I don't know how many are noticing this but there is an ever-increasing suite of restrictions that are gradually squeezing the life out of your drone. You can't fly higher than 500m, but anyone else with any other drone can. You are forced to update the aircraft's firmware, but other drone autopilot systems don't restrict you in this way. You are forced to login at least once, so they can tie your personal information to your flight history and relay that info to law enforcement agencies using products like DJI's AeroScope. Although the mavic can physically fly 20mph up and down and 50+ mph laterally, you are forced to fly much slower, because you don't know any better. You are forced to land at 10% battery but other drones aren't. You are forced to take stupid quizzes to fly, but others aren't. You are forced to comply with made-up no fly zones, but others aren't.

The problem is that DJI is taking its problems (i.e. the FAA and inept drone pilots) and pushing those problems onto you, the customer, by adding restrictions to something you own. Technically, you are better off having as many options as possible and should get the full features and capabilities available from your aircraft. Should you bear these made-up restrictions just because DJI needs to account for the fact that some of their customers are inexperienced kids and are still in the process of realizing they don't know how to fly an RC aircraft yet?

There is a solution...

While this may not be the solution for you, the solution that brought the highest level of enjoyment for me was to 'jailbreak' the mavic and free it from DJI's authoritarian grip, using the clear instructional videos from digdat0 on youtube. I downgraded to version 1.03.0700 on the mavic, down to DJI GO 4 4.0.8 on the iPad mini 4, and down to DJI Assistant 1.1.2 on the PC (to enable custom settings modifications). Now all limitations are removed. No login requirement at all, no altitude limit, adjustable speed limits in all directions (20mph up and down, 50+ mph horizontal), no forced landing, no sending of my data to anyone, no NF zones, no quizzes, and no forced updates. I also don't have to deal with any of the additional restrictions they plan to roll out in future 'updates'. Now the drone works like it is supposed to.

Well I guess it is each to his own.
You probably spent more time and money to achieve what you perceive to be a drone free of restrictions.
I have a Mavic and P4Pro and love them with all the latest firmware etc and I fly them according to the rules that apply.
I also built my own F450 drone and it is my real fun drone. Didn't cost much, easy and quick to build, can program it myself, and it is a ton of fun in atti or manual mode and is very stable.  So long as I fly it in a place that is legal there are no other restrictions.

do not wake the sleeping ... you have to work more later

David, I did exactly what you did, all the same downgrades with the help of my new best friend digdat0. My Mavic flies beautiful.
I would post what I did but any time I attempt to post info on this subject
I get a notice that I have "Incorrect info"
My account has been banned from sharing that type of info.

djiuser_CbfiJvy Posted at 2018-1-5 22:39
do not wake the sleeping ... you have to work more later

Exactly....

Wait... A quizz before taking off? Are you kidding? What kind of quizz?

I haven't been flying since a month or two, I didn't see that yet.

Samoth Posted at 2018-1-6 05:07
Wait... A quizz before taking off? Are you kidding? What kind of quizz?

I haven't been flying since a month or two, I didn't see that yet.

It’s part of the updated version of dji go4 app.

I guess that DJI  wants to be gentle and fluffy with respect to the law and be exceptionally good and right.
Now many governments and parliaments limit the flights of drones.
And everything goes in the direction of stricter rules and strict restrictions.
In this situation, DJI wants to create software with limitations that are very close to the new laws of most countries.
DJI wants to create a situation where they will prohibit flights on any drones, except for DJI only,  since DJI-drones have all the correct limits.

This is a struggle for life and we can only observe....

Alexei Merinov Posted at 2018-1-6 06:24
I guess that DJI  wants to be gentle and fluffy with respect to the law and be exceptionally good and right.
Now many governments and parliaments limit the flights of drones.
And everything goes in the direction of stricter rules and strict restrictions.

What restrictions has dji put on your Mavic that is different than when you purchased, and I don’t mean signing in once to your app. ?

Samoth Posted at 2018-1-6 05:07
Wait... A quizz before taking off? Are you kidding? What kind of quizz?

I haven't been flying since a month or two, I didn't see that yet.

Not applicable in Europe yet.

