DJI GO App and Your Privacy

[Jerry T.]

That is true, but if the FAA just looked at the raw data (height flown above launch point) they might jump to the wrong conclusions.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[joe21]

Then there's DJI. Collecting your flight data without you knowing and then funneling it to third parties and other products for profit. And that's after you already paid for the product. Google and Facebook are free.

I don't always agree with you, but you are spot on with this one. I'm surprised there isn't more outrage.

Then again, it's much like those who belittled people complaining about FAA registration a few months back. "Nothing you can do." "They have that information anyway." "Are you wearing your tinfoil hat?" "It's for the children!"

Would be nice to get the word out and hopefully attract the attention of some news services. "Chinese company secretly harvesting American personal data in Trogan Horse Drone" seems like it would make a good headline. I am surprised this isn't more widely discussed already.

 

[NRJ]

Go app and every other app on your device does this. Where is the surprise about this?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

No surprise, it's just wrong. Kaching... my two cents.

 

[DroneDog]

Try China already owns the USA, in more than one way. Cellphones, electronics, treasury bills, real estate are just a few, thought today I read that they want to help us build some high speed (bullet) trains, though that could have been Japan.

 

[Meta4]

That is true, but if the FAA just looked at the raw data (height flown above launch point) they might jump to the wrong conclusions.

The FAA might not always appear to be very smart but they aren't that dumb.

 

[MILLER4PRESIDENT2020]

I gave up halfway through page 2. Are there any posts about what I can do to stop this? Or can someone answer this post?

Should I use Litchi instead?

To the people who say if you have nothing to hide then dont worry....You would be surprised how random stuff can come back to bite. Most people probably break several laws everyday that they dont even know about and if someone in a high up government position wanted to make your life a living hell, it is pretty easy to make it all come crashing down. I don't fly near airports or spy on nude swimmers, but I don't want some file on me connected to my email address that says I might have accidently flew to 401 feet someday to come back and haunt me.

 

[Meta4]

I'm still wondering what the fuss is about.
I've read the whole thread but I'm not convinced that DJI is spying on people.
I'm happy to be educated but nothing in this thread so far has convinced me that there is anything to worry about.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons that DJI might collect data.

 

[stitch0852]

Well. I use an iPad Mini that has the wifi turned off. It is never connected to a computer. Charged from wall outlet only.

No updating apps, etc.

I am probably one of the dumb ones. I don't update firmware unless I am having issues it will resolve. Not for any other reason than I see too many electronic devices become bricked when updates/upgrades aren't fully tested before releasing for general installation.

 

[Wolfiesden]

Relax.
For a start, your Phantom has no way of recording your height AGL.

Technically, no. However once data is cross referenced, its a piece of cake to know EXACTLY what its AGL is.
HomeAMSL = TerrainAltitude@GPSCoords
AnyPointAGL = (HomeAMSL + DroneAltitude) - TerrainAltitude@GPSCoords

Hypothetical...takeoff from ground that is 500' above sea level. Fly over hill that rises to 600' AMSL. Drone indicates altitude of 400'
Takeoff = 0
HomeAMSL = 500' AMSL
DroneFlightAltitude = 400'
GroundLevelOnHill = 600' AMSL
DroneAGLOnHIll = (HomeAMSL + DroneFlightAltitude ) - GroundLevelOnHill
DroneAGLOnHIll = (500 + 400) - 600 = 300' AGL

All they need is GPS coords and the tracking data.

 

[zacksomeone]

It says in their privacy policy that we can write them and receive a copy of our data that they have on file. I think I'll try that and see what happens.......

Anyone else tried?

 

[mikesmiley]

I just did a re-install on Go because I was cleaning up my Shield and moving some stuff around, and all I can say is HOLY ****! I guess I just wasn't paying attention the last few times.

It demands access to pretty much EVERYTHING, most of which has absolutely NOTHING necessary, needed, useful, or even relevant to flying my copter.

I have never seen an app that asked for so much, and I sure as **** never would have installed one if I had. Until now. I feel like a ******* chump.

My phone calls? Really?

 

[mikesmiley]

Do an uninstall/reinstall, and tap on every permission it demands for details. It's sort of mind-blowing.

 

[mikesmiley]

Does Litchi demand all that? I'll drop $20 right now to delete all that creepiness and use something else.

 

[ianwood]

It says in their privacy policy that we can write them and receive a copy of our data that they have on file. I think I'll try that and see what happens.......

Anyone else tried?

Didn't notice it. Good idea. However, my concern is they will take forever and they will probably scrub it before sending you anything.

If you know your way around XML, you could exploit their pretty open end point.

 

[Wolfiesden]

If we can't trust them to not put back doors in (which they did), to inform us when it starts sending private data (which they did not), etc. How the heck can we trust them to provide us with truthful data on what they already collected?
Answer: We can't.

And to throw another tin hat in the ring...just what assurances do we have that the Chinese government isn't mining this data for covert or espionage use? None.

 

[flyNfrank]

On android for some time now I have used a app call "OS Monitor" which when used a couple of ways will display live all the different data dji exports from the device. For the most part I have stayed away from this thread due to pointing this out a year ago, as well as the fact that dji uploads copies of our flight logs and was told I pretty much didn't know what I was talking about and that dji just doesn't do these things. All I can say now is that I'm shocked a thread like this didn't come along sooner.

 

[zacksomeone]

Didn't notice it. Good idea. However, my concern is they will take forever and they will probably scrub it before sending you anything.

Well of course no one knows anything after writing DJI to get a copy of my data. This was their reply after I inquired about their privacy policy.


Thank you for contacting DJI Technical Support.

It's just a disclaimer, do not referring to any specific file.
I suggest you contact sales department directly by mailing them at [email protected]. OR you can chat directly with our online sales group by selecting the green box in the bottom right hand corner. Official DJI Online Store | DJI Store

Thanks for choosing DJI.

Best regards,

DJI Product Application Technical Support Center

 

[Meta4]

And to throw another tin hat in the ring...just what assurances do we have that the Chinese government isn't mining this data for covert or espionage use? None.

I don't have enough imagination so help me.
How does anyone think that your flight data could possibly have any espionage value?

 

[WetDog]

I don't have enough imagination so help me.
How does anyone think that your flight data could possibly have any espionage value?

Remember those Black Helicopters? Now you don't need a real helicopter (they're expensive and noisy). Just a lot of little drones.

I don't worry about the espionage part - if DJI wants to stare at Alaskan trees, they're welcome to it. It would be easier to look at my Vimeo portfolio but, hey, whatever turns you on. It's the 'sell the data to a third party' that does concern me. Cross referencing the data can lead to some interesting assumptions about a given person.

Which may be why Amazon keeps showing me 'Hello Kitty' things when I log in.

 

[Wolfiesden]

I don't have enough imagination so help me.
How does anyone think that your flight data could possibly have any espionage value?

Is the flight data the only data they have mined? And how are you sure? Before the leak you believed they weren't sending any flight data. Now its confirmed they are (were). Now what do you believe they are NOT sending?

Our own gov is data mining petabytes a day of personal data. What are THEY doing with it? And how do you really know?

I am generally not a conspiricy nut. I do take issue when my data is gathered and used without asking me first and giving me the option to say no.