Hello,

Our two villages clubbed together to buy a Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual to send to Ukraine as people we know out there had asked for a thermal imaging capability. We didn't have enough funds for a 3. They have reported back that it's transmissions can be tracked by the opposition and so can't be used on the front line. Apparently the Mavic 3 has a capability to cloak its transmissions. Is there an update/hack that could be applied to the Mavic 2 to overcome the problem?

Many thanks for any advice. As you can probably tell I have very limited knowledge of this kit!

Best wishes,

David

Any drone remote control complying with current standards is easily detectable.  

Then there are new drones with RID.  You might as well send a text message directly to the camp opposite with the remote pilot's coordinates.

I don't think complying with current standards is necessary when your home is being invaded. Here are some links that will point you in the right direction and get you started. Good luck.

https://drone-hacks.com/blog/post/745

https://github.com/MAVProxyUser/CIAJeepDoors

https://wiki.dji-rev.com/howto/cia_jeep_doors

How Ukraine learned to cloak its drones from Russian surveillance

R3spond

Johnnokomis Posted at 1-10 14:50
I don't think complying with current standards is necessary when your home is being invaded. Here are some links that will point you in the right direction and get you started. Good luck.

https://drone-hacks.com/blog/post/745

The problem is not there, you can hack everything you want, the frequency of the transmitter will not change.
  From the moment you turn it on it is detectable.  No need for sophisticated hardware, an SDR that covers bands 2.4 and 5.8 is enough.  Like HackRF one.  With an amp it's a perfect jammer.

Many thanks for the info. Johnokomis. I'll pass it on. The feedback from Ukraine was that they could "flash" the Mavic 3 range but not the Mavic 2.  I wonder why they feel the 3 is safer from detection if the transmitter frequency is always visible?

DavidAll Posted at 1-11 00:49
Many thanks for the info. Johnokomis. I'll pass it on. The feedback from Ukraine was that they could "flash" the Mavic 3 range but not the Mavic 2.  I wonder why they feel the 3 is safer from detection if the transmitter frequency is always visible?

Because they are easier to resell.

LV_Forestry Posted at 1-10 22:02
The problem is not there, you can hack everything you want, the frequency of the transmitter will not change.
  From the moment you turn it on it is detectable.  No need for sophisticated hardware, an SDR that covers bands 2.4 and 5.8 is enough.  Like HackRF one.  With an amp it's a perfect jammer.

While yes you're correct that anyone with an SDR could pickup communications of the Mavic. I think the biggest issue is how a stock DJI drone also broadcast unencrypted packets that include the exact location of the RC. This is the information that the enemy is seeking and using to return fire with. They don't care about where the Mavic is located, they want the coordinates of the RC so they can return fire there. This is one reason why when you see a Mavic 3 being used it's always with an RC-N1/Phone and not an RC Pro normally. With the RC-N1 not having GPS internally it only has what the Android says as to what it's location is. You can easily have a mock location app running in the background to spoof your location.

Johnnokomis Posted at 1-11 05:33
While yes you're correct that anyone with an SDR could pickup communications of the Mavic. I think the biggest issue is how a stock DJI drone also broadcast unencrypted packets that include the exact location of the RC. This is the information that the enemy is seeking and using to return fire with. They don't care about where the Mavic is located, they want the coordinates of the RC so they can return fire there. This is one reason why when you see a Mavic 3 being used it's always with an RC-N1/Phone and not an RC Pro normally. With the RC-N1 not having GPS internally it only has what the Android says as to what it's location is. You can easily have a mock location app running in the background to spoof your location.

John, I understand your point of view, but I assure you that there is no need for GPS or an unencrypted beacon to find the position of a remote pilot.  You must have already seen antennas like this:

https://www.ircos.ru/ru/pel_sp.html

The American army uses it I believe, the Israelis for sure.  I had the opportunity to do an exercise with an Israeli company producing this type of equipment.  I guarantee you that they can detect anything in ranges much higher than what a DJI drone can achieve. Simply by triangulating the position of the signal origin.

https://elbitsystems.com/media/Lorros_2023.pdf
https://elbitsystems.com/media/Redrone_45190331_25052023_WEB.pdf

For me, sending this type of material encourages this conflict which has lasted too long.
Then seriously, who has ever tested a DJI thermal sensor in these conditions (especially the M2E)?  It's not at all made for!

