Maybe I’m totally off here, but I’m open to hearing other perspectives.
The FAA controls all U.S. airspace and manages LAANC authorizations and Certificates of Waiver (COW). So, I don’t see why I should have to ask for permission from a drone company or go through their process to fly my own drone in local airspace or anywhere in the country, especially when these companies aren’t even U.S.-based. It feels like these drone companies are inserting themselves into FAA regulations, which just seems wrong. They’re supposed to be making drones, not getting involved in U.S. regulations.
Maybe this is why we hear about banning Chinese drones…
EDIT for clarification: I live in a rural area where the weather can change a lot, so I always check NOTAMs and TAFs before I fly. I even print them out and keep them with me in a “flight plan packet” to show any authorities if needed. I’m very familiar with the airspace around me, including the restricted zones. I doubt any drone company knows more about my local airspace than I do. I’ve never needed LAANC or COW authorization to fly here.
DroneEnthusiast said:
DJI probably has geo-fencing to protect themselves from liability. I don’t think they’re trying to be part of the regulation process.
Exactly, it’s all about protecting themselves legally.
Here’s some history: DJI added geo-fencing before there was an easy way to get flight authorizations. Back then, you had to submit requests by mail, and it took forever. DJI’s geo-fencing helped ensure customers were following the rules. Now, we have things like LAANC, but originally, DJI was just trying to prevent problems. As for the proposed Chinese drone ban, that’s mostly due to lobbying by American drone companies that still haven’t caught up to DJI’s technology.
Personally, I like the geo-fencing feature. It’s not intrusive, and when I have permission to fly, it’s easy to get through the restrictions. The talk about banning DJI drones comes up every year, but it never goes anywhere. It’s just political posturing, and I hope it stays that way. A ban would destroy my business.
Vince said: @Ashton
It doesn’t usually bother me either, but it’s frustrating when I can’t fly inside a building because it’s too close to a restricted area.
Can’t you just override the warning? I thought you could.
@Ashton
Nope. The area is totally restricted because of the nearby runway. I’d have to deal with the FAA drone zone, but I’ve been too lazy to figure it out.
Vince said: @Ashton
Nope. The area is totally restricted because of the nearby runway. I’d have to deal with the FAA drone zone, but I’ve been too lazy to figure it out.
Technically, the FAA doesn’t have control over airspace inside your house, so they can’t give you permission to fly indoors.
Geo-fencing by DJI started because of incidents like when a Phantom drone landed on the White House lawn in 2015. That led to a lot of pressure from U.S. authorities for DJI to step up its security measures. DJI added geo-fencing as a way to prevent something like that from happening again. Later, LAANC was created because the increase in drone usage was overwhelming the FAA’s manual approval system. LAANC was designed to automate flight authorizations, making things easier for everyone.
The reason DJI gets so much attention in discussions like this is because they dominate the market. They account for 70-85% of drone sales, depending on the source. People often focus on them because they’re the biggest player in the game. As for the Chinese drone ban, it’s mostly driven by U.S. companies trying to compete with DJI and concerns about data privacy, but it’s also a way for American companies to catch up.
@Weston
Thanks for the detailed explanation! I understand more now. I get why DJI added geo-fencing after the White House incident. But if the government really wants to improve safety, maybe built-in RID (Remote ID) would help. That way, if a drone flies into restricted airspace, they can track it down without needing geo-fencing. As for the careless people flying without following the rules, they definitely make things harder for those of us who are trying to do things right. I’ve run into a few of them myself.
@Zinn
Yeah, DJI did the geo-fencing as a way to say, “Look, we’re handling it!” If another manufacturer doesn’t use DJI’s system, their drones won’t have the same geo-fencing. This all happened before RID became a thing, so it’s kind of outdated now. DJI’s geo-fencing is also a legal shield for them, if something goes wrong, they can say it’s not their fault because they have safety features in place.
I’ve been flying drones for years, even before geo-fencing was a thing. I got my Part 107 license and now use LAANC to get flight authorizations. It wasn’t always clear how to do all this when I first started, but I figured it out over time by talking to FAA reps. The truth is, most people don’t know or care about the airspace rules. They just want to fly their drones, and geo-fencing is probably the only thing stopping them from doing something dangerous. While it’s annoying for those of us who follow the rules, it’s necessary for the 99% who don’t.
I think geo-fencing is an overstep, but I understand why it exists. I live near an uncontrolled airport, and even though I’m a Part 107 pilot, DJI won’t let me fly near it without authorization. It’s frustrating because I know it’s safe, but I still have to jump through extra hoops just to fly near my own home.
I agree with you! I don’t think consumer drones should have their flights restricted by manufacturers. Their maps and systems might not even be up-to-date. I do think it’s good for the drone to give me a warning, but I should be able to dismiss it and move on if I know it’s safe. I’m the pilot, and I should be in control of the flight.
@Terry
Exactly! As a pilot, I’m in command of the flight. Let me know if I’m near restricted airspace, but don’t block me from flying. If I need LAANC approval, just ask me for it, but don’t make me go through the drone’s software.