DJI has abandoned professionals

[KennyJr]

You can buy any aircraft from other companies but they don't have the technology that DJI possess in getting extremely long range in their aircrafts. The Typhoon H for example, cost the same or more than a Mavic pro but it has the same range of a phantom 3 standard.

Perhaps, but the TH has several features the Phantom does not have such as retractable landing gear, you can pan the camera, 6 motors allows it to switch to five motor mode to keep it airborne long enough to land, and with the wizard allows two person control (one controlling the camera, one controlling the aircraft). More importantly it does NOT have GeoFencing. Features you have to buy the much more expensive Inspire ($1999) for.

The Mavic is listed at $999, the TH is also $999, and the TH Pro at $1499 at Best Buy. Looking at the specs it looks like the only difference between TH and TH Pro is better object avoidance.

As far distance goes I loose the video at the same distance with the P3S as I do the P3P.

As I mentioned in my previous post, if the airport and hospital (MedStar) say it is OK to fly who is DJI to say I can't.

 

[macoman]

I know the Typhoon H has a lot of more features than a phantom 3 standard but even with all these extra features. I will not buy it because of the limited range. If they make one that can reach 2 to 3 miles then that is money well expend.

 

[John Locke]

As far distance goes I loose the video at the same distance with the P3S as I do the P3P.

There's something seriously wrong with your P3P I think, mine will go 2 miles easy and 3 miles if I conserve battery. Wi-Fi on the P3S is only good for about 2000', but I've seen them go one mile with a Windsurfer in rural areas.

I've owned Yuneec products before, my first drone, a Q500+. They're not as durable IMO. My biggest issue is the difficulty backpacking them. Even the foldable TH is not easy to backpack, not to mention the long wait time to simply connect each time you fly.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Unfortunately, the commercial operators and the existing DJI customer base are collateral damage in DJI's quest to pre-emptively dominate the ever expanding consumer market for drones for selfies and close range aerial photography, by proactively forcing GEO onto all their drones. If no commercial operator ever bought another DJI product, and every existing DJI owner quit buying DJI products, DJI would still dominate the drone market and will still be making money hand over fist. DJI does not care that GEO is very unpopular among existing owners and professionals. We have no vote. We were merely the early adopters and unpaid beta testers for all their product development. DJI still makes the best drones and have the best range and cameras at the targeted price point. GEO doesn't change that. Mandatory DJI GEO has, however, motivated a very creative, talented pool of owner/coders finding workarounds to GEO. Their solutions are free and readily available with a little research. You can have your cake, and eat it too!

 

[Texy]

I'm thinking about buying a Phantom but the GEO issue is in the way. I have a Spark and all it does is warn me about airports and still lets me fly. Is the Phantom the same way? Do I just need to check a box in the GUI to get going or does it indeed not allow take off?

 

[anotherlab]

Thirdly, there should be a Godwin's Law of sorts, that says there is a point at which someone compares drones with cars. At that point any new argument seems to drop away.

We should refer to it as Decker's Law. And there should be one more, when someone makes a reference to DJI being run by communists. At point, the argument has gone off the rails.

 

[MrGreenjeep97]

Excuse me?! That's rude.

Most people update their app automatically in the background.

Then the app tells them they MUST upgrade firmware 0or cannot fly.

"Smart people" are psychics who know when to ignore mandatory upgrades that promise new features?

I'm tired of the holier than thou attitude of some...

To add to this; If you are part 107 cetified, you are SUPPOSED to keep the firmware and any and all software updated for your equipment.

 

[AuldGimpy]

Enough! As collateral damage my protest would be like farting against thunder. ATM I have 3 Phantoms, P4K, P3Pro and P4 old school. I will absolutely not be buying any more, regardless of what happens. Crashes, flyaways, interception & abduction by aliens or given away free in a packet of Corn Flakes. DJI can shove it and their warranties for cracks etc. as I have amassed only 6 hours flying time on the P3's, none yet on the P4. Weather decides! I don't want an exchange junker with forced locked FW updates installed. No more updates, firmware or otherwise for me as what SW/FW revisions I do have (?) seem free of apparent restrictions and stable. I also have Litchi so I hope I can still fly free and sensibly. I bought these drones at the time to have a retirement hobby that might turn a coin. (Don't tell anyone!) I did not get them to become a system hacker, coder, or engage in imposed illegal activities. I have enough common sense not to need some faceless company on the opposite side of the globe telling me like a child what I can or can't do.
Life is too short to fanny around with this caper. Shorter in my case after major heart surgery. WIth DJI's attitide to me as a paying customer, now that they have my £2k+plus, it is the last penny from me. What I cannot fix for myself will be stripped down, sold for spares and I will take up some other practical hobby, like crochet or knitting!
I am by no means a wealthy man. I cannot really afford to just write-off £2k+ but if I have to I will and put it down to a life's hard lesson learned.

 

[sar104]

Enough! As collateral damage my protest would be like farting against thunder. ATM I have 3 Phantoms, P4K, P3Pro and P4 old school. I will absolutely not be buying any more, regardless of what happens. Crashes, flyaways, interception & abduction by aliens or given away free in a packet of Corn Flakes. DJI can shove it and their warranties for cracks etc. as I have amassed only 6 hours flying time on the P3's, none yet on the P4. Weather decides! I don't want an exchange junker with forced locked FW updates installed. No more updates, firmware or otherwise for me as what SW/FW revisions I do have (?) seem free of apparent restrictions and stable. I also have Litchi so I hope I can still fly free and sensibly. I bought these drones at the time to have a retirement hobby that might turn a coin. (Don't tell anyone!) I did not get them to become a system hacker, coder, or engage in imposed illegal activities. I have enough common sense not to need some faceless company on the opposite side of the globe telling me like a child what I can or can't do.
Life is too short to fanny around with this caper. Shorter in my case after major heart surgery. WIth DJI's attitide to me as a paying customer, now that they have my £2k+plus, it is the last penny from me. What I cannot fix for myself will be stripped down, sold for spares and I will take up some other practical hobby, like crochet or knitting!
I am by no means a wealthy man. I cannot really afford to just write-off £2k+ but if I have to I will and put it down to a life's hard lesson learned.

