Restricted!

[John Locke]

Has there been any reasonable explanation for why the login is required? If I've read one then I've already forgotten what it said.

No, that's my point. It was dictated to all owners with no explanation, in communist fashion. No questions are allowed!

I love my P4P, it's fantastic.

 

[sar104]

No, that's my point. It was dictated to all owners with no explanation, in communist fashion. No questions are allowed!

I love my P4P, it's fantastic.

Right, but I think there was at least some information on the subject from DJI. I'll have to check. Agreed that these aircraft are remarkable pieces of technology.

 

[wa5tef]

Hmmm, let’s see here! Didn’t I read somewhere that Litchi pilots don’t get bothered with that nonsense? I wonder why everyone doesn’t try that app? I did![emoji41]

 

[Meta4]

Has there been any reasonable explanation for why the login is required? If I've read one then I've already forgotten what it said.

It came in when the russian hacked firmware appeared earlier this year.
It was DJI's attempt to get people using firmware versions that can't be hacked like earlier versions.
That's also why DJI don't support rolling back firmware to earlier versions.
The implementation may have been clumsy but that's what it's all about.

No, that's my point. It was dictated to all owners with no explanation, in communist fashion. No questions are allowed!

Rather than blaming communist techniques, I'd apply Hanlon's Razor ...
Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence.
It was clumsy and sloppy but is easily explained by DJI's usual poor communication and rushing to do something to stop most Phantoms going to 5000 ft.

 

[Meta4]

Hmmm, let’s see here! Didn’t I read somewhere that Litchi pilots don’t get bothered with that nonsense? I wonder why everyone doesn’t try that app? I did![emoji41]

Maybe it's because it's no problem and DJI Go is a better program for many users, particularly those interested in photography.

 

[John Locke]

Going out unprepared after updating software - this is just one of the reasons why pre-flight checks/inspections are important

You can do a pre-check at home, and while driving an hour to your location your app could auto-date during the drive without you knowing it while you have cell service. Then when you get to your location that doesn't have cell service (what was our case), you discover you need to login, when it's too late.

The only way to prevent that is to turn off your iPad or iPhone smart device, or disable data to prevent auto updating, which is unreasonable. The problem wasn't pre-check, it was having auto updating on. But DJI created this annoyance, they should be ashamed of such petty non-sense. It's due to their incompetence in the first place, as Meta suggests.

 

[John Locke]

It was clumsy and sloppy but is easily explained by DJI's usual poor communication and rushing to do something to stop most Phantoms going to 5000 ft.

I can attest to the addiction of a P4P that can go up 3000' and come home with awesome video. I can't get enough of it. Of course I keep it within 400' of land while climbing huge mountains, but it's very amazing where doubling your height limitation can take you. DJI just doesn't trust their users to abide by the 400' AGL rule I guess. So why did they allow 1640' if they don't trust pilots to stay within 400' of land?

 

[N017RW]

400 feet above ground level is not the same as 400 feet above take off location. A very distinct difference which is more likely to be realized if you live in a mountainous region of the globe.

 

[Meta4]

DJI just doesn't trust their users to abide by the 400' AGL rule I guess. So why did they allow 1640' if they don't trust pilots to stay within 400' of land?

That they allow you to go up 500 metres above launch point proves that they think it's up to you how high you fly and not a case of them not trusting you.
They have never explained why so we can only guess.
I would suspect that they thought 500 metres would give a balance between allowing you a degree of freedom while reducing the number of Phantoms that would be blown far away if people could easily go up 1000 metres or more.
We see plenty already with the existing limit.

 

[John Locke]

that they think it's up to you how high you fly

Then why not let me go 3000' above launch point, instead of 1640'. What "they think" demotivates me from buying a P5. Having the freedom of my no limit P4P is too good to give up unless I can do the same with the next gen Phantom. I'm not holding my breath, I know DJI doesn't trust me to stay safe, well maybe it's other pilots they don't trust.....

 

[Meta4]

I know DJI doesn't trust me to stay safe

If it was a case of DJI not trusting you, your Phantom wouldn't fly miles away and 500 metres up.
DJI leave the piloting decisions to you.

Then why not let me go 3000' above launch point, instead of 1640'.

It's probably them attempting find a balance between giving you an aircraft with reasonable capabilities, not creating a serious risk to other airspace users and preventing Phantoms from being lost or blown away at a greater rate than they are now.
500 metres is a reasonable limit and inconveniences very few users.
For those with a real need to go higher, other aircraft are available.

 

[John Locke]

For those with a real need to go higher, other aircraft are available.

I don't think there's anything else that can go that far in the under $2k price range. In fact I don't know of any other brand at any price under $10K that can go 2.5mi away and 2500' high, loiter for 5min while taking video and come back with 25% battery left. That's the beauty of my unleashed P4P, as demonstrated when I went to the Rockies in Oct.