The FAA has reduced the no-fly zone around Washington DC.  What I want to know is how do we get DJI to make this change?  I live just on the 30 mile edge, and now that it is 15 miles, I can fly, but my DJI drone still thinks it has a no-fly zone in my property.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Drones and model aircraft can return to the skies in the outer ring of special airspace around the nation's capital.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced an update Tuesday that shrinks the no-drone zone from a ring with a 30-mile radius around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to one with a 15-mile radius. The new rules will take effect Wednesday.

Within the larger special flight rules area, which includes much of southern and central Maryland and northern Virginia, registered and marked aircraft under 55 pounds can fly in clear conditions. They must stay below 400 feet, within sight and avoid other aircraft.

Hobbyists must notify any airport within 5 miles and commercial operators must notify the FAA.

I'm right there with you. My PA3 has essentially been a brick on my bookshelf since it was delivered.
Not to be a negative nilly, but based on my experiences with support thus far, I'm guessing we'll be waiting until 2017 until they make the update ;)

What version of DJI GO App are you using? Did you install the GEO beta?

With GO App 2.5.1 there was a temporary glitch addressed in THIS THREAD. Current DJI No Fly is the 15 mile FRZ. See FLY SAFE.

I, like you, am not within the FRZ but am within the previous 30 mile TFR imposed after 1 Jan. However, other than the 2.5.1 glitch, I don't believe the DJI no fly has ever included the 30 mile TFR. Here's my GO App map display = 15 mile radius from DCA:

I haven't been able to get into the beta program form iOS. Despite being clearly filled in, every time I submit it to the system, it says my Osmo (different product entirely!) profile is missing my PA3 Serial number and GO App email address. I've deleted them, re-entered them, saved multiple times...sent screen shots to the beta email address... so I've given up on the beta.

I'll look and send a screen shot when I get home but I'm fairly sure mine blocks the whole SFRA. Regardless, we have a need to fly indoors within the FRZ and I'm guessing DJI products will never work for that. <Insert my standard apology for sounding grumpy and my standard frustration about not being able to make my own choices about using a product I bought>

SpaceBass Posted at 2016-2-12 05:05
I haven't been able to get into the beta program form iOS. Despite being clearly filled in, every ti ...

Not joining the GEO beta means that GEO isn't affecting your No Fly (a good thing if you're troubleshooting No Fly).

As for flying indoors, within any NO FLY, as long as you have no GPS (even aluminum foil works), fly all you want. The P3 needs GPS to know if it's within the NO FLY Zone. In most cases indoors, you'll be ATTI and VPS anyways so the NO FLY is not restrictive...

terrylewis Posted at 2016-2-12 05:22
Not joining the GEO beta means that GEO isn't affecting your No Fly (a good thing if you're troubl ...

interesting! Can you say more? I definitely have geofencing. When I turn on my P3A it says clearly it's in a no-fly zone and won't take off.

Where might one put some foil in order to hypothetically test things... (IE have it lift off for the first time since buying it)?

SpaceBass Posted at 2016-2-12 05:33
interesting! Can you say more? I definitely have geofencing. When I turn on my P3A it says clearly ...

Take a quick look at this video. First scroll to 4 minutes and listen to the discussion. Then scroll to 9:54 and watch:


A word of caution! This will put you in ATTI mode using just the barometer, compass, and VPS. Prepare yourself accordingly; take things slowly; don't be aggressive; and fly safely!

back to the main subject of this thread - Washington area is now yellow in DJI's Advanced Unlocking site. But my PA3 still says its in a no-fly zone.
Assume we have to wait on 1.7 for unlocking to work?

Here's my issue. I live about a mile from the edge of the DC No-Fly Zone in Northern Va. I cannot fly my P3A in my house, or in my neighborhood. I live so far from downtown DC I could never get my drone there from my house. I would like to petition DJI to change the DZ NFZ to an altitude restricted zone that is more realistic. I am too far from DC to do any damage to a national monument or Reagan Airport, but I would love to take a picture of my house or buzz the neighborhood from my deck. I do not think this is a FAA observance as the NFZ was in DJI firmware long before the ruling came down from the FAA.

