DJI has lifted its geofence 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 on Monday. Beginning January 13, areas previously called “restricted areas” or no-fly zones will be posted as “enhanced warning zones” which correspond to areas designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). DJI’s Fly app will display a warning about these zones but will no longer prevent users from flying within them, the company said.
In the article, DJI writes that “in-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA-designated controlled airspace, putting control back in the hands of drone operators, consistent with the regulatory principles that the operator bears final responsibility.” He added that technologies such as Remote ID (introduced after DJI implemented geofencing) give authorities “the tools to enforce existing rules,” said Adam Welsh, head of global policy at DJI. The edge.
Still, the update is strange, given that DJI is already on shaky ground in the United States and could be banned from selling its products in the United States as soon as next year. Former DJI policy chief Brendon Schulman criticized the move on Twitter in a series of posts. “There has been substantial evidence over the years that automatic drone geofencing, implemented using a risk-based approach, contributes significantly to aviation safety,” he wrote.
This is a remarkable shift in drone safety strategy, with potentially huge impact, particularly among drone pilots who are less aware of airspace restrictions and high-risk areas. https://t.co/YJOpe2gcZe
– Brendan Schulman (@dronelaws) January 14, 2025
There is also a problem with drones weighing less than 250 grams. These models were previously geolocated via GEO in restricted areas to prevent accidental theft in restricted locations. However, the update will remove this geolocation and remote identification can be disabled on these lightweight drones.
In fact, that’s exactly what happened last week when a less than 250 gram DJI model damaged the wing of a Canadair Super Scooper plane battling wildfires in Los Angeles, putting it temporarily out of service. This drone may not have transmitted remote identification, so the FBI said it will instead have to use “investigative assets” to track down the pilot.
DJI first implemented geofence (called GEO) around airports in 2013, and added new zones in 2015 and 2016, after a drone crashed on the White House lawn. He did this voluntarily, because the FAA only requires that operators be notified of restricted areas where flight is prohibited. Now, however, it will be 100% on the operator to stay out of no-fly zones.
“DJI reminds pilots to always ensure that flights are conducted safely and in compliance with all local laws and regulations. For flights conducted in enhanced warning zones, drone operators must obtain authorization to airspace directly from the FAA and see the FAA’s No Drone Zone resource for more information,” he wrote.
