Forced to Take DJI Exam?!?

[GVDD scout]

WTF?!? I just picked up a Spark when they dropped the price to $399 almost everywhere. Charged it up, updated firmware as expected. Opened up the GO4 app and was faced with a panel that told me I had to take a DJI exam on safe flight. It said I could skip the exam four times, which I did, but on the fifth time it FORCED me to take a DJI exam on safe flight. No options; take the exam or don't fly!!! As if spyware and micromanagement of flying wasn't enough. Just goes to show, when you have a monopoly on the market you can do as you please. I passed without problem, but DJI really has gone over the top. And what if I failed the exam? My Spark would be neutered??? I'm certified part 107, but I still have to pass DJI's exam to fly?

Safety is always good. How hard can the test be? However, there is a strong argument for this testing being a way to give DJI legal cover against class action and deep pocket lawsuits. The question for you and others may be; do you gain any protection by meeting their threshold if something goes wrong?

 

[GVDD scout]

I may make enemies on this forum with my position, but I'm OK with that. Having to pass an exam to be able to use a product a person legitimately purchased in a retail store is never OK. It has never been acceptable practice by any company in the free market. Those who feel that it is OK are either mouthpieces for the company, or so passively sheep that they buy into whatever DJI dictates. This is not a slam on DJI technology, for I deeply respect the advances they've made with drones. But from a business perspective, this is totally contrary to a free market society. And from a legal perspective, I would conclude this is not in compliance with full disclosure to the consumer market.

I agree with you in the context of the free market and unregulated products. As a kid I flew model rockets, and had friends that abused every common sense rule with rockets; horizontal flights etc. there was never any call for regulation/oversight back then. My fear is that it;'s a slippery slope that the company's efforts morph into law and regulation by government. I would be more worried about DJI using your flight data the way Google et al uses data mining, or if the reports are true about DJI sharing domestic data gathered with the Chinese government.

 

[JoeDorn]

Lol! Sheep. How many have taken exams from Toyota, Ford, Chevy, the last time they bought a car? Took an exam for Black and Decker when they bought a drill? Taken a manufacturer’s exam for anything they’ve purchased, EVER? Do you think there’s a reason the US Government banned any government use of DJI products? LOL!

I had to take a driver's test with a Texas State Trooper at my side before I could legally drive... Would you prefer to take a government sponsored test before you fly? Grow up there are a lot of clowns with drones...

 

[Melvoid]

No I’m a human with rational and logical thoughts in my brain who doesn’t overreact when logical attempts to mitigate risk are presented.

I agree. Kind of like gun owners who still don't believe it's necessary to own several assault weapons.

 

[N017RW]

I agree. Kind of like gun owners who still don't believe it's necessary to own several assault weapons.

Please, no gun talk.

 

[dranders]

When I decided to get checked out in the Robinson R-22 Helicopter I had to go to the factory for classes and a checkout despite my 3,000 plus RW hours. Prior to going to the factory in So. Ca. I also had to get a minimum amount of dual in the R-22 (forgot how many hours) from a local flight school. Robinson wanted to protect its reputation, decrease liability, and provide a safer product.

Some airplane manufacturers also require their training before they let you buy their product.

Fellow pilots, like it or not we are part of the aviation community. I hope DJI starts a trend.

 

[Mark J Colbert]

Funny thing: Every couple of years, the FAA requires me to take a check ride with a Certified Flight Instructor in order to keep my pilot's license. Can I fly safely without succumbing to the bi-annual check ride? Yes; Do I have far more hours in the air than most of the CFIs who ride with me? Yes; Do I complain about Big Brother watching over me? Not really; Do I just smile and move on? Every single time.

In order to keep my Concealed Weapons Permit, I have to take a test / re qualify every couple of years - and I was in law enforcement for nearly 25 years. No problem it just gives me another chance to go shoot something.

If I were a HAM radio user, I'd have to take a test in order to use my broadcasting equipment.

I drive a car and ride a motorcycle; both of which required me to take a test.

In order to keep my Private Investigator's License, I'm required to take continuing education courses - and tests.

In order to be licensed as an insurance agent or financial planner, I'm required to take a test.

Blood tests, urine tests, breath tests, DNA tests.

The drone test is not a big deal at all. You'll burn twice as much energy bitching about it, and stirring the proverbial pot, than you would if you just do it, sit back with a cold one and consider yourself victorious.

