DJI putting no fly zones around stadiums now?
- Thread starter dmcgrew
- Start date
Is there any particular place in the forum to look at or log our interactions with air traffic control? I'm still trying to figure out if airports are used to getting notifications from model aircraft pilots or is this this something they aren't used to dealing with?
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2015
- Messages
- 128
- Reaction score
- 34
So, what we'll happen if we fly in the zones anyway? Does DJI rat you out to authorities or something?
a friend said he was in a "No Fly Zone" and he went up for a couple minutes anyway.
he said that that area was actually NOT in the red zone but the software said he WAS in the red zone.
anyway, i was wondering if he was not spotted by authorities, would DJI or anyone else be able to know that he flew in a hot zone because of the software is the question i was asking.
actually i've been into RC for over a decade but i am very new to quadcopters, so my question was sincere.
a friend said he was in a "No Fly Zone" and he went up for a couple minutes anyway.
he said that that area was actually NOT in the red zone but the software said he WAS in the red zone.
anyway, i was wondering if he was not spotted by authorities, would DJI or anyone else be able to know that he flew in a hot zone because of the software is the question i was asking.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Well I'm sure it's a new and recent situation since typically model airplanes were flown at designated sites.
It's debated whether DJI can or does actively review flight records with the DJI Go app (some have suggested they do in warranty cases), but no, they have absolutely no interest in ratting out their customers.
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2015
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 3
- Age
- 45
so I have a question...
My cousin is head of video production for a certain NHL Franchise. He asked me to come INTO the building to shoot some video for them to use. The arena is within a no fly zone of a MLB stadium since they are so close.
Is it impossible for me to fly inside a building within a NFZ? Just fly with NO GPS via tinfoil hat?
My cousin is head of video production for a certain NHL Franchise. He asked me to come INTO the building to shoot some video for them to use. The arena is within a no fly zone of a MLB stadium since they are so close.
Is it impossible for me to fly inside a building within a NFZ? Just fly with NO GPS via tinfoil hat?
Last edited:
DJI firmware wont let you fly in NFZs, simple as that. copter wont take off. if you takeoff elsewhere and go there it will land/return.
The only way you can fly there is by obscuring/disconnecting the GPS and flying ATTI or OPTI.
Maybe turn off GPS and no one will have any idea where you are? Or did DJI conspire with someone and have a hidden transmitter in your bird?I assume these are app related zones and if we use a different flight app say FPV CAMERA these would not be a issue.
This is nuts. Reactionary measures like this, with no thoughtful concessions - e.g. schedules, reasonable radius, altitudes, weight limits etc - will essentially end up blocking off entire cities from any kind of recreational Drone use.
Wash DC is already under a 15-mile restriction that extends outside the beltway and into suburban VA and MD. The restriction from "flying over people" is ridiculous and essentially grounds all drones.
Wash DC is already under a 15-mile restriction that extends outside the beltway and into suburban VA and MD. The restriction from "flying over people" is ridiculous and essentially grounds all drones.
I wonder if they aren't worried about being hit by a lawsuit if some dipstick flies a machine into someone and hurts them.
Regardless of the threat of lawsuits, at a certain point the product becomes useless. They may have to start thinking about lawsuits for false advertisement. If I buy this product with the assumption I can turn it on and fly but I can't, that's a problem. The zones are growing and in metropolitan areas you will be unable to fly even though there are not laws restricting flight.
I live one block from Wrigley Field in Chicago, and regularly have to contend with DJI's no-fly blocks on Chicago's stadiums, etc. (e.g., the Museum Park area in Chicago is blocked as well). The no-fly blocks that show up on the DJI GO app maps are not perfectly accurate, as I can get my Phantom 3 Pro up in the red areas sometimes. But in general, 24/7 these areas are blocked.
From my experience, stadiums like Wrigley Field have substantially expanded cellphone networks (Wrigley is designed as I understand to handle several thousand calls simultaneously). This creates a huge amount of 2.4 GHz interference which makes communication with the Phantom impossible -- you simply can't get a signal. Even if you can get enough of a signal to get the Phantom airborne, you would likely lose communication once it's in the air. Very dangerous to say the least.
I personally think no-fly zones are a great idea on DJI's part. We should not be flying drones over crowds, and I definitely don't want some other idiot creating public relations problems by flying drones into people who are watching baseball games or concerts at Wrigley. Most people have enough sense not to do this, but it just takes one person abuse the privilege. I fly in the Chicago parks regularly and never have problems with police or citizens complaining -- I'd like to keep it that way. DJI's blocked flying areas help make the hobby respectable and safe.
From my experience, stadiums like Wrigley Field have substantially expanded cellphone networks (Wrigley is designed as I understand to handle several thousand calls simultaneously). This creates a huge amount of 2.4 GHz interference which makes communication with the Phantom impossible -- you simply can't get a signal. Even if you can get enough of a signal to get the Phantom airborne, you would likely lose communication once it's in the air. Very dangerous to say the least.
I personally think no-fly zones are a great idea on DJI's part. We should not be flying drones over crowds, and I definitely don't want some other idiot creating public relations problems by flying drones into people who are watching baseball games or concerts at Wrigley. Most people have enough sense not to do this, but it just takes one person abuse the privilege. I fly in the Chicago parks regularly and never have problems with police or citizens complaining -- I'd like to keep it that way. DJI's blocked flying areas help make the hobby respectable and safe.
It would help if assumptions were not made. You can no more turn on a quad and start flying than you can buy a gun and start shooting. We are not on the Wild West anymore.
Along the same thought, you can't just restrict a products use when its legally permitted. Stadiums are empty more often than used. Restricting flight for miles around them at all times is unnecessary. The restrictions do not match what the FAA is requesting. They go to far.
Isn't there is a difference between a 747 flying over a stadium at 36,000 ft and a quad hovering just above roof level. At what point should it be counted as trespass? What if the quad dips below roof level into the stadium? Or flies above stadium real estate below roof level? What if you lose control and the quad lands in the stadium - would you expect them to politely hand it back? I would think that this qualifies as common sense grey area between our rights and theirs.
Guys, remember, DJI isn't making up the FAR's, the Feds do that. You seem to complaining that DJI is preventing you from flying where ever you want... They are not. what they'r doing is implementing the Fed's regulations into there software....Prob. due to pressure...I see a lot of comments that tell me some of you have not read the FAR's. The FAA has deemed all things that fly thru the air as aircraft that are regulated as such. You should be writing your reps and congress people to complain, not DJI. If you don't like privet sector business enforcement of gov. regulation, choose a company that doesn't do enforcement. And in the end, I don't think the Feds will be changing any of the FAR's, I would be they will be writing more. Just my 2 cents!
Ιn the next firmware they (DJI) will set flight restrictions to the earth. You will be able to fly on other planets...!
Sav, what do you mean not compliant? stadium TFR's have been a part of the system for a while now. DJI maybe just doesn't have all of them listed. There are TFR's at all stadiums, following the guidelines someone listed in the top of this thread.
Similar threads
