Hello all,

I work for Oklahoma State University and we do a lot of research with UAVs.  Part of our research involves flying in restricted airspace including above 500 meters.  We have a COA from the FAA expressly giving us permission to fly up to 915 meters (3000 ft).  While I understand DJI's plight to enforce safe and legal flying amongst it's customers and appreciate the system put in place to fly in No Fly Zones with a documented COA, those of us with permission to fly above 500 meters are left in the cold.  The response I recieved from DJI support was brief:  
"Please note that there is no possibility of changing relative height limit, which is 500m.
You can refer to the height of the Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level: 1.86 mi (3000 m), which means you can start your aircraft at high sea level."

There was no discussion for a path to receive firmware changes in order to fly above this limit, not even for a price.  This means we will have to look at other ways of accomplishing our research (i.e. Pixhawk).  


Anyone else in the same boat?  Any admins care to elaborate further?  Any plans for change?

Yep, there are more pilots with this issue.
Like this one: https://forum.dji.com/thread-145208-1-1.html

I have to fallback from my M200 to a Yuneec H520 to do official authorized S&R missions in the mountains ...

USRI, where did you send email to? support@dji.com? If you already have the authorization from the political department, please submit unlocking request here: https://www.dji.com/flysafe/self-unlock The team will assist.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2018-4-26 18:44
USRI, where did you send email to? ? If you already have the authorization from the political department, please submit unlocking request here: https://www.dji.com/flysafe/self-unlock The team will assist.

DJI Mindy,
I emailed support.  Are you sure they can work with me to adjust altitude?  I was told by support "no possibility of changing relative height limit, which is 500m".

The flysafe self unlock is for geo-fenced unlocking.

USRI Posted at 2018-6-18 09:16
DJI Mindy,
I emailed support.  Are you sure they can work with me to adjust altitude?  I was told by support "no possibility of changing relative height limit, which is 500m".

Yes, please apply the unlocking request via the NFZ system and remark that you need to unlock the height limit, the team will help you out.

No help from flysafe either.  I submitted a custom request with my COA attached.  The request went through but it was only for the GPS location I filed for, not altitude.

I then emailed the flysafe department directly at         flysafe@dji.com.  I received this response:

"Thank you for contacting DJI.
Your unlocking request have passed, please follow the unlocking steps in attachment to unlock for your drone.
But I am sorry we don't support removing height limitation at present."

I think this would require a firmware change and DJI is unwilling to do it.

USRI Posted at 2018-6-26 09:37
No help from flysafe either.  I submitted a custom request with my COA attached.  The request went through but it was only for the GPS location I filed for, not altitude.

I then emailed the flysafe department directly at         .  I received this response:

radio silence...

Solution: don't buy DJI.