Crowdfund hacker to build custom firmware?

[gfredrone]

I'm too lazy but someone should put a pool of money together and hire a "software engineer" to jailbreak the phantom.

It's only a matter of time...

 

[msinger]

And, when this happens, the FAA (and regulators in other countries) will just have to ban UAVs all together. They'll simply have no other choice. It'll be a sad day if it happens.

 

[WetDog]

No, actually I doubt it will happen. You are talking about a very complex, multi CPU system involving flight control, communication, Internet access, video and a bunch of other subsystems. A cell phone is a piece of cake compared to this. None of this is documented. I'd venture that the code is so convoluted and spaghetti'd that even DJI has problems figuring out which end is up.

It isn't like there is one magic file that will give you unhindered access and prevent DJI from 'upgrading' your experience.

 

[ianwood]

You have to unlock the bootloader which no one has done yet. If that could be done, modifications to configuration, etc. could be done e.g. turning GEO off.

I would like to see if someone could unpack the bin files and see if they can make sense of them.

 

[fvader]

And, when this happens, the FAA (and regulators in other countries) will just have to ban UAVs all together. They'll simply have no other choice. It'll be a sad day if it happens.

they would not ban UAVs because a small group of people fly at a higher altitude or in a NFZ
you have always been able to do that with other QC's or other UAV devices and you will always be able too.
no banning will be happening now or in the future.

 

[msinger]

they would not ban UAVs because a small group of people fly at a higher altitude or in a NFZ

Right. They will just put the small group in jail. But, if all UAVs are modded and countless people regularly start flying in no fly zones, what would be the FAA's next move?

 

[fvader]

Right. They will just put the small group in jail. But, if all UAVs are modded and countless people regularly start flying in no fly zones, what would be the FAA's next move?

like i said, you can already do that now, there are plenty of planes, helicoptors and QC's that don't have NFZ locked into them.
where are the droves of people who are flying in to NFZ's with those?
or is it ONLY phantom owners who do bad things?

 

[msinger]

or is it ONLY phantom owners who do bad things?

Nope. But, it seems only DJI is attempting to implement no-fly zones. Others manufacturers will likely follow suit.

 

[fvader]

Nope. But, it seems only DJI is attempting to implement no-fly zones. Others manufacturers will likely follow suit.

you have ALWAYS been able to fly UAV's in NFZ's
and there was no ban then.
if a modified firmware were to make it out to the public, then a handful of Phantoms will be no different than countless other UAV's already in existence.

if someone were to drive a semi into the WH, do you think they would then ban all semi's?

 

[msinger]

you have ALWAYS been able to fly UAV's in NFZ's

Right. And, now, you cannot.

Why would you want to fly in a no-fly zone if it's illegal?

 

[Oso]

I'm too lazy but someone should put a pool of money together and hire a "software engineer" to jailbreak the phantom.

It's only a matter of time...

The pledges were up to $400 in this thread last week. Maybe it's not so far fetched of an idea that someone will start a "fund me" type thing.
Even so, I do sometimes worry about how easy it would be for someone who means harm to have full access to P3 / Inspire technology. They can now reach places that have previously been out of reach for most people. Sobering to say the least.

 

[tcope]

Would also be a legal question. Courts may rule that a person does not have a right to alter the firmware. The firmware is owed by DJI. Right now I know of no exemption being given for this type of use (US... copyright office).

 

[Davphys]

Which non-platform UAVs are cost effective and actually allow high altitude flights?

 

[fvader]

Right. And, now, you cannot.

Why would you want to fly in a no-fly zone if it's illegal?

No - i didn't mean "been able to" as legal
i meant you could physically do it. there are many UAV's without GPS
and thus without restrictions.
those exist and no ban on them.
so if someone were to make a smart "restricted" QC act more like a dumb unrestricted,
it wouldn't be any different then what is out there now.
no ban now and no ban in the future.

I would not want to fly in a NFZ.

 

[Phantom751874]

Would also be a legal question. Courts may rule that a person does not have a right to alter the firmware. The firmware is owed by DJI. Right now I know of no exemption being given for this type of use (US... copyright office).

