Disabling DJI airspace authorization.

[Fred Garvin]

Gotcha....that's the way Red Zones are here, the prisons and jails, except for the area over a VOR/DME where there's also a TFR over it. I've never had a need to fly over a jail or prison, or directly over Maverick either, so I don't have any actual experience trying to get one unlocked.

So what has been your experience contacting DJI to release a Red Zone? Were they cooperative or difficult?

BTW - Earlier you said you'd had long conversations with Brendan Schulman, VP of legal at DJI. Anything discussed that might apply toRed Zones or Licensed operators gaining NFZ removals?

 

[Dave Pitman]

So what has been your experience contacting DJI to release a Red Zone? Were they cooperative or difficult?

As stated, none of the airports that I need are Red zones, only Blue. "Custom Unlocks" (DJI's term) went okay. Better than it used to a few years ago.

BTW - Earlier you said you'd had long conversations with Brendan Schulman, VP of legal at DJI. Anything discussed that might apply toRed Zones or Licensed operators gaining NFZ removals?

Brendan is a smart guy. He understands the added frustration to legitimate professionals in dealing with DJI's restrictions. But the company comes first and GEO is to keep DJI from receiving negative press more than anything. When pressed why DJI won't allow an opt-out for licensed ops, the excuses have changed over time. When GEO was introduced, Brendan said that it would be too difficult for DJI to verify if someones credentials were legitimate. I shared off the shelf solutions that cost no more than postage cost to verify users in the US. He changed the excuse.

I have heard, 2nd hand, that if you are an enterprise customer buying lots of gear, you can negotiate an opt-out. But I do not have first hand knowledge if that is true.

Sales is top priority at DJI. As more manufacturers have viable competing craft without GEO, and they loose sales over it. Look for DJI to change their tune. Until then, I'm not holding my breath.

DJI is fully aware that GEO is not anything official, and they state that right on the GEO map page. It's just unfortunate that they don't just get out of the way of commercial ops.

DJI FlySafe

www.dji.com

 

[Fred Garvin]

As stated, none of the airports that I need are Red zones, only Blue. "Custom Unlocks" (DJI's term) went okay. Better than it used to a few years ago.

Ahh, okay. earlier when you said in post #18:

They (dji) will not supply an unlock for a red zone

I read that as you having been refused by them or having a solid foundation for the statement. I haven't heard of anyone being refused a Red Zone Unlock upon presentation of proper airspace authorization...doesn't mean it hasn't happened though, and I don't have any first-hand experience with it. Several Blue Zone unlocks though and no issues there.

...When GEO was introduced, Brendan said that it would be too difficult for DJI to verify if someones credentials were legitimate. I shared off the shelf solutions that cost no more than postage cost to verify users in the US. He changed the excuse.

It's probably not an issue they care to even consider unless it affects the bottom line. Until a viable competitor challenges them and this is an actual selling point, it's a non-issue for them. My guess is they're well aware of it but in the "big picture," it affects so few that they're okay with just cutting those few loose.

 

[Dave Pitman]

I read that as you having been refused by them or having a solid foundation for the statement. I haven't heard of anyone being refused a Red Zone Unlock upon presentation of proper airspace authorization...

Yeah, my only first hand experience is with the example I posted. There is no FAA airspace restriction, therefore no FAA waiver, therefore, no DJI unlock.

In fairness, Brendan said that if I, or anyone else, encounter specific problems with the GEO locations in general, you could send them all the info and they would consider removing the area from the map. I know first hand of examples where dji restricted an airport that no longer existed and it was brought up and they removed it. And other similar examples where there were equal errors and it was ignored. So it's hit and miss. And this was awhile ago before the purge of a lot of long-time western employees at DJI. It might be more difficult now with "local" decisions being made in Schenzhen instead of Los Angeles. But it just shouldn't be a hurdle in the first place.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

As stated, none of the airports that I need are Red zones, only Blue. "Custom Unlocks" (DJI's term) went okay. Better than it used to a few years ago.



Brendan is a smart guy. He understands the added frustration to legitimate professionals in dealing with DJI's restrictions. But the company comes first and GEO is to keep DJI from receiving negative press more than anything. When pressed why DJI won't allow an opt-out for licensed ops, the excuses have changed over time. When GEO was introduced, Brendan said that it would be too difficult for DJI to verify if someones credentials were legitimate. I shared off the shelf solutions that cost no more than postage cost to verify users in the US. He changed the excuse.

I have heard, 2nd hand, that if you are an enterprise customer buying lots of gear, you can negotiate an opt-out. But I do not have first hand knowledge if that is true.

Sales is top priority at DJI. As more manufacturers have viable competing craft without GEO, and they loose sales over it. Look for DJI to change their tune. Until then, I'm not holding my breath.

DJI is fully aware that GEO is not anything official, and they state that right on the GEO map page. It's just unfortunate that they don't just get out of the way of commercial ops.

View attachment 2439

DJI FlySafe

www.dji.com

" I have heard, 2nd hand, that if you are an enterprise customer buying lots of gear, you can negotiate an opt-out. " Can you imagine the customer uproar if that were true and got out?

 

[Dave Pitman]

Can you imagine the customer uproar if that were true and got out?

TBH, I don't think DJI would care if the "little people" were all a buz. They are used to making stuff up, in regard to GEO, by now. Probably anyone with first hand knowledge is blanketed in NDAs.

 

[R.Perry]

" I have heard, 2nd hand, that if you are an enterprise customer buying lots of gear, you can negotiate an opt-out. " Can you imagine the customer uproar if that were true and got out?

Multivista is a enterprise customer as far as I know they have not been able to opt-out but they may not have tried either, I will check with them.