I'm flying the Mini 2 with LAANC authorization of 200 ft.  I take off at a low point in a valley, and head towards a hill only a few hundred meters away.  As I approach the hill I must raise my altitude (obviously) to maintain height above the hill.  DJI Fly shows me at 254 ft. in altitude, but I'm still within 200 ft. AGL, of course.  But suddenly, DJI FLy app gives me this message: "Aircraft entered Altitude Zone (Altitude limit: 196ft). Current altitude exceeds limit. Leave zone or land"
What on earth is this?  I'm still within 200 ft. AGL, which LAANC authorized!  Why won't DJI allow me to fly here??  What is this message, and can I get rid of it?

A second, related question: In another part of town I wanted to get a picture of an office building, which requires me to go up about 80 ft.  It is near an airport, and LAANC authorized flight at 100 ft.  DJI wouldn't even let the drone take off.  It gave me a message saying that I was in a restricted area.  Wait a minute: who is the authority / government: is it LAANC / FAA, or is it DJI???

I'm new to flying, and to DJI products.  Am I correct to say that this is like the government imposing a 65mph speed limit on a road, which I am willing to obey, but the car manufacturer delimited the speed of my car to only 55mph?  Is that would DJI is doing?  Are you serious!!!

The AGL the drone uses is from takeoff point. It does not read ground level changes, just its height from the home point.

Aircraft entered altitude zone (so abide by what you agreed to with LAANC).
When you fly OUT of the authorization zone, you may go up to 400 feet.

Where I live, I live inside the 'altitude zone' about 2 blocks worth.  So when I fly from my yard, I have to get authorization to leave the altitude zone, when I'm beyond it I can go higher than agreed to with LAANC.  This should be easily viewable in whatever app your using to communicate with LAANC, 'maps'.  Maps will show you circles of the altitude zones.

Did you add your authorisation  into DJI's self unlocking page, this is UK but it should auto change for you
https://www.dji.com/uk/flysafe/self-unlock

Bashy Posted at 8-22 17:42
Did you add your authorisation  into DJI's self unlocking page, this is UK but it should auto change for you
https://www.dji.com/uk/flysafe/self-unlock

@Mobilehomer: Thanks for the explanation of how the DJI Fly app defines altitude.  (I already understood this before posting, so that wasn't really the point of my post.

@hunterws: You wrote, "So abide by what you agreed to with LAANC."  I was!  Didn't you read my post?
LAANC said I could go 200 ft. AGL, and that's EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING, even though I had to elevate to get up the hill.  AGL means "Above Ground Level."  As I went up the hill, I was staying within 200 ft. of the ever-increasing ground level.  Am I missing something here?  The point of my post was to ask why DJI is limiting me by some "artificial number" which LAANC / FAA care nothing about (namely, the low takeoff altitude in the valley).  I'm abiding by the law, but DJI thinks they should control things, and limit to me LESS than what the law allows.  Read my post again, hunterws.

@Bashy: Thank you for the kind suggestion.  I'll look into this.  In fact, I was studying the DJI zones on the map (not LAANC / FAA zones, by the way, which don't exist there), and it was the elongated rectangle / rhombus looking bow-shaped area that was limiting my altitude.  What on earth is THAT?  I understand the circles around airports, but what is this weird bow-shaped looking thing which extends miles BEYOND what the circular warning / restricted zones are?  This seems like utter nonsense.

Now, is everyone to shy too answer me, if I'm correct about the car analogy.  I said, this is like the government putting a speed limit sign of 65mph on the highway, but the car manufacturer that I bought the car from put a governor of 55mph in the car.  Did you hear me: they didn't even govern the car to what the LAW allows (65mph), but restricted it even further.  Who on earth does DJI think they are!?

dronegurlz Posted at 8-22 18:29
@Mobilehomer: Thanks for the explanation of how the DJI Fly app defines altitude.  (I already understood this before posting, so that wasn't really the point of my post.

@hunterws: You wrote, "So abide by what you agreed to with LAANC."  I was!  Didn't you read my post?

" but what is this weird bow-shaped looking thing which extends miles BEYOND what the circular warning "

If you are asking about the "bow-tie" areas, those are the landing/takeoff flight zones, extensions of the runways. Manned aircraft can be at any altitude in those zones.

What you are expecting from your drone is not possible in the present configuration due to costs. It has no accurate way to determine altitude (over about 30 feet) except referenced to the home point (no radar altimeter, etc).

One workaround could be to land and takeoff at the higher location. That would reset the baro altimeter to zero.

