Litchi: If you're listening . . . .