Well i can see more Mavics flying away and/or going in the drink soon

"While this may not be the solution for you, the solution that brought the highest level of enjoyment for me was to 'jailbreak' the mavic and free it from DJI's authoritarian grip"

And also free it from its warranty, nice one

Why would anyone show any support for this fool?

1/ he wants to fly above 500 metres, (putting you your family and anyone around in danger of serious mishaps)
2/ he wants to fly as far as he can completely flaunting the rules that you are trying to adhere to, and again putting you and your family’s at serious risk.
3/ he is around all the forums spouting the same diatribe flogging an already dead horse, the truth is there have been no restrictions placed on any dji aircraft , except users are asked to sign in once, that’s it none whatsoever, regarding data privacy well we can now fly using dji pilot app and are guaranteed 100% data privacy.
It is beyond me that anyone can support anybody like this who shows total disregard for the safety of all of your families and then comes on here bragging about it.
The reality is 99.9% of all dji users have accepted signing in once have no fears regarding their privacy and if they have then there are plenty of options open to them.

Having said all that

“Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”

Samoth Posted at 2018-1-6 05:07
Wait... A quizz before taking off? Are you kidding? What kind of quizz?

I haven't been flying since a month or two, I didn't see that yet.

It's only required by the Application if you live in U.S.A or U.K (at present), some simple questions that need to be answered when DJI Go 4 is initiated. Thereafter that's it, no internet nor cell connection, nor logging in each flight. You are then free to fly as you like as long as it's not an NFZ, or higher than 500m, or further than a couple of miles or so  (in EU).

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-6 06:38
Not applicable in Europe yet.

Sorry for my ignorance, but is quizz the same thing as a quiz? Or it's another thing?

At least 80% of serious crashes you'll see on the Internet are DJI Phantoms. All the noobs go for DJI because their products are so easy to fly. DJI needs to put these restrictions or rules will get even stricter.

Going above 500 meters is stupid and not needed. NFZs can be annoying but it'll keep the idiots from crashing into planes.

MiniPalourde Posted at 2018-1-6 15:20
Sorry for my ignorance, but is quizz the same thing as a quiz? Or it's another thing?

It’s just 8 simple multiple choice questions, it’s basically to teach some basic simple safety rules of flying drones.

Gosh hallmark will u just be quiet already always trying to make someone look bad.... Who cares let him do what he wants it's his quadcopter!!!

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-6 15:26
It’s just 8 simple multiple choice questions, it’s basically to teach some basic simple safety rules of flying drones.

Every restriction and annoyance can be described by itself as, "It's just XYZ..." but they all add up, and DJI is continually adding new restrictions. It is clear that they are trying to stop people from jailbreaking the drone. In 1.04.0100 they tried to add rollback prevention. If jailbreaking the drone voids the warranty, wouldn't they want people to jailbreak them? Wouldn't that mean that there are fewer warranties that they have to financially support?

David_ Posted at 2018-1-6 18:52
Every restriction and annoyance can be described by itself as, "It's just XYZ..." but they all add up, and DJI is continually adding new restrictions. It is clear that they are trying to stop people from jailbreaking the drone. In 1.04.0100 they tried to add rollback prevention. If jailbreaking the drone voids the warranty, wouldn't they want people to jailbreak them? Wouldn't that mean that there are fewer warranties that they have to financially support?

No restrictions were added to dji aircraft, except sign in once, it’s dji’s app they have every right to try to stop people jail breaking their app.
As I said before your flogging a dead horse here, and your doing your best by being untruthful about all this and most people are aware and wise enough to see through your diatribe.

Aardvark Posted at 2018-1-6 08:22
It's only required by the Application if you live in U.S.A or U.K (at present), some simple questions that need to be answered when DJI Go 4 is initiated. Thereafter that's it, no internet nor cell connection, nor logging in each flight. You are then free to fly as you like as long as it's not an NFZ, or higher than 500m, or further than a couple of miles or so  (in EU).

just that? ... the photos that are left in the host of the app, nobody took that picture! .. and there are images of my pool, my car, etc etc etc ... that's my privacy ... so no come with idiocies, because we spent time to escape from DJI

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-6 15:26
It’s just 8 simple multiple choice questions, it’s basically to teach some basic simple safety rules of flying drones.