 

[sar104]

Funny thing: Every couple of years, the FAA requires me to take a check ride with a Certified Flight Instructor in order to keep my pilot's license. Can I fly safely without succumbing to the bi-annual check ride? Yes; Do I have far more hours in the air than most of the CFIs who ride with me? Yes; Do I complain about Big Brother watching over me? Not really; Do I just smile and move on? Every single time.

In order to keep my Concealed Weapons Permit, I have to take a test / re qualify every couple of years - and I was in law enforcement for nearly 25 years. No problem it just gives me another chance to go shoot something.

If I were a HAM radio user, I'd have to take a test in order to use my broadcasting equipment.

I drive a car and ride a motorcycle; both of which required me to take a test.

In order to keep my Private Investigator's License, I'm required to take continuing education courses - and tests.

In order to be licensed as an insurance agent or financial planner, I'm required to take a test.

Blood tests, urine tests, breath tests, DNA tests.

The drone test is not a big deal at all. You'll burn twice as much energy bitching about it, and stirring the proverbial pot, than you would if you just do it, sit back with a cold one and consider yourself victorious.

The counter-argument that will likely be made is that those are all government-mandated test requirements whereas this is a private company requiring that you answer questions before you can use the product that you bought from them, so not a direct comparison.

But while that is correct, what DJI is doing does not appear to be an infringement of anyone's rights since it's a free market and no one is forced to buy or use their products. If DJI is breaking any consumer laws by doing so then it's notable that, so far, no one has been able to point to them and make that case.

 

[GadgetGuy]

And you had 4k Hd cameras on aircraft that could travel 4 miles almost silently and transmit those images and video back to a remote location remaining on scene in one place up to 15 minutes , or you had a 640 pixel potato cam bolted to the front with no control over it and no hover up to 4 miles away, just like the rest of us did ?

Amazing what these flying cameras can do today! I am constantly in awe of the detail and information that my remote camera can capture up to 4 miles away, while flying by at 30mph, at 100 feet! Surfing along a wave in a drone allows you to catch every wave, and still be home for dinner, without fighting for a parking space or dealing with gridlock traffic. "As the crow flies" is now a reality!

 

[W5WTS]

WTF?!? I just picked up a Spark when they dropped the price to $399 almost everywhere. Charged it up, updated firmware as expected. Opened up the GO4 app and was faced with a panel that told me I had to take a DJI exam on safe flight. It said I could skip the exam four times, which I did, but on the fifth time it FORCED me to take a DJI exam on safe flight. No options; take the exam or don't fly!!! As if spyware and micromanagement of flying wasn't enough. Just goes to show, when you have a monopoly on the market you can do as you please. I passed without problem, but DJI really has gone over the top. And what if I failed the exam? My Spark would be neutered??? I'm certified part 107, but I still have to pass DJI's exam to fly?

IT only took me 4 minutes, not a big deal really, it made me due it as I was ready to take off.

 

[GadgetGuy]

IT only took me 4 minutes, not a big deal really, it made me due it as I was ready to take off.

Presumably, it also gave you the option of not doing it, as you were ready to take off, and allowing you to skip it for four times, before it would "make" you do it, right?

 

[Wind electrician]

Just shows that some people will go over the top about the most trivial things.
btw ... Spyware?? I've not heard anyone suggest that DJI is delivering spyware before.

Than explaun to me why the us military has grounded all of their DJI drones?

 

[Home Inspector]

Funny thing: Every couple of years, the FAA requires me to take a check ride with a Certified Flight Instructor in order to keep my pilot's license. Can I fly safely without succumbing to the bi-annual check ride? Yes; Do I have far more hours in the air than most of the CFIs who ride with me? Yes; Do I complain about Big Brother watching over me? Not really; Do I just smile and move on? Every single time.

In order to keep my Concealed Weapons Permit, I have to take a test / re qualify every couple of years - and I was in law enforcement for nearly 25 years. No problem it just gives me another chance to go shoot something.

If I were a HAM radio user, I'd have to take a test in order to use my broadcasting equipment.

I drive a car and ride a motorcycle; both of which required me to take a test.

In order to keep my Private Investigator's License, I'm required to take continuing education courses - and tests.

In order to be licensed as an insurance agent or financial planner, I'm required to take a test.

Blood tests, urine tests, breath tests, DNA tests.

The drone test is not a big deal at all. You'll burn twice as much energy bitching about it, and stirring the proverbial pot, than you would if you just do it, sit back with a cold one and consider yourself victorious.

