Can anyone else confirm that they can't fly unless they hook up their phone? I can't fly unless I hook up my phone. I'm here in the USA and the new update does remote ID. If I'm correct, this is stupid.

Does this also apply to Avata drones outside the USA?

Killerbee Posted at 12-8 12:18
Does this also apply to Avata drones outside the USA?

I would think not since the remote ID thing is USA only. But you never know as other countries start ID stuff.

I'm still hoping I'm doing something wrong but I can't test as it started raining but as soon as it quits, I'm going back out there to test more.

I'm hoping someone from DJI can either confirm this or tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can fly without my stupid phone attached to my goggles.

Having the same issue here.  How am I going to strap my phone to my head?!  LOL

FPVTrendz Posted at 12-8 12:37
I would think not since the remote ID thing is USA only. But you never know as other countries start ID stuff.

I'm still hoping I'm doing something wrong but I can't test as it started raining  but as soon as it quits, I'm going back out there to test more.

Unfortunately, It might be permanent (I certainly hope not!) because RID requires location of pilot (phone/tablet?)!  Maybe they can incorporate that aspect of RID into the goggles so phone/tablet connection is not required.  This wreaks!  Not updating!
Thx for your notification FPV!

OK, USA peeps.   I just did the update and can confirm that without a phone connected to the goggles you will get a Remote ID error in the goggles and be unable to fly.   I tested this first with my Tripltek tablet i use for my Mini2  The tablet has WiFi only and does not have a cellular connection.  Connect device, start DJI Fly and all is well, I can fly.  I then tested with my iPhone 12 with the same result as the tablet.  I tested with the phone in standard mode, everything enabled, WiFi and Cellular and also tested with the phone in Airplane mode.  Able to fly in either condition.  So, guessing this is the new way to fly.

But, we all knew this was coming and guessing now that the Avata is on the FAA list of Remote ID compliant drones, DJI did the implementation.  I did see and interview a few days ago with the FAA drone guy and he did say that if a member of the public had an app that can pick up remote ID it will be short range.  The person would probably be able to see you visually.  Well, that remains to be seen.

I was able to downgrade to the previous version on the DJI Assistant 2, both the Avata and the Goggles 2.  No more Remote ID error.

I just turned on, home point updated ...just could not fly because is raining......I got no messages, either to update firmware or to hook up mobile device

If that will be the future, I am not seeing hooking up my huge S22 ULTRA to googles in order to fly, DJI need make Mini 3 controller compatible so we can hot spot it for location instead use googles

I have the latest Firmware, just checked....got no messages, maybe is something for some zones?

Yeah this is a thing.  I found you can disconnect the phone as soon as you take off.   You only need it connected to get off the ground.   after that it shows a RemoteID error, but thats it.  (anytime you land you need to reconnect the phone.)
Wish it could grab the GPS coordinate data from the Avata GNSS package when it takes off and uses that for RemoteID.

My last video starts off with Avata footage it was done on the 6th of December I had no phone connected to the drone.

I haven't connected the drone to the Internet on my phone for anything other than checking the cable which I also did a video on last month. So I have no problem.

So far......

Didn't actually get out and fly except in my living room, but I didn't seem to ever be able to disconnect my phone without the drone stopping. I was, however, able to roll back the drone and Goggles 2 firmware in DJI Assistant 2, thank god.

I am in Canada and I am having the same problem here, can't take off without plugging in my phone... what a crock!

It seems “GPS spoofing” may become a common search term for new Avata users.

OK Guys, I did some testing and I have an update... The Remote ID error, at least in Canada (probably the USA too), doesn't come on until you have a full GPS lock and the home point is set. I was able to turn it on and quickly take off without the phone connected and then hover until the home point was set and then continue flight. If you wait until it has a full GPS lock the "Remote ID Error" message appears it will NOT fly until you connect the phone. So it appears we can sort of work around this by taking off quickly before it can attain a full GPS lock, and then hovering until it gets a lock and sets the home point.

DronesJones Posted at 12-8 20:05
OK Guys, I did some testing and I have an update... The Remote ID error, at least in Canada (probably the USA too), doesn't come on until you have a full GPS lock and the home point is set. I was able to turn it on and quickly take off without the phone connected and then hover until the home point was set and then continue flight. If you wait until it has a full GPS lock the "Remote ID Error" message appears it will NOT fly until you connect the phone. So it appears we can sort of work around this by taking off quickly before it can attain a full GPS lock, and then hovering until it gets a lock and sets the home point.

