IMPORTANT: DJI Go app 2.50/2.51 enables GEO functionality

I know a lot of people are really panicking about the GEO changes that are coming to the DJI series but I suggest you do a little bit of research about Brendan Schulman who is the chief legal council for DJI. He has been very responsive in both this forum and the DJI forum and he is a legal legend in the area of drone law.

I believe DJI is laying the ground work to derail heavy regulation especially in the US and this move may eventually eliminate the need for 333 exemptions.

I am excited about the changes and the opportunity the present. Below you will find a link to Mr. Shulmans LinkedIn profile. Take a look and Google about the him and the case he brought.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanschulman
 
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I know a lot of people are really panicking about the GEO changes that are coming to the DJI series but I suggest you do a little bit of research about Brendan Schulman who is the chief legal council for DJI. He has been very responsive in both this forum and the DJI forum and he is a legal legend in the area of drone law.

I believe DJI is laying the ground work to derail heavy regulation especially in the US and this move may eventually eliminate the need for 333 exemptions.

I am excited about the changes and the opportunity the present. Below you will find a link to Mr. Shulmans LinkedIn profile. Take a look and Google about the him and the case he brought.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanschulman
As much as all this sounds like light at the end of the tunnel for us, our interests as P3P owners, with a 3 mile control range, and DJI's business interests are at odds. DJI wants to stay in the business of selling drones here in the U.S., even if that means crippling the drones currently in the hands of their raving P3P fans, to make the FAA happy that they are being proactive, which they are. Support for this lies in the "newest" DJI drone actually being a range crippled P3 with the 4K camera, instead of an innovative P4 with longer battery life and range. VLOS is clearly the new FAA mandate to make it easier to find the rogue pilot, and DJI is happily complying. Anyone who watched the FAA presentation at the AMA Conference now knows that the AMA will be locked into the same FAA restrictions now being imposed on all drone owners. The FAA rep managed to deftly evade committing to anything that would reassure AMA members that anything would change going forward. The glory days are coming to an end. VLOS and 400 feet AGL will soon be incorporated into Regs for all of us and all AMA members.
 
As much as all this sounds like light at the end of the tunnel for us, our interests as P3P owners, with a 3 mile control range, and DJI's business interests are at odds. DJI wants to stay in the business of selling drones here in the U.S., even if that means crippling the drones currently in the hands of their raving P3P fans, to make the FAA happy that they are being proactive, which they are. Support for this lies in the "newest" DJI drone actually being a range crippled P3 with the 4K camera, instead of an innovative P4 with longer battery life and range. VLOS is clearly the new FAA mandate to make it easier to find the rogue pilot, and DJI is happily complying. Anyone who watched the FAA presentation at the AMA Conference now knows that the AMA will be locked into the same FAA restrictions now being imposed on all drone owners. The FAA rep managed to deftly evade committing to anything that would reassure AMA members that anything would change going forward. The glory days are coming to an end. VLOS and 400 feet AGL will soon be incorporated into Regs for all of us and all AMA members.

400 feet is the correct maximum altitude for the majority of flight plans. This is shared airspace.

I was flying just last week and a helicopter flew into the area I was filming. It was with in 500 feet of my location (estimate) and was flying at an altitude of approximately 800 feet. My drone had no business being the the airspace occupied by the helicopter and because I was following a reasoned flight plan there was no risk. No aircraft should ever run the risk of striking a drone.
 
Hello, I am a little bit confused with this.. I have a P3A everything is the latest official version (not beta). Will I be able to fly in the yellow zone without register? And if yes if I don't update anything I will able to do the same in the future?
 
400 feet is the correct maximum altitude for the majority of flight plans. This is shared airspace.

I was flying just last week and a helicopter flew into the area I was filming. It was with in 500 feet of my location (estimate) and was flying at an altitude of approximately 800 feet. My drone had no business being the the airspace occupied by the helicopter and because I was following a reasoned flight plan there was no risk. No aircraft should ever run the risk of striking a drone.
Not disagreeing with you, but AMA members have apparently enjoyed 860 foot ceilings at most of their flying fields which is required for many of their aircraft for aerobatic flying, according to the AMA members. They also claim that the extra altitude is necessary for training, to give the trainer an opportunity to recover the aircraft before a crash occurs while the novice is at the controls. That is now being reduced nationally by the FAA to 400 feet, which is why the AMA members, who have invested heavily into their areobatic model aircraft, are upset.
 
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I found this DJI Launches Public Beta of New Geofencing System on the news release page on the DJI website.
I've read some on here and it has a link to beta test the nfz.

I'm assuming from reading the post that it's already in play.
I've not been flying in a while and was farther then 5 miles from our airport.
The news release suggest one must download a apk file to be into this no fly zone mode???
 
I found this DJI Launches Public Beta of New Geofencing System on the news release page on the DJI website.
I've read some on here and it has a link to beta test the nfz.

I'm assuming from reading the post that it's already in play.
I've not been flying in a while and was farther then 5 miles from our airport.
The news release suggest one must download a apk file to be into this no fly zone mode???
Its up to you to go for beta but I normally don't use it. I wait for the final official release.

Currently, if you dont see red zones in your area, you can fly without hesitation. Many have flown even with App 2.5.1 and have not faced issues. I tried only in my backyard and had no issues. I could not go to fields as its raining in N California.
 
