DJI, I am a responcible rc pilot in this hobby for over 15 years.  Building balsa planes,soldering 250,210 160mm quads to fly fpv freestyle and for speed.  Love epp wings to fly 100+mph fpvin'g and tried building a 650 Tarot quad to have an AP quad[keeps crashing].   So now I am the proud owner of a cute, little DJI SPark Fly more package and an extra battery. Cost $600, and also bought a Ipad mini 4 to connect to the controler.  Was looking so forward to videoing our churchs VBS progam skits made from the air.
        Trump is playing golf in Bedminster NJ [30+ miles] south of my town and my club field is a 20minute drive north in Rockland County, NY state[RCRCC]  The club field was, but now isn't in the NFZ any longer. Why it ever was is crazy.   Anyway, my Spark says NO FLY ZONE still at the club!  Can't you allow those of us who spend a fortune in this hobby an option to opt-out of your controlling us and when and where we fly.

I understand FAA rules,  Line of sight,400ft height, ect...ect ,stay away from vips and airports. All good stuff.   The Mavicks, Phantoms, Inspires have the abilty to fly far and carry weight....but seriously, the Spark, it's tiny and I do have my FAA # on it. For crying out loud, DJI won't even let me fly in my back yard because trump is way down south Jersey and I am 2 miles from the NY State line...How sad DJI, let me fly like the 62y/o adult I am.  It's a Spark, a cute little Spark.  0 threat to anyone really.   

    Stop being the police of quadcopter flight and give us the freedom to choose to be responsible pilots. I will gladly sign any forms taking full responsibilty for my actions.I joined the AMA 15 years ago.  If the hobby suffers do to idiots, they'll be flying cheap toys irresponsibly, not Inspires,Phantoms, Mavicks, ect...ect..which cost $$$$.00's.      Please!! Let us choose to opt-out so I can fly in my back yard where no one will get hurt and no VIP[ Trump?] is sneaking around the corner.   


   PS: Some of us still refer to what you build as Quads.  Quadcopters, not DRONEs.   Sheeesh!   I don't own a room of DRONES.  I have a room filled with my love for the RC hobby.  Your controling us is breaking our hearts and our love of your products.   Please,think about it.    Note, I have owned the spark 2 weeks and not flown it yet. i will have to wait 10 more days to hover in my back yard. Who knows when the next NFZ will be issued.  Thats just wrong.

   Sincerly, The proud owner of a DJI spark thats necer been flown[yet], Stu

you have a point

I tried with 2 online support techs to resolve why my Spark won't fly in an area without any restrictions and my Sparks says "NO fly zone".  They were totally unhelpful.  I needed to report a NFZ block error on my spark at the club field I fly at in NY.   There is a restriction for VIP[trump playing golf] in NJ, but the club is far away from this area.  May as well have been asking deer staring in car headlights how to unlock my Spark to fly at a 40 acker site in NY state 20 minute drive further north away from the lotus.   Anyway,  Dji is a company thats hurting our hobby with their over controlling our choices of where and how to fly.   Would love to hear from others regarding why the Spark , so cute, so tiny, so beautiful made to fly smart, needs to be so regulated and cause user's to consider  installing older firmware to negate the restriction they didn't tell us about when we updated to the latest and greatest firmware.    Should be interesting if I get kicked off the forum, but the topic is "oh so" relevant to big brother and countries spying on americans and our freedom to choose!!!!

You are so right. I live over 30 miles north of Bedminster and Morristown airport. All I want to do is fly my Spark up to 30 feet up in my back yard to get some practice. But the POTUS is on a two week vacation even though he is halfway across the country stomping for some republican candidate.
This not only affects us but every private pilot of anything who wants to enjoy himself. But a Spark?? Crazy!

Very true!!  Now I want to know why Dumont  NJ isn't in the RED zone on the b4ufly map, and the FAA map????   I need to contact DJI to investigate so i can fly a Spark.....shheeeeesh , what nonsense. If DJI really wants to get rich[lol] ,they will make a spark size quad with all the bells and whistles that weighs less and falls under 0 restrictions.   as is....I feel ripped off. 3 weeks ownership...0 flights outdoors.

I'm going crazy....What i meant is my spark says NFZ....but the maps say i should be good to fly.     it sounded like i want dumont in the red..lol.

A substantial subset of drone operators have qualified for the FAA's Remote Pilot certificate with a small unmanned aerial system rating. This certificate can be obtained by holders of a manned aircraft pilot certificate and a current flight review by taking an on-line course. Alternatively, for those without those two items, it can be obtained by taking a knowledge test on 14CFR107, airspace, and weather. Those with such a certificate and rating have proven that they possess the required knowledge to stay out of regulatory trouble. DJI should perhaps store in the pilot's profile that they have such a certificate and then could permit downloading a software license to the aircraft that enables turning off the obligatory flight restriction firmware feature, other than for the most sensitive areas (prisons, nuclear power plants, Washington DC area, other areas where waivers cannot be obtained). For more info re: the Remote Pilot license, see UAS section on FAA.gov.  Note that this license is NOT REQUIRED for those flying exclusively under the separate model aircraft rules.  It IS required for all those who operate a drone for a commercial purpose. Optional for others. To register a drone (each requires a separate registration, if it weighs over a certain small weight - see part 107 on FAA.gov for details), see the "Dronezone" area of FAA.gov. $5.00 per drone, valid for 3 years.

I am considering the test that certifies piloting drones, but I am only in the hobby for fun.  All  balsa planes and quads have my FAA# on them. I am a AMA member for around 12 years now.  The man cave/ hanger is full of many[to many] hours of built planes and epp wings for fpv.  and to many quads....lol   [It's embarrassing ].   Depending on how much time the certificate would require to achieve ,I might still go for it.

TobyDogs Posted at 2018-8-9 13:53
I am considering the test that certifies piloting drones, but I am only in the hobby for fun.  All  balsa planes and quads have my FAA# on them. I am a AMA member for around 12 years now.  The man cave/ hanger is full of many[to many] hours of built planes and epp wings for fpv.  and to many quads....lol   .   Depending on how much time the certificate would require to achieve ,I might still go for it.

It's actually not that difficult.  There are ample study materials online. Two or three evenings should suffice.

Av8or Posted at 2018-8-9 18:08
It's actually not that difficult.  There are ample study materials online. Two or three evenings should suffice.

Plus, you get a real pilot's license with a real rating!  

Av8or Posted at 2018-8-9 18:09
Plus, you get a real pilot's license with a real rating!

There is some cost to take the test on a computer at a testing center. FAA.gov has a directory of such centers, and a quick phone call to the center will disclose the cost.
For those with a manned certificate and rating, and a current flight review, the on-line course at FAA.gov is free. You should take it anyway; it's good instruction!

Been having the same issues here in Canada, and Trump isn't even visiting!
The geofencing/NFZ protocol isn't consistent and I have been forced to submit custom unlocking requests more than expected for places where we could fly freely the weeks before.

The solution to your problem is quite simple, go to No Limit Drones site and all your DJI restrictions will vanish.
We all think we are competent droners, that remains to be seen. However, I decided to use the NLD firmware changes, because I am in an area blotted out by NFZs that overlap. I am only interested in low altitude photography and any plane or helicopter at the drone height will have already hit a building or raised ground.
The ATC are very accommodating if I wish to fly within the local airport radius, so for me, there are tangible risks.
So far, after 18 months of use, the firmware has caused no issues. In fact, it is more reliable than the DJI offering, certainly when it was installed.
Give it a try and be your own person.