GaryDoug Posted at 8-22 18:33
" but what is this weird bow-shaped looking thing which extends miles BEYOND what the circular warning "

If you are asking about the "bow-tie" areas, those are the landing/takeoff flight zones, extensions of the runways. Manned aircraft can be at any altitude in those zones.

Not sure i would advise on the landing and take-off idea to a novice flyer, purely for the fact that once on the ground
it may well lose signal to the remote due to the antennas being in the legs and not being able to take off again.

Been there done that once when i was a total novice, luckily i was only a few hundred feet away and walking closer got me connected again.

You have to also be aware that landing may take you behind something, even if its tiny, like a rock a raise in the ground
and so on, hundreds of reasons im sure but this will also kill the remotes line of sight and possible that no amount of
walking closer will help until you can see the ac again.

Just a couple of points to bare in mind is all...

dronegurlz Posted at 8-22 18:29
@Mobilehomer: Thanks for the explanation of how the DJI Fly app defines altitude.  (I already understood this before posting, so that wasn't really the point of my post.

@hunterws: You wrote, "So abide by what you agreed to with LAANC."  I was!  Didn't you read my post?

Your analogy is pretty much spot on, but, I believe that DJI has a responsibility to make their drones as
safe as possible, in turn, this can go a bit too far, frustrate us and impede on our enjoyment.

If the government thought they could get away with the limiters, they would  do it in a heartbeat.

Some manufacturers are actually gonna do just that, take Volvo for example, I believe they are going
to reduce the limiter from 155mph to 117mph, not 100% sure if I got that 117 correct, it could be a little
above or below that, i was wrong, its actually 112mph, see here.

There's no way on earth would i buy a restricted car that's that low, i have been a fan of Volvo for many a year, that's diminishing.....

Bashy Posted at 8-22 19:42
Your analogy is pretty much spot on, but, I believe that DJI has a responsibility to make their drones as
safe as possible, in turn, this can go a bit too far, frustrate us and impede on our enjoyment.

@GaryDoug: Thanks for your helpful response.  I appreciate the landing-take-off-again suggestion.  It definitely could have a potential application, but Bashy's words are totally correct in this case, because there is a heavy tree line where I'm flying.  If I land the drone, I'll lose RC connection for sure.

You said, "What you are expecting the drone to do..."  I'm not expecting the drone to do anything.  I'm frustrated at the limitations imposed by DJI, because they are significantly above and beyond what the law requires.  I've read (and now almost experienced personally) where going into certain DJI "zones" can cause crashes, or the drone to not return RTH.

Imagine being on a highway with 65mph speed limit.  Everyone around you is driving 80mph, but your car is governed / limited to 55 mph.  That's a very crude, rough analogy, but maybe it will help illustrate the point.  Anyway, far too much control.  I know this is primarily because I live in a suburban area, and if I lived out in the country I'd have none of these problems, but it's still frustrated.  Again though, I'm not asking the drone to be more technically advanced, as you suggest.  I'm simply asking DJI to be less controlling, and to know if there is a way around it.

@Bashy: Thanks for confirming my car analogy.  I'm new to owning a DJI drone myself, but I already read many of the gripes people have with DJI "zones" before making the purchase.  I understand control, but the lines have to be drawn somewhere.  Not letting me even take off with my drone when LAANC authorized 100ft. is insane--totally illegitimate.  DJI needs to remember who the government is (not them), and stick to their valid responsibilities.

dronegurlz Posted at 8-22 21:16
@GaryDoug: Thanks for your helpful response.  I appreciate the landing-take-off-again suggestion.  It definitely could have a potential application, but Bashy's words are totally correct in this case, because there is a heavy tree line where I'm flying.  If I land the drone, I'll lose RC connection for sure.

You said, "What you are expecting the drone to do..."  I'm not expecting the drone to do anything.  I'm frustrated at the limitations imposed by DJI, because they are significantly above and beyond what the law requires.  I've read (and now almost experienced personally) where going into certain DJI "zones" can cause crashes, or the drone to not return RTH.

" I'm not expecting the drone to do anything.  I'm frustrated at the limitations imposed by DJI, because they are significantly above and beyond what the law requires.  I've read (and now almost experienced personally) where going into certain DJI "zones" can cause crashes, or the drone to not return RTH."

But that is exactly what you are expecting. You expect DJI to somehow be able to determine your altitude over the ground below. It cannot. Instead it plans for the worst and limits you to the best known data. Nothing wrong with that and it makes perfect sense. If it did not, there would be no limits possible near restricted zones and these drones would be banned.

Your car analogy is not applicable, because your car speedometer is accurate enough to be trusted. Apples and oranges.

