Using DJI Unlock Process

Dopper · Dec 2, 2021

I accomplished my first unlocking of an area near my house which is a no fly zone (can't take off with Mav 2 zoon) When I was flying the area the unlocked area showed on my I-Pad screen. Everytime I got out of that area or flew to high I received a audible warning. Encouraged with my first unlock I tried another area that I had flown previously and had gotten multiple warnings that I was entering D airspace and that I needed authorization. It is a few miles from a regional airport as the first place I flew. After getting the approval via LAANC and DJI I proceeded to refly that restricted area. Oddly. the unlocked area never showed on my screen and I never got any warnings even though I know I flew out of the area and above the approved alititude that I had gotten authorization for. So now I'm confused as to what changed? Did I actually have authorization and ( if I did) why no warnings if the unlock was unsuccessful? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

crlmjohnson · Dec 3, 2021

The DJI unlock and the LAANC app are two different things.

the DJI unlock enable the drone to take off in the airspace.

The LAANC app, tells the airport that you are requesting permission to fly, in the space.

The airport authorities can denied you permission to fly or they can give you permission to fly in the airspace.

Dopper · Dec 3, 2021

crlmjohnson said:
The DJI unlock and the LAANC app are two different things.

the DJI unlock enable the drone to take off in the airspace.

The LAANC app, tells the airport that you are requesting permission to fly, in the space.

The airport authorities can denied you permission to fly or they can give you permission to fly in the airspace.

I'm sorry but I don't understad the premise of your reply? Perhaps I wasn't clear. In both instances I got permission to fly near the airports via LAANC. In both situations I got my unlocking request approved by DJI. In the first case I had the approved area on my DJI screen map show up in red (I believe as I'm very color blinded) In addition in the first instance I got an audible warning everytime i breached the designated area or alitude on the map. In the second scenario I neither got the restricted area on my map nor any audibles when I new I was clearly out of the area or breached the alitudeI had gotten permission to fly in. This may help. I had an option to lock or unlock the license approved area on my DJI app in the first instance but never had that option in the second scenario. It makes me wonder if I actually ever got permission the 2nd time? Nevertheless, I was still allowed to fly in D airspace with no interruptions visual or audibles on my DJI app. Do you understand my conundrum? I'm sorry if this all sounds redundant. I'm just trying to understand what happended so I don't fly in a restricted area in the future.

crlmjohnson · Dec 3, 2021

do you mind posting a picture shot of the area that you was flying in.

Dopper · Dec 3, 2021

This is the area on Airmap or I could post the Aloft map if you prefer.

crlmjohnson · Dec 3, 2021

I fly all the time in class C and D airspace. I am doing a job in the morning here in Indianapolis class C zero airspace. I have a waiver and clearance from the tower, for tomorrow. (4 hours).

this area space you are showing a class C. F.Y.I. as long as you stay under 400 ft

and you do an dji unlock you should be ok, and without a waiver. now that being said, make sure that are not any other local laws, like here in Indiana, the airport authority, like for UAS pilots to fill out an form on their online server, letting them know that you are flying by one of their airports here in Indiana.

now with all that being said...I believe that if you did everything that you said that you did, it might your drone updating the software unlock within itself, meaning the unlock from DJI. My drone, sometimes, especially in-between batteries swaps do not recognize the previous, unlock, meaning I have to go back into the settings and do the unlock again, just for the same unlock. The unlock request from DJI is still there, I just have to re-imported it into the drone again. If I know that I am going to be flying the next day in a controlled airspace, I do the unlock the night before, from the web site, and imported it in into my drone. at least if I am out at the site, and if I have to keep re-importing the unlock, then it is already loaded into my controller. I think it is one of the features from DJI that's needs to be fixed. Especially when I am using Pix4dcapture or just even the DJI app. sometimes, in-between the battery swaps I do not have to re-import, and something I do have to, before the drone motors turn on, and allow me to take off.

also looking at where you are flying, you will get some type of warning from the app, even with the un-locked, just letting you know are flying next to a controlled airspace, and I cannot remember the message right off hand, but some type of warning, like you are flying next to a controlled airspace, and I am pretty sure, it does display a red message, if I remember correctly. this is normal. I have seem this message, several times in the past.