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Hello, I am a little bit confused with this.. I have a P3A everything is the latest official version (not beta). Will I be able to fly in the yellow zone without register? And if yes if I don't update anything I will able to do the same in the future?
You would need unlocks to fly in yellow zones. Zones are changing, check your app.
 
Not disagreeing with you, but AMA members have apparently enjoyed 860 foot ceilings at most of their flying fields which is required for many of their aircraft for aerobatic flying, according to the AMA members. They also claim that the extra altitude is necessary for training, to give the trainer an opportunity to recover the aircraft before a crash occurs while the novice is at the controls. That is now being reduced nationally by the FAA to 400 feet, which is why the AMA members, who have invested heavily into their areobatic model aircraft, are upset.

I believe that the hobby airfields will still enjoy the ability to fly above 400 feet. The FAA guidance is aimed at UAV's (drones specifically) that are selling like hotcakes and being flown outside the structured hobby fields that AMA members have enjoyed for a long time. Think about Joe consumer that can now pop into a Best Buy and leave with a "toy" that is capable of flying out of the box at 1500 feet for 1-5 miles far beyond line of sight and is capable of endangering the airspace that commercial aircraft fly within.

I am certain that the AMA and the structured hobby will survive, but if and only if the AMA gets their heads out of their rear, and start to understand that they have to play well with others.

My time in the RC hobby spans 25 years and in that time I have seen countless rejections by the hobby. The electric revolution which I remember like it was just yesterday is one example. When I showed up at the local gasser field with a scratch built plane that weighed 1/2 a pound, flew with converted cell phone batteries, and was able to fly circles around most of the planes rejection occurred. The AMA must not be threatened by change, and should instead embrace it. If you are not changing then you are dying.

The good news is that their does appear to be a change happening, when I returned to the field that I have enjoyed off and on for the past 15 years everyone welcomed my Phantom 3 along with the rest of my aircraft.

There is also a lot of other activity that the FAA is having to react to, in that UAV's are not only a hobby item, but are quickly going to occupy airspace in large numbers for commercial use. Not just for videography and photography but for countless other uses some of which may saturate the airspace.

This is a very exciting time to be 44 years old and in the hobby. My career background is in information technology and it is exciting to see the convergence of computer technology with R/C. This will grow from the small devices we are using into much larger devices.
 
DJI Go 2.50 iOS is available today.

Do you see anything new for Phantom 3?

------------------------------Latest Summary---------

Lots of posts have been made on this topic, let me summarize (Jan 16, 2016)

1. All later App versions such as 2.42, 2.43, 2.50, 2.51 are infected with NFZs

It is claimed that Combination GO- 2.4.1, FW- 1.4.10 and RC- 1.4.30...works like a charm with no NFZs.

One of the iOS devices with App 2.4.0 also exhibited capability to fetch and display NFZs

2. NFZs are stored on a separate DJI's server. DJI go app has ability to fetch and display NFZs. We don't know when exactly was this capability added. Tests are showing that it was added some time around the release of 2.4.0

3. NFZ server is active since release of app version 2.5. Initially it was restricting flying even in the vicinity of helipads, hospitals etc but now it is showing only airports as NFZs this is a relief to all drone fliers

4. There have been multiple reports of unusual GPS behavior with app 2.5 release. Taking longer to get to SAFE TO FLY, dropping in and out of GPS when it was always stable before, less satellites than normal.

5. DJI has revised NFZ data on their servers. Red areas have shrunk in sizes, yellow areas are disappearing. This is a changing temp phase.

6. No difference so far found between 2.50 and 2.51. DJIs text for the fix is unclear.

7. RC stores last map with NFZs.

8. DJI app 2.5.1 crashes if NFZs servers have issues. Too risky to work with server based solution.

9. It may be advisable to keep your device in "airplane" mode when flying to avoid servers interference.

10. Many have flown successfully with 2.5.1 App, few are still stuck because of NFZs in their zones.

I will summarize again when new facts emerge out.
what does it mean that they enable GEO functionality?
 
Okay, so if I am correct, the iOS (Apple) version is DJI GO 2.5.0 and the Android is version 2.5.1. If that is correct, I am using the Android version 2.5.0. Should I upgrade to version 2.5.1? Thanks for any advice and are there any differences besides the geofencing?
 
Can anyone upload the android apk for the go app pre 2.5? 2.4.1 used to work great
 
Sorry, but I've been looking for an older version before I fly my bird for the first time. This sight has already changed to the 2.5.1 version. If anyone has a link to an older version without geofencing and NFZs, please post for me. Thnx

Same here Please. For IOS
 
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So they should refund us if we can't fly our drones. The last two months have taken its toll on me. I'm buying something I can use not holding on to a good product that's only good for storytelling because there's nowhere to fly


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
I am beginning to agree. I have yet to unbox my Christmas gift because of all these new restrictions. None of this was advertised when my purchase was made. We had looked at a Walkera hexacopter as well and chose the Phantom because of its reputation for reliability at the time and because of its extended range and altitude. Now with the restrictions on the firmware, regardless of laws and/or recommendations on how to fly, I feel their was a bit of false advertisement on this drone. I may be in the market for the new Yuneec Typhoon H.
 
Sorry, but I've been looking for an older version before I fly my bird for the first time. This sight has already changed to the 2.5.1 version. If anyone has a link to an older version without geofencing and NFZs, please post for me. Thnx
Scroll down and click "show more" only goes back to 2.4.2
 

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