And by the way, many automobiles do have restrictions placed on themselves in certain conditions. One example is if the throttle control device becomes unreliable. In that case, the engine speed is severly restricted. Toyota came under fire years ago when that safety net failed and their vehicles sped away out of control with the passengers inside.

The limitations are NOT DJI!!! When you rose above 200' HOME POINT AGL, you exceeded the LAANC authorization.
Second part - in a 100' restricted area, you need clearance. Get that, then fly. It doesn't take long, maybe a few minutes.

Mobilehomer Posted at 8-23 14:24
The limitations are NOT DJI!!! When you rose above 200' HOME POINT AGL, you exceeded the LAANC authorization.
Second part - in a 100' restricted area, you need clearance. Get that, then fly. It doesn't take long, maybe a few minutes.

@GaryDoug: "But that is exactly what you are expecting. You expect DJI to somehow be able to determine your altitude over the ground below."

No.  No.  No.  I though I was crystal clear about this.  Nothing in my words gives the impression that I want the drone to have more technological capability.  If that's what I was expecting, I could have said so in plain English.  All that I've said is that DJI shouldn't limit us where we  are legally permitted to fly.  That's it.
And Bashy agrees with my car analogy being applicable here.

@Mobilehomer: "The limitations are NOT DJI!!! When you rose above 200' HOME POINT AGL, you exceeded the LAANC authorization."

No.  The LAANC authorization says nothing about "200 feet HOME POINT AGL."  LAANC only says "200 feet AGL," and that this can't be added to the height of any structures (which I wasn't doing anyway).

So unless you can show me legally that I'm wrong, you are a false accuser.  Neither GaryDoug nor Bashy accused me of breaking the LAANC authorization based on what I described above, so what do you know about LAANC that I don't know?  I don't mean to sound combative, but if you are going to accuse me of wrongdoing, you better be able to back it up.  I went back to read the LAANC authorization verbage just to be sure, and it says nothing about "Home Point" (where you took off from).

Therefore, if I'm flying uphill (which is the case), I can increase the altitude of the drone as long as it stays within 200 feet of the (increasing) ground level.  Would someone like to correct me if I'm wrong?  Therefore, you are in the wrong Mobilehomer.  DJI shouldn't restrict us where FAA / LAANC doesn't.

dronegurlz Posted at 8-23 15:54
@GaryDoug: "But that is exactly what you are expecting. You expect DJI to somehow be able to determine your altitude over the ground below."

No.  No.  No.  I though I was crystal clear about this.  Nothing in my words gives the impression that I want the drone to have more technological capability.  If that's what I was expecting, I could have said so in plain English.  All that I've said is that DJI shouldn't limit us where we  are legally permitted to fly.  That's it.

Sorry dude, the DRONE calculates its height from home point. You are expecting WAAAAY too much technology from the Mini 2. So, you are wrong. Admit your ignorance and go learn things!!

Forget it, the OP is never going to understand.

GaryDoug Posted at 8-23 18:00
Forget it, the OP is never going to understand.

I'll forgo the (apparently) futile effort of showing who has the real misunderstanding, and simply give a sincere "thank you" to all of you who took your time to respond.

dronegurlz Posted at 8-23 18:50
I'll forgo the (apparently) futile effort of showing who has the real misunderstanding, and simply give a sincere "thank you" to all of you who took your time to respond.

What you are asking for is altitude compensating sensors and software. Not going to happen in a consumer drone.

Hi everyone,

I'm considering purchasing the DJI Avata 2, but I have a question about DJI's GEO Altitude Zones.

My house is located within a 150m Altitude Zone near an airport that sits at 100m above sea level. However, my house is at 250m above sea level since it's on a mountain in the runway axis. This means my house is already 150m higher than the airport.

Given this elevation difference, will I even be able to take off at my house with the DJI Avata 2?

As a licensed aircraft pilot who flies a Piper Cub from this airport, I understand the importance of drone safety and avoiding near-misses. I had a couple near-miss with drones myself in the past, so I would definitely not put fellow pilots in danger. I just want to learn to fly around my house and below the tree tops.

Thanks in advance!

WhiskeySix Posted at 5-8 14:16
Hi everyone,

I'm considering purchasing the DJI Avata 2, but I have a question about DJI's GEO Altitude Zones.

Hi there. Thank you for reaching out. You may check your location using this link https://fly-safe.dji.com/home and see what specific zone is set on your location. To learn more you may visit this LINK. After that, you can unlock the location by submitting an unlocking request, you may click this LINK for guidance. If you need further assistance, you may send an email to flysafe@dji.com. We appreciate your valued support