Using LANAAC with DJI

Deleted member 114292 · May 21, 2020

First I hope someone can tell me an easier way. Please show me the light.
1. Create an airmap account
2. Goto the web site and scroll over the map until you find the area you need. There is a search box but I'm not sure what it can search for - not addresses or long lat.
3. Create the flight plan - you'll have to click around to figure that out,
4 Download the PDF Use Firefox as the PDF comes as pop-up and the screen will just flash - even though I told chrome to allow pop ups.
5. goto DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography
6. Enter your info. Make sure you have the serial number of your controller.
7. scroll around ANOTHER map and click the spot. Of course the DJI unlock seems to know nothing about LANAAC and uses the FAA circle method.
8. Enter the same information all over again, except in a different format (meters) BTW you can and should enter different parameter from the auth - make it bigger just in case -
they don't check any of it.
7. Wait for the emails from DJI
8. On your controller download the unlock
9. Send it to the aircraft. Then pray DJI gets it right. I have auths over water that I am afraid to use because in their infinite wisdom the AC may just decide to land.
All this blah blah blah about how easy it is a "load" of you know what. The rhetoric about DJI and LANAAC amounts to nothing in practice.
I much prefer non-LANAAC air spaces I can get auths for a year at a time.

brett8883 · May 22, 2020

Done said:
First I hope someone can tell me an easier way. Please show me the light.
1. Create an airmap account
2. Goto the web site and scroll over the map until you find the area you need. There is a search box but I'm not sure what it can search for - not addresses or long lat.
3. Create the flight plan - you'll have to click around to figure that out,
4 Download the PDF Use Firefox as the PDF comes as pop-up and the screen will just flash - even though I told chrome to allow pop ups.
5. goto DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography
6. Enter your info. Make sure you have the serial number of your controller.
7. scroll around ANOTHER map and click the spot. Of course the DJI unlock seems to know nothing about LANAAC and uses the FAA circle method.
8. Enter the same information all over again, except in a different format (meters) BTW you can and should enter different parameter from the auth - make it bigger just in case -
they don't check any of it.
7. Wait for the emails from DJI
8. On your controller download the unlock
9. Send it to the aircraft. Then pray DJI gets it right. I have auths over water that I am afraid to use because in their infinite wisdom the AC may just decide to land.
All this blah blah blah about how easy it is a "load" of you know what. The rhetoric about DJI and LANAAC amounts to nothing in practice.
I much prefer non-LANAAC air spaces I can get auths for a year at a time.

Sounds about right

Deleted member 114292 · May 22, 2020

brett8883 said:
Sounds about right

Last night I attempted and unlock with kittyhawk and airmap.
kitty no longer lets you download the PDF. Here is the reply:

Hi, XXX.

You have a full record of your LAANC history via the app. What do you need a PDF for?

Apologies for the web, but we're removing that feature for free accounts while we migrate to our new Air Control platform. For now, the mobile apps are the best place to get your recreational or Part 107 authorizations.

Thanks for the feedback. Please let us know if we can assist with anything else.

Fly safe,
Jon

So these guys don't even understand what going on???

Ars3nal3432 · May 22, 2020

I don't have a drone yet, but I have been doing extensive research. This video makes it seem much easier than the method you described.... am I missing something here?

Deleted member 114292 · May 22, 2020

If that works it would be great I’ll try it out.

dawgpilot · May 22, 2020

You shouldn't need to request Custom Unlocks unless you are applying for special permission for restricted areas like directly over airports or prisons. For 99% of airspace unlocks, DJI will let you self-unlock, which is a much more streamlined process.

Deleted member 114292 · May 22, 2020

Not for controlled airspace you can’t.
Go by an airport and try to takeoff you can’t.

dawgpilot · May 22, 2020

Done said:
Not for controlled airspace you can’t.
Go by an airport and try to takeoff you can’t.

I've self unlocked in controlled airspace many times myself.

Deleted member 114292 · May 22, 2020

Define what you mean by controlled space

dawgpilot · May 22, 2020

Done said:
Define what you mean by controlled space

Class B, C, or D airspace surrounding airports.

