FCC Tries to Ban DJI Drones and other Chinese Made Drones in US

[Bone4Drone]

I may be straying off topic but I want to share one more thing about what I am trying to convey.

Also I preface with - I do not believe they are stealing images and videos.

My point is more about mass surveillance in general. The collection of every type of data possible, store it, sort it and be able to revisit it. When first looked at, it does not contain anything apparent. But when needed it does exactly that, contain something you need.

To sort it, when I hooked up Amazon Photos for my 70ish mother, she was absolutely amazed that all of the photos were automatically sorted by date, place and even face. I explained that her Pixel phone stores coordinates in it along with time and date in the photos. I also explained how Amazon's AI sorted her pictures using facial recognition.

Now I have three examples of an image that at first glance contains nothing, but at a later time could be valuable.
I love Google Earth and mapping in general. One day I decided I was going to find myself on Google Earth. I checked my home and work and the roads I would take to get there. Low and behold there I was in the parking lot of work. Now say that wasn't work and it was a parking lot of somewhere I went to conduct a crime. Well now this image has value to the police. Yes I know faces are blurred but your cell phones and drone data is not.

Something I found funny was, I continued to look at work places. We have a policy that you cannot use city resources to wash your car while working. Well low and behold, I found someone I know staring at the Google car as they were washing their car. This person remembers this event too and said they were surprised to see the Google car drive to within 10 feet of them and then turnaround. If you want to be technical, this could easily be used to write up this person and once again the image had no apparent value for anything work management related other than Google Earth showing you the world, but now there is a value of enforcing a rule broken 2 years ago. (No nothing became of this as it was actually too funny to take seriously.)

And finally, I mapped an area to test hardware and software. A sewage line later leaked in this area. We then went back to this map to see if the area in question was showing any signs of leaking (which is didn't) to ascertain if we could pinpoint when it started.

Tinfoil hat now removed, but placed in a safe place.

Well, I, for one, like your tinfoil hat. Mine tends to take the shape of a dunce cap sometimes. I found your comments to be quite interesting and I learned quite a bit. Today I'm going to look into Amazon Photos as it seems I'm lagging far behind the tech curve. Good job, thanks!

 

[Bone4Drone]

I still do not think they could possibly be "stealing" videos and pictures, but if they somehow were, there would be no person going through it. It could easily be stored by date, coordinates from metadata. AI, facial recognition and relational databases look for trends, relationships. I bring up this route, as I run a database, and while it is a simple one, I do use it with geomatics to attempt to find trends in things. And as I said the value of information may not be apparent until it is. Think of the Brian Laundrie case recently. Did the family at the camp ground know when they took a picture that it would show the Laundire vehicle in the background and this would be something of interest to the case as far as timeline? Now compare that to the innumerable images taken by drones all over. They may contain nothing, or it may contain something valuable on some level. Implausible? Yes. Possible, yes. Any type of mass surveillance is going to contain 99.999% of nothing.

Now back from my journey into paranoia, I still think that I am unconvinced DJI is stealing images and pictures and this FCC commissioner is just more of the previous attempts to go after the leading drone maker. I just worry if they are banned I own 3 DJI drones (insidiously sitting behind me right now) and I worry that they may become paper weights.

Fascinating topic. Is a tyrannical government agency gone berserk and paranoid possible? I find it quite interesting how the FAA has jumped on the necks of DJI pilots (and others) and successfully made the drone hobby nearly impossible in so many areas of the US. But why are drone pilots being singled out for the regulatory bullying they receive?

I served as president of a fairly large RC model airplane club in Texas back in the 80's. Cameras have been installed in RC planes for decades and not a peep about it from anyone I can recall. Having a lobbying voice in Congress thru the AMA (American Modelers Assn.) probably helped keep these clubs from being snuffed out years ago. To my knowledge, the drone industry has no such leverage (don't know if drones fall under the AMA umbrella or not).

One thing's for sure, we need a strong voice on our side. Right now, we've got crickets and China (DJI) is forbidden by law to "grease the palms" of political campaigns which everyone knows is how to get things done in DC.

 

[Meta4]

I find it quite interesting how the FCC has jumped on the necks of DJI pilots (and others) and successfully made the drone hobby nearly impossible in so many areas of the US. But why are drone pilots being singled out for the regulatory bullying they receive?

Are you sure you have the right regulatory authority?
The Federal Communications Commission hasn't done much to upset drone flyers?

​

 

[Bone4Drone]

Are you sure you have the right regulatory authority?
The Federal Communications Commission hasn't done much to upset drone flyers?

​

You're right on that and I meant to say the FAA. I'm still stuck on when we had to fight the FCC over our right to our TX frequency for RC aircraft. Thanks...

 

[mossphotography]

I disagree with you. I guess money talks and will have its way. You are name calling. I'm amused that you know so much about espionage.

A) Name calling? Not at all in that comment.

B) It's not about espionage, it's about logic.

We talk about this more in depth here:

 

[jaja6009]

A) Name calling? Not at all in that comment.

B) It's not about espionage, it's about logic.

We talk about this more in depth here:

I was starting to worry about the comments from the FCC commissioner about a "total" DJI ban. A ban just for federal purchasing and use on federal property would suck for those who have those contracts, but it would not affect me. It seems like this guy is maybe a bit off. His recent comments on robotic dogs show that he is not too much about "facts", science or technology.

Case in point:

https://dronedj.com/2021/10/28/fcc-ban-boston-dynamics-spot/

I really thought this was him being humorous, until I went to his Twitter page and sadly he was not kidding.

I would find it hard for anybody to take such a person seriously in anything.

 

[WV. Rootman]

A) Name calling? Not at all in that comment.