I was kind of shocked when I first saw the quiz on my first mavic pro, but in retrospect I don't think it's such a bad thing. Particularly if you're just completely clueless about what you're about to do putting this thing in the air, it's not such a terrible idea to make you learn at least the very basics of the flight environment.

It can look kind of condescending to many of us who've been in aviation in some form for a long time, but to a total beginner, it might make them go "hmm... ok I'll google this and see what's up" and they may learn something.

So I can see the proponent side of this one. Education at any level is never a bad thing, IMO.

Thanks david i will try this.

DJI is just looking out for you. I see where you are coming from, as these drones do feel increasingly restricting as the new updates come out. I share similar feelings, but DJI, being one of the most popular drone companies in the world, especially in the U.S. must be compliant with the federal rules and regulations.

Also, as many of us pilots know, some people outside of the drone community are easily annoyed by UAVs, and DJI is one step ahead, working with organizations like the FAA to make sure that the new pilots who take to the skies are flying responsibly to keep the stereotype of the drone community a positive one.

DJI drones are packed full of features that simply are not found on other drones, but it wasn’t like these drawbacks weren’t evident before you purchased your drone. So of course, if these drawbacks are too much for you to handle, then you may want to look into other manufacturers you can buy your next aircraft from.

Personally, I like how DJI watches my back when I’m flying. Although it seems like a major con to let them have access to your flight records, I find it just another way to keep me accountable when piloting my drone.

DJI also mainly markets their products as aerial camera platforms, not hobby sport drones. While they are pretty capable in that area, in the end aerial cameras require a lot less physical flight handling and speed than hobby drones.

Also, I can also see why DJI auto lands their drones at 10%. First, you may be flying at high altitude, and landing won’t only take longer to perform, but it must negotiate winds and other variables to get to the ground safely. Also, the battery is another variable. In cold temperatures, Lipo packs tend to drain a lot faster (like when your phone dies) so in different weather conditions, your drone may handle differently. Overall, that might mean you need to bring up your low battery warning 10%, and pretend that you have 20 Minutes of flight time, when you would normally get 24, but you still have 10% left in the tank for emergencies.

Like I said, I definitely see where you are coming from, but it is not like dji doesn’t have good reasoning for these settings either. I am coming from a hobbyist perspective who hasn’t been in the aerial cinematography game for all but a few months, and I can tell you that having these features is a lot better than not having anything like this at all. First, the latest updates can prevent you from breaking a law that normally you wouldn’t know about until you get a letter from the authorities talking about that YouTube video you just posted. Next, it can help keep the regards of drones high, because less mishaps happen with annoyed people who spread a bad message about what we love to do. Finally, it protects our investment. DJI knows the limits of their aircraft and have incorporated that into their app. Nobody wants that terrible feeling of losing their drone, especially when you know you pushed the limits of the drone, maybe by flying to far away or to close to something that could bring your craft down.

The bottoms line:
Listen to DJI. They know their aircraft best, and they must work  with federal laws and regulations to keep you as the pilot, bystanders, and your drone safe in the skies.

Noah Pitzer Posted at 2018-1-6 21:38
DJI is just looking out for you. I see where you are coming from, as these drones do feel increasingly restricting as the new updates come out. I share similar feelings, but DJI, being one of the most popular drone companies in the world, especially in the U.S. must be compliant with the federal rules and regulations.

Also, as many of us pilots know, some people outside of the drone community are easily annoyed by UAVs, and DJI is one step ahead, working with organizations like the FAA to make sure that the new pilots who take to the skies are flying responsibly to keep the stereotype of the drone community a positive one.

It's simple. Dji's drones are so popular that they have to cater to the lowest common denominator of their customer base. This comes at the expense and the annoyance of their more experienced customers. The people who are jailbreaking the drone are just removing all of the annoying restrictions and limitations placed there to cater to DJI's most inexperienced customers.

Aardvark Posted at 2018-1-6 07:37
"While this may not be the solution for you, the solution that brought the highest level of enjoyment for me was to 'jailbreak' the mavic and free it from DJI's authoritarian grip"

And also free it from its warranty, nice one

I bought my Mavik on Aliexpress, I have no guarantee (from the point of view of local DJI dealers) immediately. This situation is typical for many owners in Russia, for example.