Deleted member 114292 · May 22, 2020

Does self unlocked mean you don’t have an authorization?

JAW · May 23, 2020

dawgpilot said:
I've self unlocked in controlled airspace many times myself.

Me, too. Long Island MacArthur airport (ISP), 3.9 miles SE, Class C airspace. LAANC obtained prior to take-off——-does that mean I didn’t “self unlock”?

Deleted member 114292 · May 23, 2020

JAW said:
Me, too. Long Island MacArthur airport (ISP), 3.9 miles SE, Class C airspace. LAANC obtained prior to take-off——-does that mean I didn’t “self unlock”?

Of course if you had Laanc you did not self un lock. To me Self Unlock meant you just told it everything’s cool and it worked but at some point for me at least that stopped working.

Can you briefly describe the procedure you used compared to the one I stated above.

dawgpilot · May 23, 2020

It seems like you are confusing airspace authorization (via LAANC-enabled apps like AirMap or KittyHawk), which is a legal requirement, with DJI's FlySafe system that actually prevents the drone from taking off until you "unlock" airspace. Regardless of if your drone lets you take off or not, you always need to obtain airspace authorization from the FAA to fly a drone in controlled airspace. The easiest way to do this one of those LAANC apps, but you can also file for authorizations via the FAA's DroneZone portal. (some airports haven't become LAANC enabled yet, so you need to use DroneZone).

Once you have FAA permission, either through LAANC or DroneZone, you often have DJI to deal with.

Separately from the actual official airspace maps , DJI has its own map of locations that they use to prevent drones from taking off until you "unlock" airspace with DJI. This is usually areas of controlled airspace, but DJI's map can vary quite a bit from the FAA's legal map. They mark locations as either "Authorization Zones", which are shaded in blue, or "Restricted Zones", which are shaded in red. For the most part, drone users are going to be trying to fly in Authorization Zones, the blue zones, since that encompasses a wider area around airports. Restricted Zones are usually the airport property itself, and sometimes an extended centerline coming off the runways. (and also includes prisons and other secure areas).

For these Authorization Zones, if your phone/tablet is connected to the internet at the time of your intended flight, you can simply try to take off, which will bring up a prompt on your device to confirm that you are permitted to fly there, and once confirmed, the drone will unlock that airspace. If you are going to be flying at a location without internet access to get the unlock in the field, you can instead use DJI's "Self-Unlock" website, where you can select the time and area you want to unlock, provide your drone's SN, and then DJI will auto approve the unlock which grants your device a certificate unlocking the airspace in the future.

The only time you should need to pursue a "Custom Unlock" is if you are flying with written legal permission at one of those red Restricted areas on DJI's FlySafe. For those situations, you actually have to upload legal documentation to DJI showing that you have permission to be flying at a location where drones are usually never allowed.

Deleted member 114292 · May 23, 2020

dawgpilot said:
It seems like you are confusing airspace authorization (via LAANC-enabled apps like AirMap or KittyHawk), which is a legal requirement, with DJI's FlySafe system that actually prevents the drone from taking off until you "unlock" airspace. Regardless of if your drone lets you take off or not, you always need to obtain airspace authorization from the FAA to fly a drone in controlled airspace. The easiest way to do this one of those LAANC apps, but you can also file for authorizations via the FAA's DroneZone portal. (some airports haven't become LAANC enabled yet, so you need to use DroneZone).

Once you have FAA permission, either through LAANC or DroneZone, you often have DJI to deal with.

Separately from the actual official airspace maps , DJI has its own map of locations that they use to prevent drones from taking off until you "unlock" airspace with DJI. This is usually areas of controlled airspace, but DJI's map can vary quite a bit from the FAA's legal map. They mark locations as either "Authorization Zones", which are shaded in blue, or "Restricted Zones", which are shaded in red. For the most part, drone users are going to be trying to fly in Authorization Zones, the blue zones, since that encompasses a wider area around airports. Restricted Zones are usually the airport property itself, and sometimes an extended centerline coming off the runways. (and also includes prisons and other secure areas).