LOL. So if you don’t want to be in a hurry, drop a faraday bag over the Avata until you are ready…

CappyA330 Posted at 12-8 20:09
LOL. So if you don’t want to be in a hurry, drop a faraday bag over the Avata until you are ready…

Hahaha, yeah it needs a tinfoil hat for flight prep now.

Hi there. Thank you for reaching out and we're sorry for the trouble that this has caused. Can you please confirm if the issue happens after a firmware update? Can you please provide us a short video record or a screenshot showing the issue with the error message for us to forward to our designated team? Please keep us posted. Thank you.

DJI Paladin Posted at 12-8 21:38
Hi there. Thank you for reaching out and we're sorry for the trouble that this has caused. Can you please confirm if the issue happens after a firmware update? Can you please provide us a short video record or a screenshot showing the issue message for us to forward to our designated team? Please keep us posted. Thank you.

I can confirm this happened after the update.  After the goggles 2 and Avata connect you get a remote id error. It only goes away if you connect the goggles to your phone with a cable and DJI Fly running. If you disconnect the cable the remote id error comes back and will not allow you to fly.  Hundreds of people on YouTube have confirmed this is happening to them as well.  Rolling  back gets rid of the error but then the drone does not let you start the propellers to take off.

i sure hope this is not going to stay like this....
glad in the EU we don't have remote ID yet!!!

I think this is a Firmware bug, FAA seems like dropped the need of drone to be liked to mobile device in order to fly

from the horses mouth:

I'm from Russia. And we have exactly the same problem. But we found a solution.
After updating Avata and Googles V2, as well as Googles 2, there is a problem with the Remote id error.
We noticed that the weight of the update via dji fly and the weight of the update via dji assistant are different. The update in Assistant weighs 30 MB less.
How to avoid this:
1) upgrade through the old assistant. I have this version 2.1.10.
2) If you have already installed the update and there is an error, roll back to the previous Avata firmware 01.01.0200. And then upgrade to the latest one again.

DronesJones Posted at 12-8 20:05
OK Guys, I did some testing and I have an update... The Remote ID error, at least in Canada (probably the USA too), doesn't come on until you have a full GPS lock and the home point is set. I was able to turn it on and quickly take off without the phone connected and then hover until the home point was set and then continue flight. If you wait until it has a full GPS lock the "Remote ID Error" message appears it will NOT fly until you connect the phone. So it appears we can sort of work around this by taking off quickly before it can attain a full GPS lock, and then hovering until it gets a lock and sets the home point.

Do you live close to the US? FAA Remote ID should only work in the US, not Canada, unless you live very close to the US-Canada border. . .

HDPS Posted at 12-8 22:53
I think this is a Firmware bug, FAA seems like dropped the need of drone to be liked to mobile device in order to fly

from the horses mouth:

The FAA did drop the network-based Remote ID requirement, meaning UAS don't have to be connected to the Internet, but FAA didn't drop the requirement of broadcasting Remote controller location. DJI Goggle seems to only connect to the phone to get the GPS location and not the network.

It sounds like after installing the latest Avata firmware some people are reporting that you can disconnect your phone once the Avata is in the air and has collected/reported the pilot's GPS information from take-off. Can anyone confirm this?
Also, why wouldn't DJI just set this feature to activate in September 2023 when the law gets enacted? Why are we being punished now?
Also, why doesn't DJI just build a (very) small GPS Remote ID device that we can connect to the goggles or goggles strap? Connecting to our phones is going to be a real pain that DJI could make easier... also, this device should be free if flying without it is impossible. Maybe some kid used his dad's smart phone to activate his Avata and his dad doesn't want to loan him his phone every time the kid wants to fly!
Also, this is really annoying.

Hemon Posted at 12-9 00:03
1) upgrade through the old assistant. I have this version 2.1.10.

Interesting! Is there a repository of old packages somewhere?

Remote ID is also part of the CE-Qualification in the EU coming 2023. But it is ONLY necessary  if you want to have a C1 which the Avata at this time not is certified for. Otherwise the Avata would be / is still a legacy drone with no need for Remote ID. Would love to hear from pilots within EU how the Googles 2 behave with the new firmware.

I hate it how administrations choke down every last small areas of freedom for people.

SeehawerB Posted at 12-9 01:32
Remote ID is also part of the CE-Qualification in the EU coming 2023. But it is ONLY necessary  if you want to have a C1 which the Avata at this time not is certified for. Otherwise the Avata would be / is still a legacy drone with no need for Remote ID. Would love to hear from pilots within EU how the Googles 2 behave with the new firmware.

I hate it how administrations choke down every last small areas of freedom for people.

