Great another idiot is ruining it for responsible flyers. I read that DJI is pushing out firmware that will restrict Phantom 2 and Inspires from taking off within a 25 km or 15.5 mile radius from downtown DC. Assuming downtown DC is the white house that would effectively ground me from flying in an open field nearby. I am in Northern Virginia.  I was thinking about getting the inspire one but wont be if this is true. The funny thing is that the drone (phantom one or FC40) that crashed into the white house would not be effected by this firmware update. Why 15.5 miles DJI? You currently only have a 5 mile no fly zone for airports!!! I hope DJI reconsiders the 15.5 mile no fly radius around DC to a more reasonable distance. Ridiculous...

http://gizmodo.com/maker-of-dron ... -block-f-1682262818

Um, all  of DC is a no fly zone under law mate. I'd say (just guessing here) that is the smallest circle that takes in all of DC.
If you feel that strongly, don't upgrade the firmware.

Does anyone know if washington dc was already a no fly zone for the phantom 2 series before this incident.  Are they just expanding the radius?  Will this no fly zone effect Phantom 1's?? The article doesnt mention Phantom 1's and it is clear from the photo that it was a phantom 1 (looks like an fc40 to be exact) that crashed into the white house.

trailtec.email Posted at 2015-1-29 00:46
Um, all  of DC is a no fly zone under law mate. I'd say (just guessing here) that is the smallest ci ...

Yeah I understand and I dont live in dc or ever flew there however a 15.5 mile radius from "downtown dc" would cover parts of northern virginia and maryland... just seems like an overreaction if true

rdc44444.email Posted at 2015-1-29 00:53
Yeah I understand and I dont live in dc or ever flew there however a 15.5 mile radius from "downto ...

The current DJI class A no fly zone was centered around the Ronald Regan Airport in a 1.5mile radius with a limited altitude in a 5 mile radius the new announced 15 mile radius is in accordance to the existing FRZ regulations for Washington DC and not something that DJI pulled out of their hat.

Mate I understand it's a PITA for you but IMO DJI have to be seen to be proactive on this. Being seen to be doing something is important as if they don't act the government will do it for them and that will be even worse for all of us especially you guys in the US. I checked the map and it does look like it's the smallest circle that takes in all of DC. Plotting anything but a circle as a no fly zone takes up too much data in the app especially somewhere like DC which is an odd shape that would require several waypoints to cover rather than a simple radius.  I doubt the app (as it is now) can handle anything more than a simple circle anyway.

Imagine the reaction at DJI HQ when they realised some asshat had crashed one of their products into the grounds of the most guarded building the world. Just the sort of publicity they don't need right now.

swomilan.email Posted at 2015-1-29 05:52
The current  DJI class A no fly zone was centered around the Ronald Regan Airport in a 1.5mile radi ...

I never knew about this rule until now. It's obvious it was written for aircraft in mind and not toy drones that fly a few thousand feet. Don't get me wrong I'm all about safety and  I know drones fall under FAA jurisdiction but to apply this 15.5 mile rule to a small phantom is a joke and overkill.   According to the FAA the rules that do apply to drones are 1) they cant go above 400 feet, 2) must stay within sight of the operator and 3) cannot fly at night. I guess its only a matter of time before DJI will be updating firmware that keeps height < 400ft and distance to within sight (a reasonable distance limit) and disables takoff after dusk .  

Well if people keep flying with no regards to the rules then yes, more restrictions will be incoming.

It's a no-fly zone. you can't fly there anyway. Since drones are categorized as "aircraft", the no-fly zone has always included drones. DJI is saving you from your own stupidity for flying in an area where you might get fined $1000 and/or spend a year in jail, not to mention create more bad press and more problems for us hobbyists that DO try to abide by the rules.

MacCool Posted at 2015-1-30 00:52
It's a no-fly zone. you can't fly there anyway. DJI is saving you from your own stupidity for flying ...

Thanks for calling me stupid.. I don't think its stupidity but a lack of knowledge and getting the information out to drone users so that they can be responsible is the main problem. It would be nice if such rules would be published and known to the public and included with each drone sale. . Even if you go to the knowbeforeyoufly.org website it doesnt state anything about a 15.5 mile no fly zone centered around DC. The quad didnt even come with a user manual (my FC40's which appears to be the one that crashed the white house did not come with a manual) let alone rules and regulations on flying. Plus I'm right at the edge of the 15.5 mile zone and only have to drive a few miles west to be out of the zone so thats why I was initially upset and didnt know about this 15.5 mile rule when I originally posted. Im fairly new to drone flying so dont you think its the responsibility of the industry and manufacturer to do a better job on educating the public on such rules? Some rules are common sense like not flying over people, at night drunk etc. however others like this 15.5 mile rule are not.   BTW I can guarantee you there are plenty of other drone flyers...not just DJI drones that are flying within this 15.5 mile zone not out of stupidity but lack of knowledge so someone needs to do a better job on educating the public on rules and regulations.