Every example you listed is either a state or federal government requirement which is the responsibility of our government. I'm not arguing that the test is or is not beneficial. My point is it's not the responsibility of a private company to require the test. The key word is "Require". As I said in an earlier post, this is the same as Ford Motors requiring me to take a short exam before I can start my car. I'm 65 years old but I assure you, my generation would not stand for it. It's not the test it's the principal. From reading many of the post on this thread I'm beginning to realize I may be a dinosaur.

 

[GadgetGuy]

First, they don't have every photo and video and they only have the flight records that users choose to upload.
But even if they did, can you imagine what military value could be found in millions of overexposed sunset photos and selfies or knowing that you and thousands of others fly at parks and beaches and some from their back yard, that some go out and back while others go round and round?
Military value? You'd be kidding yourself.

If this is legit, it does raise some real concerns!

https://info.publicintelligence.net/ICE-DJI-China.pdf

If it is bogus, some one went to a lot of effort to make it look legit!

 

[N017RW]

No one has posted any proof or evidence that this is not the place of a non-Govt. entity.
Merely comparing this to action to those of such is not proof.

It's just an opinion with limited objectivity.

Paradigms are changing, rapidly, and I have yet to be convinced that DJI is doing anything but protecting it's interests. That's what corps. do.

Lots of opinions which are worth what they cost but no proof.

 

[GadgetGuy]

No one has posted any proof or evidence that this is not the place of a non-Govt. entity.
Merely comparing this to action to those of such is not proof.

It's just an opinion with limited objectivity.

Paradigms are changing, rapidly, and I have yet to be convinced that DJI is doing anything but protecting it's interests. That's what corps. do.

Lots of opinions which are worth what they cost but no proof.

See post #274 above. Your take?

 

[N017RW]

If this is legit, it does raise some real concerns!

https://info.publicintelligence.net/ICE-DJI-China.pdf

If it is bogus, some one went to a lot of effort to make it look legit!

If it's not real then the NYT has been duped. It can be reached from their site.

Drone Maker D.J.I. May Be Sending Data to China, U.S. Officials Say

 

[BigAl07]

When I decided to get checked out in the Robinson R-22 Helicopter I had to go to the factory for classes and a checkout despite my 3,000 plus RW hours. Prior to going to the factory in So. Ca. I also had to get a minimum amount of dual in the R-22 (forgot how many hours) from a local flight school. Robinson wanted to protect its reputation, decrease liability, and provide a safer product.

Some airplane manufacturers also require their training before they let you buy their product.

Bingo!!

Fellow pilots, like it or not we are part of the aviation community. I hope DJI starts a trend.

Nailed it ^^^^

If we want to play with UAS that can fly in NAS we need to put on our Big Boy Pants and act like we are Big Ole Boys. Sometimes we have to jump through hoops and play by "their rules" but like it or not some manufacturers do this game even for the "Big Ones".

 

[Meta4]

Than explaun to me why the us military has grounded all of their DJI drones?

Spyware is a type of malware that is installed on a computer without the knowledge of the owner in order to collect the owner's private information. Spyware is often hidden from the user in order to gather information about internet interaction, keystrokes (also known as keylogging), passwords, and other valuable data.
There have never been any reports of DJI software containing spyware.
The US Army memo gave almost no details of what their concerns were beyond increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities.
The US Army Just Ordered Soldiers to Stop Using Drones from China’s DJI
This is generally thought to be related to the ability of hackers to take control of drones rather than the drone doing any spying.

I haven't found any information on what the US Army has done since but the Australian Army temporarily stopped using DJI products following the US ban but two weeks later they were cleared for use.

“On August 9, 2017, after Defence became aware of the US Army’s actions, the use of all commercial off-the-shelf UAS was suspended until a formal assessment into the cyber risk presented by these systems could be conducted.

“Flight operations recommenced on August 21, 2017 following the completion of the risk assessment that led to the development of revised operating procedures for commercial off-the-shelf unmanned aerial systems.”​

Nocookies

 

[Home Inspector]

Bingo!!



Nailed it ^^^^

If we want to play with UAS that can fly in NAS we need to put on our Big Boy Pants and act like we are Big Ole Boys. Sometimes we have to jump through hoops and play by "their rules" but like it or not some manufacturers do this game even for the "Big Ones".

A private company has no rights to make anyone jump thru hoops. As you said "fly in NAS" and as such the responsible entity for ensuring proper operation is the owner of the NAS or the FAA. BTW my pants are exactly where i want them.