For these Authorization Zones, if your phone/tablet is connected to the internet at the time of your intended flight, you can simply try to take off, which will bring up a prompt on your device to confirm that you are permitted to fly there, and once confirmed, the drone will unlock that airspace. If you are going to be flying at a location without internet access to get the unlock in the field, you can instead use DJI's "Self-Unlock" website, where you can select the time and area you want to unlock, provide your drone's SN, and then DJI will auto approve the unlock which grants your device a certificate unlocking the airspace in the future.

The only time you should need to pursue a "Custom Unlock" is if you are flying with written legal permission at one of those red Restricted areas on DJI's FlySafe. For those situations, you actually have to upload legal documentation to DJI showing that you have permission to be flying at a location where drones are usually never allowed.

As per my original post. Thank you.
I did find out one interesting fact that you can use a PNG instead of a PDF to upload to DJI
So you can do a screenshot on your phone and submit that.
If only DJI didn’t make you click it on the map And could just read the LANAAC

dawgpilot · May 23, 2020

Done said:
As per my original post. Thank you.
I did find out one interesting fact that you can use a PNG instead of a PDF to upload to DJI
So you can do a screenshot on your phone and submit that.
If only DJI didn’t make you click it on the map And could just read the LANAAC

DJI actually was accepted to become a LAANC provider, so hopefully things become more integrated and simpler in the future once they incorporate LAANC directly in their app.

Deleted member 114292 · May 23, 2020

dawgpilot said:
It seems like you are confusing airspace authorization (via LAANC-enabled apps like AirMap or KittyHawk), which is a legal requirement, with DJI's FlySafe system that actually prevents the drone from taking off until you "unlock" airspace. Regardless of if your drone lets you take off or not, you always need to obtain airspace authorization from the FAA to fly a drone in controlled airspace. The easiest way to do this one of those LAANC apps, but you can also file for authorizations via the FAA's DroneZone portal. (some airports haven't become LAANC enabled yet, so you need to use DroneZone).

Once you have FAA permission, either through LAANC or DroneZone, you often have DJI to deal with.

Separately from the actual official airspace maps , DJI has its own map of locations that they use to prevent drones from taking off until you "unlock" airspace with DJI. This is usually areas of controlled airspace, but DJI's map can vary quite a bit from the FAA's legal map. They mark locations as either "Authorization Zones", which are shaded in blue, or "Restricted Zones", which are shaded in red. For the most part, drone users are going to be trying to fly in Authorization Zones, the blue zones, since that encompasses a wider area around airports. Restricted Zones are usually the airport property itself, and sometimes an extended centerline coming off the runways. (and also includes prisons and other secure areas).

For these Authorization Zones, if your phone/tablet is connected to the internet at the time of your intended flight, you can simply try to take off, which will bring up a prompt on your device to confirm that you are permitted to fly there, and once confirmed, the drone will unlock that airspace. If you are going to be flying at a location without internet access to get the unlock in the field, you can instead use DJI's "Self-Unlock" website, where you can select the time and area you want to unlock, provide your drone's SN, and then DJI will auto approve the unlock which grants your device a certificate unlocking the airspace in the future.

The only time you should need to pursue a "Custom Unlock" is if you are flying with written legal permission at one of those red Restricted areas on DJI's FlySafe. For those situations, you actually have to upload legal documentation to DJI showing that you have permission to be flying at a location where drones are usually never allowed.

I’m not really confused about it it’s just a second factor you have to deal with after you get the authorization.
And it does look like you Can enter the Laanc code.

dawgpilot · May 23, 2020

Done said:
I’m not really confused about it it’s just a second factor you have to deal with after you get the authorization.
And it does look like you Can enter the Laanc code.

Do you mind sharing an example of where you are trying to fly?

Deleted member 114292 · May 23, 2020

6717 Belvedere Rd, West Palm Beach, FL 33413, USA
As I indicated above i successfully got it and entered it at DJI I just found the process combersome.