I hope this makes sense. I do not think you did anything wrong.

I am flying Here:

Dopper · Dec 3, 2021

Well, to start off I can't thank you enough for helping me try to figure this out. As with all airspace issues I can go down the old rabbit hole very quickly! Haha, answer one question and two more pop into my head! For some reason the aloft app tells me I'm in class D airspace. When I look on the VFR map it does show the class C bordering the class D (dashed blue circle) closer to the airport. That's why I thought I was within the class D. I wish the maps could zoom in for more detail so yoiu could figure out your location better. Anyway, your explanation helps alot. I still don't know why I didn't have the area I had unlocked didn't show up on my screen nor why I never got any audible warnings. outside my unlock zone? I intentionaly flew toward the airport for 1500 feet (500 feet past my authorization point) to see if I could initiate a warning but to no avail. I guess, I will have to keep working with the unlock system until I can figure it all out. It's not a perfect science.Thank you sooo much for all your help. and patience it's was greatly appreciated! D

crlmjohnson · Dec 3, 2021

crlmjohnson said:
I fly all the time in class C and D airspace. I am doing a job in the morning here in Indianapolis class C zero airspace. I have a waiver and clearance from the tower, for tomorrow. (4 hours).

this area space you are showing a class C. F.Y.I. as long as you stay under 400 ft

View attachment 139539

and you do an dji unlock you should be ok, and without a waiver. now that being said, make sure that are not any other local laws, like here in Indiana, the airport authority, like for UAS pilots to fill out an form on their online server, letting them know that you are flying by one of their airports here in Indiana.

now with all that being said...I believe that if you did everything that you said that you did, it might your drone updating the software unlock within itself, meaning the unlock from DJI. My drone, sometimes, especially in-between batteries swaps do not recognize the previous, unlock, meaning I have to go back into the settings and do the unlock again, just for the same unlock. The unlock request from DJI is still there, I just have to re-imported it into the drone again. If I know that I am going to be flying the next day in a controlled airspace, I do the unlock the night before, from the web site, and imported it in into my drone. at least if I am out at the site, and if I have to keep re-importing the unlock, then it is already loaded into my controller. I think it is one of the features from DJI that's needs to be fixed. Especially when I am using Pix4dcapture or just even the DJI app. sometimes, in-between the battery swaps I do not have to re-import, and something I do have to, before the drone motors turn on, and allow me to take off.

also looking at where you are flying, you will get some type of warning from the app, even with the un-locked, just letting you know are flying next to a controlled airspace, and I cannot remember the message right off hand, but some type of warning, like you are flying next to a controlled airspace, and I am pretty sure, it does display a red message, if I remember correctly. this is normal. I have seem this message, several times in the past.

I hope this makes sense. I do not think you did anything wrong.

I am flying Here:

View attachment 139544

Dopper said:
Well, to start off I can't thank you enough for helping me try to figure this out. As with all airspace issues I can go down the old rabbit hole very quickly! Haha, answer one question and two more pop into my head! For some reason the aloft app tells me I'm in class D airspace. When I look on the VFR map it does show the class C bordering the class D (dashed blue circle) closer to the airport. That's why I thought I was within the class D. I wish the maps could zoom in for more detail so yoiu could figure out your location better. Anyway, your explanation helps alot. I still don't know why I didn't have the area I had unlocked didn't show up on my screen nor why I never got any audible warnings. outside my unlock zone? I intentionaly flew toward the airport for 1500 feet (500 feet past my authorization point) to see if I could initiate a warning but to no avail. I guess, I will have to keep working with the unlock system until I can figure it all out. It's not a perfect science.Thank you sooo much for all your help. and patience it's was greatly appreciated! D

You are very much welcome!