All I want to do is inspect the roof of one of our buildings where I work, for the boss man.  I work right across the street from a large airport. Literally...across the street. So I go onto DJI's website under my login and submit a request to unlock the geo "authorization zone". After a successful submission I attempt to fly my P3 Standard to no avail. I get the "GEO System: The drone is in a Restricted Zone (Airport). Flight is not allowed".  I have tried this three times. where I am attempting to take off from is maybe 300 feet inside the boundary as indiciated on the DJI Go app.  I could attempt to start outside and fly it in...but I dont think I should have to.

This is kind of silly. I am a helicopter pilot and certified flight instructor and I am 1500feet from the nearest runway. All I want to do is look at the top of a roof and inspect it up close with my drone.

Dosent matter if youre 30 feet or 1000 feet inside the restricted circle, its restricted for a reason. Can you post a screen shot to show where you are, its most likely that youre within the inner circle where youre completely unauthorized to fly. I do understand your frustration being 1500 feet from the nearest runway but not everyone is as knowledgeable as you, you dont want them winding up on the 8pm news for downing a plane.

Gabe R Posted at 2016-5-28 20:22
Dosent matter if youre 30 feet or 1000 feet inside the restricted circle, its restricted for a reaso ...

I'm sorry. I should have been more clear. I was frustrated when starting this thread.
But anyone can go to DJI's website and login under their own registration and "unlock" the zone you want to fly inside of. To do so you have to submit the serial number of your drone and select which area you wish to fly in as represented on the map DJI gives you on their website.  I have done this three times. Each time I submitted my request it says the request was a success.  Yet, when I attempt to fly I get rejected. There is no way that I know of to verify on my iPhone that I am cleared to fly inside the zone in question.

I wonder if there is a difference in the representation of DJI's website and what is actually flyable or non-flyable on the DJI Go app itself.  On the Website the area is called an "Authorization Zone", meaning you must seek authorization from DJI on this website. Where as the app is calling it a "restricted area'.  There are "Restricted areas" on the website's map, but none show up where I am attempting to fly.

I am sorry to hear of your problem gunnersman99. But the law is the law, and regulation makes no exception. You may have to pay for expensive costs of renting and operating crane or high lift equipment to accomplish your task. Even if you have a permit from the airport officials to fly your Phantom 3 Standard, it is unlikely that DJI technical support can do anything about "unlocking" the forbidden no-fly zone. DJI Technical support is too busy handling more serious issues of crash, firmware updates, connection, etc.

Think about the millions of Americans who can never have a chance of flying a UAV in Washington DC, near airports, US military bases, Area 51, National Parks, etc. because of the laws and regulations. For now, we can only comply with them until we, as citizens, can change them in the future.

My V. Nguyen Posted at 2016-5-30 01:10
I am sorry to hear of your problem gunnersman99. But the law is the law, and regulation makes no exc ...

Or he could sped like $40 on renting a ladder XD
But yeah I don't know if you can unlock areas next to major airports, as that would kind of defeat the purpose of a No Fly Zone.

Gabe and Mr. Nguyen.,

I don't think you're reading the OPs entire post. He went through the steps for permissions, which was successful, but still can't fly. There's a problem here with the system, so get off your high horses. The website reports it as an "Authorization Zone", while the DJI Go app reports it as a "Restricted Zone".

Gunners, it sounds like there is a valid discrepancy that you're experiencing. Here's hoping that DJI reps see this after the holiday weekend and give you some contact info to report the issue.

Chris

My V. Nguyen Posted at 2016-5-29 12:10
I am sorry to hear of your problem gunnersman99. But the law is the law, and regulation makes no exc ...

I'm 1500 feet from the law! That's a 1/4 mile!

Not A Speck Of  Posted at 2016-5-30 02:21
Gabe and Mr. Nguyen.,

I don't think you're reading the OPs entire post. He went through the steps  ...

You may need to be using the Beta version. I use both and am still confused so I unlock ahead of time just like you have done. I live within the 5 mile radius of a Class D airport. I can certainly fly within it, but I am always stopped when I get to close. I believe that under any circumstances, you cannot fly within a mile or one and half miles of the runway.

You say you are a pilot. I used to be a private pilot. I think we both know that 1500 feet of a runway is just too close no matter what altitude you are flying. Things happen, you can lose control and end up at 500 feet or more altitude when a low flying craft or craft in an emergency is approaching.

From what I can tell, DJI unlocking will allow you within the five mile radius but will still stop you when you are close to the runway. I don't think that is unreasonable.

Just for shits and giggles...have you tried flying using only the remote and no app? Yes, I know it defeats the purpose of inspecting a roof, I know. But I'm curious if the drone will then fly.

The only way around this is to cover the top of the P3 in tinfoil and fly without GPS. No GPS lock, no boundaries, but I DO NOT RECCOMEND. This may be illegal still. To everyone above, DJI can make exceptions, but as far as I know, the only way this works is for them to send you a modded firmware with that one zone unlocked.

skipilot1 Posted at 2016-5-30 03:13
You may need to be using the Beta version. I use both and am still confused so I unlock ahead of t ...

I was flying with a Class D airport on different days. One day I used advanced unlock and another using the Beta App. I called the airport each time. Both times the app let me in but still stopped me about a mile from the runway.

I have no problem with this and neither should any other reasonable person. Planes are in their greatest danger and pilots are under their greatest stress taking off and landing. They should not have to be distracted with the thought of drones in the area.

Have you tried the Litchi app?

mjlstudios Posted at 2016-5-31 08:34
Have you tried the Litchi app?

It makes no difference using Litchi, the zones are programmed into the firmware of the aircraft. Litchi uses the DJI SDK and the result is the same.

FAS1 Posted at 2016-5-29 14:49
Just for shits and giggles...have you tried flying using only the remote and no app? Yes, I know it  ...

Interesting thought.  I think it may be too difficult as the building is pretty big and I will lose line of site from the ground. Thanks for the input.
And thanks for the input to everyone else.

skipilot1 Posted at 2016-5-29 14:13
You may need to be using the Beta version. I use both and am still confused so I unlock ahead of t ...

I am sure you and I can both sit down and come up with 1 meeellion different worst case scenarios where some strange confluence of events happens where the drone causes some newsworthy event such as a plane full of orphans on a trip put on by the Make-a-wish foundation are killed in a fiery blaze. And I am also sure if you saw where I was attempting to fly the drone you would feel silly for ever worrying about it.

I think we can all agree that these limitations are put there by DJI as CYA. They are wise to do so.