I know MacCool was not saying YOU are stupid.  But there are a whole bunch of owners I would classify as ignorant, and do not do any research about where they can and can't fly (which WILL result in coming regulations that we were hoping to avoid).  NOTAM's or Notice to Airmen have applied to all aircraft including drones for some time.  Here is a map that shows no fly zones:
https://www.mapbox.com/drone/no-fly/

kjkisatsky Posted at 2015-1-30 01:24
I know MacCool was not saying YOU are stupid.  But there are a whole bunch of owners I would classif ...

Thanks for the map. If you blow up the map i notice the yellow circle has two different shades of color. I am just within the darker inner yellow circle which I am assuming is the 15.5 mile no fly zone? If so I will now have to find a new location to fly my drone. There was a nice open field with hardly any people that was within walking distance from my home (the perfect place to fly) that falls just within the 15.5 zone. Crap I will now have to get in my car and find a new safe location to fly. Do you know what the other lighter color circle represents? If that is also a restricted area from flying then I am screwed because it extends much further out.

Sorry, can't answer that question.  I'm up in NJ, and fortunately not around any no fly zones.

rdc44444.email Posted at 2015-1-30 01:13
Thanks for calling me stupid.. I don't think its stupidity but a lack of knowledge and getting the  ...

deleted ..

kjkisatsky Posted at 2015-1-30 01:24
I know MacCool was not saying YOU are stupid.  But there are a whole bunch of owners I would classif ...

sorry i meant to reference the map in this post

Wow there are a lot of no fly areas covering some major territory.  I wonder if DJI will eventually incorporate all no fly areas into the firmware? Would seem like the responsible thing to do as Im sure there are people flying drones in these no fly areas and not even aware they are breaking the law.

Not every NFZ is incorporated, but it seems the most important ones dealing with safety are, i.e., flying near airports.  This link from DJI explains a lot.
http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc

..and for the few who don't know where not to fly, we'll soon have sign board all over the place.

Interesting article about DJI on Slate

rdc44444.email Posted at 2015-1-30 01:13
Thanks for calling me stupid.. I don't think its stupidity but a lack of knowledge and getting the  ...

Well those with the vision app get a little reminder about checking that the flight plan is in accordance to local regulations when they go to the checklist. What's still missing is the hand that comes out of the mobile device when starting the app to smack them on the forehead ;)

Edit to add: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink

On DJI's original "no fly" map, they just have class A and B airports programmed in.  Since I live close to Fort Drum, the biggest deployment base in the northeast, I assumed they would also be a "no fly" zone already.  They were not.  I can fly anywhere on post if I wanted.  This new map shows the airport and bombing range as restricted.  I'm still outside the zone, but I still watch for aircraft and helicopters.  I think with this upcoming update, FJI is just going to add the District of Columbia.  I don't think their onboard flight controller will have enough space to incorporate EVERY no fly zone in the US.

No remote controlled aircraft can be flown in D.C. It's a law that's been around since 2009 (based on this link: http://www.modelaircraft.org/membership/clubs/notams.aspx).

I think that it's great that DJI is putting the restrictions in the firmware. Keeps people from accidentally flying where it's prohibited by law. I think that most of us with a grain of common sense would have guessed that you can't fly over the White House with a drone, but most would not assume that *all* of DC was prohibited. I'm guessing that other large cities will consider bans too. While I'm not okay with that, I would rather my drone tell me that it's a no-fly-zone than a cop writing me a ticket.

Of course, even then, that does not absolve the pilot of taking responsibility *before* he or she takes off.

Gerry1124 Posted at 2015-1-30 03:00
On DJI's original "no fly" map, they just have class A and B airports programmed in.  Since I live c ...

DJI says the eventually plan to have 10,000 airport in their No Fly database

Slate

Lets assume that the "now fly zone" will also work in non GPS mode, you can't disconnect the GPS unit cause the phantom won't start then, but you could place a lead shielding on top of the body shell -> no satalite coverage but GPS is working and the phantom has no clue where it is.

Idiots will always find ways and cause trouble, no matter which restrictions are implemented.

markus2015 Posted at 2015-1-30 04:20
Lets assume that the "now fly zone" will also work in non GPS mode, you can't disconnect the GPS uni ...

That is correct Markus there will be folks that will circumvent  these features which are meant to avoid conflicts between regulators and us pilots.  Those are the same exact people that force the governments to come up with strict regulations commercial as well as hobbyist.  To many hooligans are stepping on the long running gentlemen agreement between RC flight hobbyists and the Regulators of abiding by the rules.  