LV_Forestry Posted at 1-11 01:01
Because they are easier to resell.

Doubtful. For at least 5 or 6 months, possibly longer, the invaders have been using their own custom Mavic 3 firmware nicknamed 1001 firmware. It has the following modifications plus others:

- Remote ID is disabled.
- NFZ's are disabled
- Added mode "Anti-spoofing, fast ascend without GPS".
- FCC is activated on drone itself adding additional 5.8Ghz band
- All limitations removed (height, distance, etc) if user doesn't login to DJI FLY account.
- Airsense disabled.
- Added ability to descend if lower sensor is obscured.
- Blocked ability to reflash to factory firmware.

Both sides of this conflict are using AeroScopes. Any pilot using a stock DJI drone would have a target put on their exact location with incoming missiles in just a matter of minutes. That's why I say the drone's radio being triangulated doesn't matter, it's the RC that will be the target. A rookie pilot with no knowledge of what an AeroScope is could give away his whole teams location and have them all killed on accident.

This 1001 firmware isn't new but just within the last week or so it has been leaked and for the first time available to the public (or at least a near clone of it). This public version is only available for the original Mavic 3's as of now but there are other versions yet to be leaked for the Mavic 3T's, 3 Classic and I'd have to assume others. DJI has tried to appear neutral in this war even though their government masters clearly are with the invading side. Somehow this same side was able to access the private firmware keys to be able to modify and flash their own. Kind of fishy how they were able to quietly crack this encryption that had been secure for several years. What are the chances of this comment or even this whole thread being deleted? Let's see.

Johnnokomis Posted at 1-11 07:55
Doubtful. For at least 5 or 6 months, possibly longer, the invaders have been using their own custom Mavic 3 firmware nicknamed 1001 firmware. It has the following modifications plus others:

- Remote ID is disabled.

I think that if no one reports to the admin, the thread is in no danger.

I found the famous firmware 1001 with its instructions.  Indeed it's strange, there is the complete kit, as if it had leaked from DJI.  Which is not impossible.

In short, I hope that a end will be found quickly, I'm not really the type of person to wish people death, on one side or the other.  I don't know if anyone uses aeroscope, what I notice is that we are flooded with "sensational" information.  There are even national media that use images and video from video games to illustrate their points of view (Arma3 and DCS).

Meanwhile, teenagers are sent to the slaughterhouse, once again I deplore it on one side or the other, and we watch it like a TV series from the comfort of our own home.  The 21st century!

LV_Forestry Posted at 1-11 09:15
I think that if no one reports to the admin, the thread is in no danger.

I found the famous firmware 1001 with its instructions.  Indeed it's strange, there is the complete kit, as if it had leaked from DJI.  Which is not impossible.

I would still be cautious with using the firmware. Who knows if they left a backdoor in the firmware to exploit later. Pure speculation there. Back to the wireless dangers, there's no firmware that can make a DJI completely invisible. Since it's operating in the license free spectrum, the hacked drones signal would just appear as any other WiFi client and router to enemy radar. Older WiFi based DJI's like the Spark and Mini's RC are running OpenWRT just like a lot of routers are. Things have progressed since then but the wireless frequencies used have not.  There are other tricks that could aid in hiding. Use a cheap ESP32 to beacon span the area with fake RID packets. GitHub has many repos where this can easily be created for just a few dollars. So even if the bird is broadcasting RID, good luck finding that needle in the haystack.

Of course all of this is easy to suggest while I'm sitting in times of peace in America. I don't like RID because of Karen's knowing my location. Others don't like RID because it could literally bring a cruise missile to their coordinates. I am fully aware that my complaint is nothing in comparison.