I'm in the same boat, I live in Rockville just on the outer edge of the 15 mile radius around DC and I can't even film indoors in the indoor sports facility we have here which is the whole damn reason I bought an Inspire 1 in the first place. To shoot both here right near where I live and at another indoor facility in Arlington. The problem is, they're sports areas basically with huge skylights and vents, so I am getting a GPS lock and I can't even take off indoors now. I can fly it in my livingroom with 8 floors of condos above me, but as soon as I get near a damn window, the GPS locks me out again and my Inspire lands abruptly on the couch. WTF?!

Have any of you guys solved this problem in the DC area? Can I roll back my firmware? Lock out updates? I have to do something or this $3,000 brick is getting sent back!

stevenmcastano Posted at 2016-8-12 06:20
I'm in the same boat, I live in Rockville just on the outer edge of the 15 mile radius around DC and ...

My house is in Bethesda/Potomac, MD just up the hill from the Potomac River and I'm in the no-fly zone as well. It's a real shame cause I really wanted to buy a DJI 4, take it out with my kayak and fly over the river. I'm right in the flight path of both National and Dulles airports, so we have jets flying over all day/night. I'd have to take it further up the river, past Great Falls just to be able to fly... but not too far, cause then I'd probably be in a no-fly for Dulles airport. A real buzz kill it is.  

I'm located in the Potomac/Rockville area but I put in a request to DJI to get my NFZ's lifted for my Mavic Pro. I first emailed flysafe@dji.com and they had me go through the unlock website to see if I can get the NFZ zone for a 6 mile radius from Rockville lifted. I registered my drone with the FAA so hopefully that would help my case. Just would like to practice a little bit and go up about 100-150ft before I take it on a trip or something and waste time learning to fly my drone..:-/

Does anyone know when this change will make it into the DJI GO 4 App? I bought the Mavic Pro and cant get it off the ground. its very frustrating to say the least. Even in beginner mode it wont allow you to go more than 100 feet from your controller. You cant get high enough or far enough away from your controller to be any kind of a threat or problem in any way. Please tell me how i can get my mavic airborne. I am outside the 15 mile radius, but my program keeps telling me i am in a no fly zone.

I'm near Olney.  I'm within the DC SFRA and I've been flying my Phantom for 18 months.  

There is no flying in the Bethesda/Rockville area.  It's part of the DC FRZ.  There are no exemptions, no authorizations, and no exceptions.  You need to get a little further away from DC.  See this map:  .  Be wary of the Montgomery Airpark Airport in Gaithersburg.

In addition, there was a temporary TFR of the entire DC SFRA due to the inauguration.  It was on and off for three days and it ended at 1230 EST Saturday.  

However, DJI has a knack for starting these so-called NFZs several days before and after any temporary TFR.  So that may be the problem.  Hopefully in another day or two DJI will get around to lifting the no fly zone.  Once that happens, you should be able to fly within the outer ring of the DC SFRA without any complications.

If you need a place to fly, let me know, because I have a field near me which is perfect for beginner flights.  

Hope this helps.   

I'm having the same issues with my Mavic Pro even outside of the NFZ, yet my P4 gets airborne after checking the boxes

I wonder if DJI would consider an firmware update to it's units that would allow flight under height and distance restrictions within the NFZ, that way people can fly and enjoy the product under safe operating conditions.

Thanks for the info

What do you mean NFZ?  If you're referring to the FRZ with the 15 mile radius that surrounds DC, it's out of the question.  It's a no drone zone.  Flying drones in there is completely illegal.  No exceptions.  

Mark The Droner Posted at 2017-1-23 12:38
I'm near Olney.  I'm within the DC SFRA and I've been flying my Phantom for 18 months.  

There is no flying in the Bethesda/Rockville area.  It's part of the DC FRZ.  There are no exemptions, no authorizations, and no exceptions.  You need to get a little further away from DC.  See this map:  [view_image].  Be wary of the Montgomery Airpark Airport in Gaithersburg.

Hi Mark - I'm in Gaithersburg. I'd be interested in that airfield you mention in this post. Can you email me at geren.wms@blackeagledrone.net? Thanks

Hi - it's not really an airfield.  It's a recreation center field.  It's roughly the size of  two football fields.  There are two baseball diamonds on it for little league ball.  It's really under-used, there's rarely anybody there.  And it's even protected from west and north winds, so it's perfect for low level flying.  I will email you...

Here's a boring amateur video from last fall of a flight at the field: