DJI will stop preventing drones from flying over airports, wildfires, and the White House.
DJI claims that the decision is in line with FAA regulations.
For over a decade, flying a DJI drone over restricted areas in the United States was nearly impossible. DJI's software automatically prevented flights over runways, power plants, public emergency scenes like wildfires, and even the White House. However, unexpectedly, amid a growing public skepticism towards drones and an incident where a DJI drone operator impeded firefighting efforts in Los Angeles, the company has decided to remove its strict geofencing.
From now on, DJI will no longer enforce "No Fly Zones"; instead, it will only offer a warning that can be ignored, meaning that only common sense, empathy, and the fear of being caught by authorities will deter people from flying in prohibited areas. In a statement, DJI describes this change as an attempt to "give control back to drone operators." The company suggests that technologies like Remote ID, which publicly transmit the drone's and operator's location during flight, are "providing authorities with the necessary tools to enforce existing rules," according to Adam Welsh, DJI's global policy head.
Interestingly, the DJI drone involved in damaging a Super Scooper aircraft during firefighting in Los Angeles was a model weighing less than 250 grams, which may not require Remote ID to operate. The FBI has indicated that it will have to "work backward through investigative means" to determine who was flying it. DJI's decision to eliminate this functionality makes sense in the current context, where the U.S. government has begun restricting some drone imports and has labeled DJI as a "Chinese military company," in addition to being in the process of initiating a de facto import ban.
FAA spokesperson Ian Gregor confirms that there is no requirement for drone manufacturers to implement geofencing. While this change may seem favorable to some, Brendan Schulman, former head of global policy at DJI, criticizes the decision, arguing that it represents a significant shift in drone safety strategy that could have a considerable impact, particularly among less knowledgeable drone pilots regarding airspace restrictions.
Over the years, automatic drone geofencing, implemented through a risk-based approach, has significantly contributed to aviation safety. Interestingly, this announcement comes almost ten years after a DJI drone infamously landed in the White House garden. Regarding questions sent to DJI related to the new policy, the company confirmed that the geofencing update applies to all locations in the U.S., replacing its previous data with official FAA information and redefining prohibited areas as Enhanced Warning Zones.
The company also clarified that this decision aligns with the operator's responsibility to comply with regulations, following a principle adopted by regulators worldwide. Additionally, they mentioned that they have been working on this update for some time, inspired by similar changes implemented last year in the EU, which showed no evidence of increased risk. However, it appears that DJI's applications will continue to generate voluntary warnings if pilots attempt to fly in restricted airspaces, as long as they keep their apps updated.