Not likely. Phones went through the same thing.

It's probably not hard to do and it's just a matter of time. More and more people are buying DJi products. It'll reach critical mass someone probably many will crack it.

 

[joeb1999]

Dude don't be so naive. Some one will crack it. I can't wait for 3rd party software. The market is there. A lot of people would pay for it...

No, actually I doubt it will happen. You are talking about a very complex, multi CPU system involving flight control, communication, Internet access, video and a bunch of other subsystems. A cell phone is a piece of cake compared to this. None of this is documented. I'd venture that the code is so convoluted and spaghetti'd that even DJI has problems figuring out which end is up.

It isn't like there is one magic file that will give you unhindered access and prevent DJI from 'upgrading' your experience.

 

[Shammyh]

Not likely. Phones went through the same thing.

It's probably not hard to do and it's just a matter of time. More and more people are buying DJi products. It'll reach critical mass someone probably many will crack it.

Correct. There's no law preventing jailbreak-ing or otherwise altering hardware you own.

The best place to start here would be unpacking and decompiling the update bin files. I took a VERY brief look at this a while back, but it needed more work, or someone else more familiar with embedded systems.

Very unlikely that we'd see a fully custom firmware, but maybe we can get some tweaks done via the existing firmware itself.

It's also worth mentioning that DJI is probably already in violation of the GPL already for not providing the requisite open source code for the P2V/V+, which definitely uses open source components. But remember, this is a Chinese company, not an American company. Intellectual property laws are not really that important in China.

In the meantime, I'm going to focus my attention on messing with the NFZs once DJI publicly releases their new system. Quite a good chance we'll be able to spoof or otherwise unlock NFZs without DJI's help.

 

[Shammyh]

You have to unlock the bootloader which no one has done yet. If that could be done, modifications to configuration, etc. could be done e.g. turning GEO off.

I would like to see if someone could unpack the bin files and see if they can make sense of them.

Is there any evidence of a "locked bootloader" as in signing chain enforced from the primary bootloader to kernel to operating system?

 

[DrJoe]

There was a jumper on the original phantom that you could use. If you connected the jumper, powered on and powered off, it wiped the memory of the Phantom.

Knowing a little (very little) about software code, those instructions are still somewhere in the code for the P3. Find a mechanical way to trigger that jumper (the main control board of the P3 does not have them) and perhaps you could wipe the Phantom completely, including no fly zone information.

Without a physical hack, software would have to access the memory that stores the NFZ information (it exists somewhere, is writable and unlockable). Forensic hacking would be needed. I'm positive it is do-able, but I won't pay for someone to do it; if DJI is going to force change upon me, even before the FAA, and do so in a more restrictive manner than necesary, I will have no choice but to buy a P2, install lightbridge 1, and go back to a Hero 4.

I just want to take the **** thing up to fly. I'm a pilot. I have a 333. I get the need to promote safety and education, but there isn't an auto manufacturer in the world that limits their vehicles to a top speed of 75 mph.

 

[Shammyh]

No, actually I doubt it will happen. You are talking about a very complex, multi CPU system involving flight control, communication, Internet access, video and a bunch of other subsystems. A cell phone is a piece of cake compared to this. None of this is documented. I'd venture that the code is so convoluted and spaghetti'd that even DJI has problems figuring out which end is up.

It isn't like there is one magic file that will give you unhindered access and prevent DJI from 'upgrading' your experience.

As if. A modern cell phone is an order or two of magnitude more complex than a P3. The P3 is at most one or two simple ARM cores (probably M3 and/or A9), the camera module (which is largely self contained), and the lightbridge module, which admittedly, will be hard to mess with unless we get someone on here familiar with FPGA programming.

Also, no one is suggesting we create a new bootloader or kernel from scratch. More like modifying or tweaking specific sections, such as nulling out all the NFZs, or modifying ATTI mode to allow more pitch.

It could be done, but it would require some significant time investment, and someone with the right tools and experience.