DJI removes geofencing No Fly Zones

DJI has announced updates to its geofencing system [GEO] which applies to most of its consumer and enterprise drone products in the United States. As part of this process, the company is removing the software restrictions that stop you from flying over certain locations.

What is the GEO system?

DJI first introduced the GEO system in 2013. At the time, consumer drones were still a relatively new technology. As a result, there weren’t many formal drone flight rules and regulations. Therefore, DJI created the geofencing system as a built-in voluntary safety feature to ensure responsible flight practices. The software automatically stopped you from flying your drone over restricted locations. These areas included airports, power plants and government buildings like the White House. The GEO system would also recognize temporary restrictions in place for public emergencies like wildfires.

What has DJI announced?

DJI posted the announcement as part of a blog post earlier this week. The company said that the updates to the GEO system will take effect from January 13. These changes apply to both the DJI Fly and DJI Pilot flight apps. When you use the apps, you will now see official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data instead of DJI’s geofencing datasets.  In addition, areas shown as Restricted Zones or No-Fly Zones will be displayed as Enhanced Warning Zones. In-app alerts will also notify you that you are flying near FAA-designated controlled airspace. However, you won’t be automatically stopped from flying there.

DJI removes geofencing No Fly Zones
Image courtesy: DJI

Why has DJI done this?

According to DJI, global regulations and user awareness have evolved significantly since first it launched the GEO system. The company also said there is now a greater focus on geo-awareness and Remote ID solutions which make detection and enforcement much easier. In addition, national aviation authorities such as the FAA have defined geographical zones for drones and enforce regulations around these areas. DJI has already introduced the update to the GEO system in Europe and the UK, releasing it in January 2024.

What we think

DJI says that the updates to the GEO system are designed to place control back in the hands of the drone operators. The company also says that this is in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility which bodies such as the FAA enforce. However, removing the no-fly zones places first-time or inexperienced fliers at risk of breaking the law unintentionally. In addition, DJI is facing increased scrutiny and a potential ban from the US Government and this move may not help the company’s case for responsibility. It will be interesting to see how drone users respond to their new responsibilities.

Pricing and availability

The updates to the DJI GEO system are available now. To update, you need to connect your flight app to the internet and click ‘Update’ on the FlySafe pop-up notification.

Pete Tomkies
Pete Tomkies
Pete Tomkies is a freelance cinematographer and camera operator from Manchester, UK. He also produces and directs short films as Duck66 Films. Pete's latest short Once Bitten... won 15 awards and was selected for 105 film festivals around the world.

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