B) It's not about espionage, it's about logic.

We talk about this more in depth here:

It was very hard to listen to. Much ado about nothing. You even apologized about rambling. Lol.
Idiotic, stupid, was stated about believing espionage with drones, yet it was said, you could be wrong! Why would someone in intelligence share classified information with you? You talked about taking money from someone trying to feed their family, by banning DJI drones. Before that, you said, there is a great need for people in the workforce that isn't being met. Your brother in law was an example, about him retiring soon. I say. there is an abundance of jobs, if people would just work.

Now off that subject. You said, no flying drones in state parks. Come to West Virginia and have a wonderful time flying in most our state parks. I fly at Seneca Rock National recreation center operated by the national forestry department. With permission of course. I hope no one messes things up for us. They're nice people there. Really, have a good time. Great photo opportunities.

 

[dirkclod]

They are here too but we just a bunch of rednecks that few even fly
drones. Unless you are stupid it’s cool here to fly where ever.

 

[WV. Rootman]

They are here too but we just a bunch of rednecks that few even fly
drones. Unless you are stupid it’s cool here to fly where ever.

Yeah, I hesitate to mention it for fear of stupid people messing things up for the rest of us. You say redneck on how city people see it. I left the city to come back to small community lifestyle. Respect and kindness goes a long way.

 

[dronesky]

Wish I could fly there not allowed to fly in state parks in Indiana really sucks

 

[dirkclod]

Yeah, I hesitate to mention it for fear of stupid people messing things up for the rest of us. You say redneck on how city people see it. I left the city to come back to small community lifestyle. Respect and kindness goes a long way.

 

[DoomMeister]

Wish I could fly there not allowed to fly in state parks in Indiana really sucks

Don’t you just love that folks can rip and tear through state parks on motorcycles, quads, and other off-road vehicles, but drones aren’t allowed as they disturb others using the parks and disrupt wildlife. What moron thought of those rules?!

 

[dronesky]

DoomMeister Indiana general assembly did it in 2018 probably scared from all those early drone stories of spying and arming drones and such

 

[DoomMeister]

DoomMeister Indiana general assembly did it in 2018 probably scared from all those early drone stories of spying and arming drones and such

Genesee County Parks tried that in Michigan and lost in court to a member of these forums and a coalition of drone enthusiasts in the area.

This was because Michigan had already passed legislation that local governments could not preempt FAA rulings.

 

[chazzm]

I say BS

I totally agree with that statement!

 

[mossphotography]

It was very hard to listen to. Much ado about nothing. You even apologized about rambling. Lol.

If the FCC revoked the ability for DJI to use frequencies this would effectively ground ALL DJI drones. That's hardly "Much ado about nothing". And we gladly invite folks to comment on our videos. If this was very hard to listen to, we'd love to know why. Constructive criticism in always welcome.

Idiotic, stupid, was stated about believing espionage with drones, yet it was said, you could be wrong! Why would someone in intelligence share classified information with you?

You don't understand how D.C. works.

You talked about taking money from someone trying to feed their family, by banning DJI drones. Before that, you said, there is a great need for people in the workforce that isn't being met. Your brother in law was an example, about him retiring soon. I say. there is an abundance of jobs, if people would just work.

Yes, there are plenty of people able to work. But don't confuse ability to work with a qualified people able to fill those jobs. The aviation field is hurting for qualified people. That is a simple fact. There will be a need for 64,000 qualified people to fill aviation jobs over the next 10 years. You can't just pull people off the street for those jobs. There is training involved. And people aren't stepping up to the plate to get that training. This is a simple fact.

Now off that subject. You said, no flying drones in state parks. Come to West Virginia and have a wonderful time flying in most our state parks. I fly at Seneca Rock National recreation center operated by the national forestry department. With permission of course. I hope no one messes things up for us. They're nice people there. Really, have a good time. Great photo opportunities.

Some states do allow drones, some don't. That why people need to check. We didn't say "no flying at state parks". Personally I mentioned no fly in Colorado State Parks. None of us said all parks.

 

[mossphotography]

I was starting to worry about the comments from the FCC commissioner about a "total" DJI ban. A ban just for federal purchasing and use on federal property would suck for those who have those contracts, but it would not affect me. It seems like this guy is maybe a bit off. His recent comments on robotic dogs show that he is not too much about "facts", science or technology.

Case in point:

https://dronedj.com/2021/10/28/fcc-ban-boston-dynamics-spot/

I really thought this was him being humorous, until I went to his Twitter page and sadly he was not kidding.

I would find it hard for anybody to take such a person seriously in anything.

Luckily he is on his way out, and likely is just blowing steam to try and make his mark before they close his email account at the FCC.

 

[WV. Rootman]

If the FCC revoked the ability for DJI to use frequencies this would effectively ground ALL DJI drones. That's hardly "Much ado about nothing". And we gladly invite folks to comment on our videos. If this was very hard to listen to, we'd love to know why. Constructive criticism in always welcome.

You don't understand how D.C. works.

Yes, there are plenty of people able to work. But don't confuse ability to work with a qualified people able to fill those jobs. The aviation field is hurting for qualified people. That is a simple fact. There will be a need for 64,000 qualified people to fill aviation jobs over the next 10 years. You can't just pull people off the street for those jobs. There is training involved. And people aren't stepping up to the plate to get that training. This is a simple fact.

Some states do allow drones, some don't. That why people need to check. We didn't say "no flying at state parks". Personally I mentioned no fly in Colorado State Parks. None of us said all parks.

Sorry, things get very misconstrued in writing. I see that, by your comments on what I said. Best to drop things as is and we can get on with life. Except, and I can't explain anymore about why, I do know Washington.