I've read about the restricted zones around Regan National Airport. I'm in suburban MD, well inside the 15-mi "no-drone" circle. I have a Mavic Air 2 still in its box (holiday present), and I'm wondering if I should just return it.  Specific question:

Can I even try the thing out inside my house, or will it shut down as soon as it gets a GPS signal (which my cell phone does in at least some parts of the house)?


Thanks in advance for clarification. -- jclarkw

So the only place you can think of flying at is inside the No-Fly-Zone of Regan airport?  You cannot conceive of flying elsewhere?

Geebax Posted at 1-6 18:00
So the only place you can think of flying at is inside the No-Fly-Zone of Regan airport?  You cannot conceive of flying elsewhere?

Geebax -- I did ask a substantive question (though perhaps I posed it badly)... -- jclarkw

Hello there jclarkw. Thank you for reaching out and for these information you have given. Please be careful when flying indoors as the DJI Mavic Air 2 stabilization feature may experience interference and might affect the said drone. In addition, if you really need to fly indoors kindly please use a DJI Mavic Air 2 Propeller Guard. The DJI Mavic Air 2 Propeller Guard protects the propellers and other objects from damage and it could also be use to makes the said DJI drone easier to transport. Thank you and have a safe flight always.

>>...if you really need to fly indoors kindly please use a DJI Mavic Air 2 Propeller Guard.<<

DJI Stephen -- Thanks for this helpful tip.

My main concern at the moment, however, remains whether it will start up at all in the house.  Given that I'm in a no-drone zone and that GPS reception is spotty inside the house, is it possible to test it indoors without GPS (or is it possible to turn off GPS???), or will it already have figured out where it is from the update process and refuse to start up until it gets an unrestricted GPS location?

Best Regards to All -- jclarkw

Here's another thought/question for you Mavic experts:  If the drone locks up (indoors in a no-drone zone) when connected to DJI Fly, what about flying it inside the house withOUT any cell-phone connected?  (After all, the real-time view from the camera isn't adding much when the drone is within 20 ft or so of me.)  Would that obviate the geofence, or is it going to shut down anyhow based on any GPS inklings it may get? -- jclarkw

jclarkw Posted at 1-7 07:09
Here's another thought/question for you Mavic experts:  If the drone locks up (indoors in a no-drone zone) when connected to DJI Fly, what about flying it inside the house withOUT any cell-phone connected?  (After all, the real-time view from the camera isn't adding much when the drone is within 20 ft or so of me.)  Would that obviate the geofence, or is it going to shut down anyhow based on any GPS inklings it may get? -- jclarkw

The DJI drones do not need any cell phone connection to fly, you can even fly them using the Remote Control without a phone attached. But the aircraft may refuse to fly inside your house if it can receive GPS signals and you are inside a no fly zone. a no fly zone is only detected by the aircraft's reception of GPS signals, it has nothing to do with your phone.

However, most often, you will not receive any GPS signal inside the average house, in which case the aircraft will fly in what is called ATTI mode, where it is under full manual flight control. It is a tricky thing to master ATTI mode, and you can very easily fly into walls and other obstacles. This is why Stephen is advising you to put prop guards on the aircraft.

Geebax Posted at 1-7 13:14
...However, most often, you will not receive any GPS signal inside the average house, in which case the aircraft will fly in what is called ATTI mode, where it is under full manual flight control. It is a tricky thing to master ATTI mode, and you can very easily fly into walls and other obstacles. This is why Stephen is advising you to put prop guards on the aircraft.

Geebax -- Thanks for that info!  The manual is very unclear on that point, saying only the following:

"The aircraft automatically changes to Attitude (ATTI) mode when the Vision Systems are unavailable or disabled and where the GPS signal is weak or the compass experiences interference [emphasis mine].  In ATTI mode, the aircraft may be more easily affected by its surroundings.  Environmental factors such as wind can result in horizontal shifting, which may present hasards, especially when flying in confined spaces."

So the built-in obstacle-avoidance and stabilization features are all disabled whenever there is no GPS signal?  That does sound tricky! -- jclarkw

Geebax Posted at 1-7 13:14
...However, most often, you will not receive any GPS signal inside the average house, in which case the aircraft will fly in what is called ATTI mode, where it is under full manual flight control. It is a tricky thing to master ATTI mode, and you can very easily fly into walls and other obstacles. This is why Stephen is advising you to put prop guards on the aircraft.

Geebax -- The information in your second paragraph appears to be misleading, possibly incorrect.  I finally got an unambiguous answer from DJI email tech support as follows:

"1. Stabilization system relis on GPS signal and visual system, as long as one of them two is working, the drone can hover stably [emphasis mine]. The hovering accuracy range is vary, depends one whether GPS system or visual system works.

"2. Most customer type drone has stabilization system. In order to maintain the stability of the aircraft, the main control system will correct the motor operation according to your operation and the current environment. So Mavic Air can’t achieve ”full manual control” function [emphasis mine] you mentioned."

Does this agree with your understanding?  Did I misinterpret what you wrote?

Anyhow I will try this out as soon as my propeller protectors arrive from DJI and report... -- jclarkw

jclarkw Posted at 1-12 12:28
Geebax -- The information in your second paragraph appears to be misleading, possibly incorrect.  I finally got an unambiguous answer from DJI email tech support as follows:

"1. Stabilization system relis on GPS signal and visual system, as long as one of them two is working, the drone can hover stably [emphasis mine]. The hovering accuracy range is vary, depends one whether GPS system or visual system works.

To answer the question, try flying inside.

Well, that was a bust! I cannot find anywhere in the house (except an interior hall on the bottom floor which is too narrow to fly) where the Mavic Air 2 doesn't know it's in a restricted zone. It must have a really good GPS receiver onboard. (It's not using my cell phone because I turned off all location services and put it in airplane mode.)

Speculating that the GPS antenna(s) may use the prop arms in addition to the A/C body, I doubt it's possible to shield it(them). Does anyone know anything about this?

jclarkw Posted at 1-14 14:03
Well, that was a bust! I cannot find anywhere in the house (except an interior hall on the bottom floor which is too narrow to fly) where the Mavic Air 2 doesn't know it's in a restricted zone. It must have a really good GPS receiver onboard. (It's not using my cell phone because I turned off all location services and put it in airplane mode.)

Speculating that the GPS antenna(s) may use the prop arms in addition to the A/C body, I doubt it's possible to shield it(them). Does anyone know anything about this?

The GPS (usually) uses a very small ceramic etch antenna built into the body 0f the GPS chip. There are no GPS antennas in the arms.

Geebax Posted at 1-14 14:53
The GPS (usually) uses a very small ceramic etch antenna built into the body 0f the GPS chip. There are no GPS antennas in the arms.

Geebax -- What about the communication antenna(s)?  Do you know where it(they) are? -- jclarkw

jclarkw Posted at 1-15 06:19
Geebax -- What about the communication antenna(s)?  Do you know where it(they) are? -- jclarkw

They used to put the antennas in the landing legs on the Phantom series, nut sure what they do about the Mavic series.

Disassembled:

GaryDoug -- Thanks.  The Air 2 has long feet in front that look just like that, so I guess it's the same.

By the way, is the flat orange object at the top of your first photo the GPS antenna?  If so, there's a similar structure under the front cowling of the Air 2 (according to a YouTube video I found).  That cowling is now covered with aluminum foil, which does in fact greatly reduce the GPS signal.  Not enough for outdoors, but enough to fly in the lower level of my house. -- jclarkw