DJI will no longer prevent US users from flying drones in restricted areas

DJI has lifted its geo-fence that prevents users in the United States from flying over restricted areas such as nuclear power plants, airports and wildfires, the company wrote in a blog post. Blog post on monday. Effective January 13, areas previously called “restricted zones” or no-fly zones will be viewed as “enhanced warning areas” corresponding to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated areas. DJI’s Fly app will display a warning about those areas, but will no longer prevent users from flying within them, the company said.

In the article, DJI wrote that “in-app alerts will notify operators flying close to FAA-controlled airspace, putting control back in the hands of drone operators, consistent with regulatory principles of the operator having ultimate responsibility.” He added that technologies like Remote ID (introduced after DJI implemented geofencing) give authorities “the tools to enforce existing rules,” said Adam Welsh, head of global policy for DJI. Edge.

However, the update is strange, given that DJI is already on shaky ground in the US and Can be blocked It will sell its products in the United States early next year. Brendon Schulman, DJI’s former head of policy, criticized the move on Twitter in a series of posts. “There has been strong evidence over the years that automatic geolocation of drones, implemented using a risk-based approach, has contributed significantly to aviation safety,” he wrote.

There is also a problem with drones weighing less than 250 grams. These models are pre-located via GEO in restricted areas to prevent inadvertent flight into restricted locations. However, the update will remove geofencing, and remote de-identification can be done on these lightweight drones.

In fact, that’s exactly what happened last week when a sub-250g DJI model was launched Wing damage Canadair Super Scooper aircraft battling wildfires in Los Angeles, placing it temporarily out of service. That drone may not have been transmitting a remote ID, so the FBI said it would need to use “investigative means” instead to find the pilot.

DJI first implemented geofencing (called GEO) around airports in 2013, and added new areas in 2015. And 2016After a drone landed on the White House lawn. It did so voluntarily, as the FAA only requires that operators be warned of restricted areas where flying is prohibited. Now, the burden will fall 100% on the operator to stay away from the no-fly zones.

“DJI reminds pilots to always ensure flights are conducted safely and in accordance with all local laws and regulations. For flights conducted in enhanced warning areas, drone operators must obtain airspace clearance directly from the FAA and consult with the FAA. No unmanned area “A source for more information,” he wrote.