I hope to test the new firmware out this weekend (Netherlands)

If (!) there is no GPS in den Googles 2, it may no differentiate between different places on earth. So I suppose it will behave identically in Europe, demanding phone connection.

SeehawerB Posted at 12-9 02:16
If (!) there is no GPS in den Googles 2, it may no differentiate between different places on earth. So I suppose it will behave identically in Europe, demanding phone connection.

i hope not....

maybe it checks if you are in CE or FCC mode?

would suck... because i applied the FCC hack for stable connection....

Maybe i should not do the update then...
I have read that the avata can switch between FCC and CE mode itself. If you buy the avata in the US, but fly it in EU, it switches to CE mode.
so there IS somthing inside that can do that... so it SHOULD be able to not whine about the remote ID if you are in a place that it does not need id.... right????

Maybe i'll test, and roll back to older fw if it is a problem for me.... would hate to have my phone connected al the time!!!!!

DJI Paladin Posted at 12-8 21:38
Hi there. Thank you for reaching out and we're sorry for the trouble that this has caused. Can you please confirm if the issue happens after a firmware update? Can you please provide us a short video record or a screenshot showing the issue with the error message for us to forward to our designated team? Please keep us posted. Thank you.

Tested in Austria/EU:
After a long consideration, I have decided to upgrade. Then I did shut down all and powered all up with phone disconnected.
When the drone was inside my room it did not find any satellites and did not complain about the remote id.
When positioned outside, it wrote: GPS lock, home point updated.

I got the message that I am in a restricted zone, which is correct. I live close to an airfield. But still no message about a remote id or that I have to connect the phone.
I hope that means we are not effected in the EU. Final proof of that is pending.

The point I do not get is why use the sender's position at all. Use the home point GPS as the pilot's location. That should be good enough.

As much as I like the Avata, there are some design decisions I simply don't get. This remote id is one but the rest also looks as if five year old's were in charge - no offence to 5 year old kids.
- DJI, did you know that USB can be used to provide power? Why do the goggles have a plug instead of drawing power via USB-C?
- All Avata components support USB-PD for fast charging except the Motion Controller. There we even have a warning in the manual to never connect it to a USB-C charger that supports PD or it might get damaged.
- Position of the SD Card is interesting. The only place that would have been worse is inside the motor. No, I correct that. Even that would have been better.
- Why on earth would anybody want to download the full res files to the phone? Allow to download them via Wifi to the computer or NAS. For example allow the drone to connect to the home network and upload all files full automatic via sftp.

WernerD Posted at 12-9 03:36
Tested in Austria/EU:
After a long consideration, I have decided to upgrade. Then I did shut down all and powered all up with phone disconnected.
When the drone was inside my room it did not find any satellites and did not complain about the remote id.

do you have the FCC hack on there?
would like to know it this makes the remote id error appear....

«would like to know it this makes the remote id error appear....»

The CE communication standard is in effect in Russia. And the avata can work in it. But if I use the FCC hack, the remote id error appears.

Hemon Posted at 12-9 04:05
«would like to know it this makes the remote id error appear....»

The CE communication standard is in effect in Russia. And the avata can work in it. But if I use the FCC hack, the remote id error appears.

After the FCC hack caused the RID error, even if you don't connect phone, the aircraft can still take off, right?

BadBert Posted at 12-9 03:53
do you have the FCC hack on there?
would like to know it this makes the remote id error appear....

I have not changed that, so not using FCC.

BadBert Posted at 12-9 02:39
i hope not....

maybe it checks if you are in CE or FCC mode?

Don't worry too much, FAA Remote ID should only be activated when the GPS of the aircraft is in the US. Even if FCC hack there will only be a RID ERROR warning, but the aircraft will not be prevented from taking off since the Remote ID is not connected to the phone. It is not really activated, you can try it boldly

You guys can read this early DJI post. FAA Remote ID Compliance User Guide-FAQ

DKGPST Posted at 12-9 00:05
Do you live close to the US? FAA Remote ID should only work in the US, not Canada, unless you live very close to the US-Canada border. . .

Kingston Ontario, Most definitely affected here, but I did come up with that workaround.

DKGPST Posted at 12-9 05:01
Don't worry too much, FAA Remote ID should only be activated when the GPS of the aircraft is in the US. Even if FCC hack there will only be a RID ERROR warning, but the aircraft will not be prevented from taking off since the Remote ID is not connected to the phone. It is not really activated, you can try it boldly

My Avata worked like you said (in Europe). Just a new warning message, press OK and fly normally.