Sorry to hear about the local weather and your situation, but I think that you are completely over-reacting on the restrictions issue. Has this actually caused you any problems at all, or are you simply concerned because of the alarmist nonsense posted on threads like this one?

It does seem odd that you have three of them if you have so few opportunities to fly, but that's a different issue.

 

[Phill2]

To add to this; If you are part 107 cetified, you are SUPPOSED to keep the firmware and any and all software updated for your equipment.

SUPPOSED being the operative word.
Luckily we don't have that requirement here

 

[Theo450]

Now that you know the process you should make an instructional video for YT.

I wrote a procedure for my company. YouTube is not my style.

I don't see what the big deal is. Crying about some company across the globe dictating where you can fly.... Ok, so don't buy one. Then you won't have to deal with it, and I won't have to hear you complain.

 

[VegasFlyer]

I found these and thought they were interesting:

Woman Faces A Year In Jail For Beating Drone Operator, Assault Caught On Video

William Merideth arrested after shooting down $1,800 drone hovering over sunbathing daughter

 

[GadgetGuy]

To add to this; If you are part 107 cetified, you are SUPPOSED to keep the firmware and any and all software updated for your equipment.

You as the PIC, are also supposed to be fully in control of your aircraft. That is not the case when flying with a stock, new, firmware updated DJI aircraft.

 

[N017RW]

I found these and thought they were interesting:

Woman Faces A Year In Jail For Beating Drone Operator, Assault Caught On Video

William Merideth arrested after shooting down $1,800 drone hovering over sunbathing daughter

These are very old stories and not only out of context to the discussion but in the wrong forum.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I found these and thought they were interesting:

Woman Faces A Year In Jail For Beating Drone Operator, Assault Caught On Video

William Merideth arrested after shooting down $1,800 drone hovering over sunbathing daughter

Those are two and three years old, but do illustrate the climate and drone paranoia. Be careful out there!

 

[John Locke]

To add to this; If you are part 107 cetified, you are SUPPOSED to keep the firmware and any and all software updated for your equipment.

I would argue that you're suppose to keep your drone in functional working order to be safe. Today that means not upgrading when the flaws inherent in today's firmware can make your craft land arbitrarily, even if DJI has approved flying in a zone with their online approval system. It's not safe IMO. Only the inexperienced DJI owner auto update their apps and firmware, but do what you like. If you're happy with auto update, that's fine. Good luck with that, and thanks for beta testing for the rest of us.

 

[anotherlab]

To add to this; If you are part 107 cetified, you are SUPPOSED to keep the firmware and any and all software updated for your equipment.

The actual wording is "should" as in "Whenever possible, the operator should maintain the sUAS and its components in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.". That comes from section 7.2 of AC 107-2, guidance for conducting sUAS operations in the NAS in accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 107.

7.2: Maintenance. sUAS maintenance includes scheduled and unscheduled overhaul, repair, inspection, modification, replacement, and system software upgrades of the sUAS and its components necessary for flight. Whenever possible, the operator should maintain the sUAS and its components in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. The aircraft manufacturer may provide the maintenance program, or, if one is not provided, the applicant may choose to develop one. See paragraph 7.3.5 for suggested benefits of record keeping.​

The "Whenever possible" text gives you some protection for not installing the latest and greatest firmware.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The actual wording is "should" as in "Whenever possible, the operator should maintain the sUAS and its components in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.". That comes from section 7.2 of AC 107-2, guidance for conducting sUAS operations in the NAS in accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 107.

7.2: Maintenance. sUAS maintenance includes scheduled and unscheduled overhaul, repair, inspection, modification, replacement, and system software upgrades of the sUAS and its components necessary for flight. Whenever possible, the operator should maintain the sUAS and its components in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. The aircraft manufacturer may provide the maintenance program, or, if one is not provided, the applicant may choose to develop one. See paragraph 7.3.5 for suggested benefits of record keeping.​

The "Whenever possible" text gives you some protection for not installing the latest and greatest firmware.

As well as the requirement to remain in full control of the aircraft, which the latest and greatest firmware takes away from the PIC!

 

[GreeneHD]

I could see this starting to happen when I bought my P4 a little over a year ago. It's also why I have NOT updated the software or firmware since then. When needed I switch over to Litchi (again it's not been updated in 6 months). So far, I've not ever been unable to fly wherever I wanted. I only use the drone for video acquisition not recreational purposes, so rarely am I flying long distances or really very high. But with the older software and more important older firmware, I've not seen any restrictions on my flying needs. If the bird ever crashes or fails, I'm not sure what I'd replace it with. But for now, old is better and updates are not on my list of activities.

 

[Drestin Black]

I think you are opening a can of worms and some of your information may not be correct.

(Snip)

5. ADS-B does not ground an aircraft. Only pilots do.

I think Geofencing and ADS-B should be an informational system only. Manufacturers should not be involved is regulating.

This! This is what keep saying.
Geo should be informational only. Period.