David_ Posted at 2018-1-6 21:56
It's simple. Dji's drones are so popular that they have to cater to the lowest common denominator of their customer base. This comes at the expense and the annoyance of their more experienced customers. The people who are jailbreaking the drone are just removing all of the annoying restrictions and limitations placed there to cater to DJI's most inexperienced customers.

Agreed. That is the best way to put it! DJI knows that most of us are experienced and will fly responsible, but they have designed their software so that some noob can come onto drone flying with no experience and at least not hurt anyone/thing or break any laws in the process

DJI owns 70% of market share. That means they are making products that everyone wants. They are offering quality and also they are complying with a wide selections of laws and regulation

Basically I think they DJI has sacrificed its customer total freedom as drone owners but has has gained the world. DJI Drones are sold nearly in every country. Counties with very strict laws.

DJI putting those limitation means that they are trying to make a product that can’t be sold everywhere. That is why they are valued at 10 billion $.

To be honest we as customers are also benefiting from this. Since they are capable to make quality products.

Frank Wang doesn’t seem a man that likes limitation. He created DJI and made is successfully. But beside being a engineer he is a smart businessman and has learned to play the aviation and business politic.

djiuser_CbfiJvy Posted at 2018-1-6 20:16
just that? ... the photos that are left in the host of the app, nobody took that picture! .. and there are images of my pool, my car, etc etc etc ... that's my privacy ... so no come with idiocies, because we spent time to escape from DJI

As you see my answer was in regard to the quiz that was introduced in the U.K & U.S.A recently. Nothing to do with violation of any privacies. So my answer was factual and easy to understand.

But to try and answer your question:-

just that? ... the photos that are left in the host of the app, nobody took that picture! .. and there are images of my pool, my car, etc etc etc ... that's my privacy ... so no come with idiocies, because we spent time to escape from DJI

Yes, just that, surely the host of the Application is your device under your control ?

It's then up to you whether you want to upload files to DJI servers, for storage of them or flight records.

Yes, it is your privacy, under your control.

Google Earth would be a much simpler method for the world, not just DJI to look at your pool & car.

Filip3rd Posted at 2018-1-7 00:43
DJI owns 70% of market share. That means they are making products that everyone wants. They are offering quality and also they are complying with a wide selections of laws and regulation

Basically I think they DJI has sacrificed its customer total freedom as drone owners but has has gained the world. DJI Drones are sold nearly in every country. Counties with very strict laws.

Despite everything, you certainly have to admit that Frank Wang has the right stuff as an entrepreneur and defender of DJI. I first encountered DJI back in the Colin Guinn days and remember the fallout from all that where he was basically ousted. So DJI's history definitely hasn't been a cakewalk for sure.

So looked at in context of everything Mr. Wang has been through with the company and everyone trying to steal trade secrets, etc., you can kind of understand how they might be kind of defensive about things. Credit definitely has to go where credit is due.....

Aardvark Posted at 2018-1-7 01:29
As you see my answer was in regard to the quiz that was introduced in the U.K & U.S.A recently. Nothing to do with violation of any privacies. So my answer was factual and easy to understand.

But to try and answer your question:-

I’m sure it won’t be long before flight  data stored (possibly without our knowledge, or part of the small writing in an agreement) will be used in courts, just like data from fitbits are.

Neroangelo Posted at 2018-1-7 17:43
I’m sure it won’t be long before flight  data stored (possibly without our knowledge, or part of the small writing in an agreement) will be used in courts, just like data from fitbits are.

What may likely be used is recovered data from rogue drones that end up where they shouldn't be. There's a multitude of information stored on the drones internal memory. But for it to be used in courts someone would have to have committed a criminal offence I would think.

In fact DJI recently introduced the 'Pilot' App' in answer to peoples privacy concerns, have a read Here

Aardvark Posted at 2018-1-7 19:04
What may likely be used is recovered data from rogue drones that end up where they shouldn't be. There's a multitude of information stored on the drones internal memory. But for it to be used in courts someone would have to have committed a criminal offence I would think.

In fact DJI recently introduced the 'Pilot' App' in answer to peoples privacy concerns, have a read Here

I'm not sure what would constitute a criminal offence. Would a flyaway come under that as there was denial that it actually happened? My Spark flew away on it's own and I had no documentaion to prove it! Long story.

I wonder how long it will take for that feature to come to Go4.