Interesting that everyone is so freaked out about a 4 lb Phantom with barely enough capacity to carry its own weight and a camera. For more than 40 years, anyone could have built/bought an R/C model aircraft that could penetrate a protected structure in a no-fly zone with much greater efficiency and payload.

Things that make you roll your eyes.

MacCool Posted at 2015-1-30 04:48
Interesting that everyone is so freaked out about a 4 lb Phantom with barely enough capacity to carr ...

Sensationalism and Drama sells!

Mate I feel for you in your situation I really do but I did a bit of checking and here is the NOTAM (Notice To AirMen) designating the No Fly Zone around DC:  http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_0_8326.html

Area A
Airspace Definition:
Center:        WASHINGTON VOR/DME(DCA) (Latitude: 38º51'34"N, Longitude: 77º02'11"W)
Radius:        30 nautical miles
Altitude:        From the surface up to but not including 18000 feet MSL
Effective Date(s):
From December 01, 2010 at 0401 UTC
To Permanent

  It's a radius of 30 NM so in effect the DJI restriction is only half of what the actual restriction is and I suspect this is a lost in translation thing between radius and diameter. So, if you are flying where you are you are in effect breaking the law every time you do so. After this week's little incident I suggest you be rather careful. Up until now you may have got away with it but I suspect that in the future rather more attention will be paid by the powers that be.  

gil Posted at 2015-1-30 18:06
Hey, don't forgot "unresolved sexual tension"!  If they took all the sensationalism and drama out of ...

My first time I had to fling myself out of an aircraft, it wasn't able to fly anymore with half the right wing blown off.  1972 over An Loc, SVN  in a stinger gunship.  That was NOOOOOOOOOO fun.

Gerry1124 Posted at 2015-1-30 18:14
My first time I had to fling myself out of an aircraft, it wasn't able to fly anymore with half th ...

Anyone who throws himself out of a perfectly good airplane deserves what's coming.  Your situation however I can sympathise with.

Well sure Gerry, it does tend to skew the probability of dying when you've got people throwing missiles, bullets and rocks up at you!

Boy, I'll betcha the Sensationalism and Drama got kicked up a notch or two, huh?  (and the needle of the fun meter spinning BACKWARDS off the scale!)

gil Posted at 2015-1-30 18:38
Well sure Gerry, it does tend to skew the probability of dying when you've got people throwing missi ...

Had to change my shorts when I got back to base 3 days later and burn them.

Gerry1124 Posted at 2015-1-30 18:48
Had to change my shorts when I got back to base 3 days later and burn them.

Thank you for your service, Gerry!

perdidoflyer Posted at 2015-1-30 19:44
Thank you for your service, Gerry!

That was a long time ago my friend.

trailtec.email Posted at 2015-1-30 18:07
Mate I feel for you in your situation I really do but I did a bit of checking and here is the NOTAM  ...

Yes I noticed that too. it is very obvious that this was written for aircraft and not consumer drones, Unfortunately if you are going to treat drones like aircraft then we should all have a pilots license before flying.  The FAA needs to sort this crap out and come out with sensible rules for drones. If I would have known this flight restriction I would have never purchased a DJI drone. It sounds like from what i have been reading that it only applies to Phantom 2's so this doesn't really solve the problem because the one that crashed the white house was a Phantom 1.

It doesn't look like DJI has updated the no fly zone map. It would be nice to know if I'm really within the no fly radius.

http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc

rdc44444.email Posted at 2015-1-29 00:53
Yeah I understand and I dont live in dc or ever flew there however a 15.5 mile radius from "downto ...

I'm in the same area as you 12 miles west of the city. Still trying to find out exactly what the restrictions may be.

rondrice.gmail Posted at 2015-2-1 02:54
I'm in the same area as you 12 miles west of the city. Still trying to find out exactly what the r ...

Your phantom motors will not start. It's much more restrictive than the airport no fly zones which allows limited flight depending how far you are from the airport.  Btw the idiot who broke just about every faa safety guideline and the rules that currently applies to drones such as 1) flying and drinking 2) flying at night 3) flying in restrictive airspace (dc) 4) flying in an urban area over people/property  is not even being charged or fined from what I understand. He also claimed he lost control through a classic phantom "flyaway".

Yeah I agree one hundred percent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/bl ... ashington-d-c-area/

rdc44444.hotmai Posted at 2015-2-2 12:27
Yeah I agree one hundred percent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/bl ... ashington-d-c-area/

Thank you for posting such a great article from The Post. Don't know about you but I'm still looking through Google Maps to find a secluded place to fly outside the zone. Not having much luck though.

rondrice.gmail Posted at 2015-2-2 23:37
Thank you for posting such a great article from The Post. Don't know about you but I'm still looki ...

A good place is a model airplane club field. Though they may require AMA membership to fly there.

http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx