My wife wants to buy me a birthday present (namely a drone - perhaps DJI Mini 2 4K Drone) during the current black friday specials, but, there's loads of unhappy users on the forums and I wanted to get a wholistic answer to my concerns from all the dedicated users.

Some concerns from the forum include:

• Incompatible App. Many users on very new Pixel phones and well as older phones (including me on a Samsung Galaxy Note 8) note their frustration that the "DJI Fly App" is incompatible or simple doesn’t work with their phone. (Oh the irony that it works with 12 different models of Huawei)
• App development. Most of the "official" response from DJI admin's note to use a different phone, rather than addressing the issue or indicating why its happening.
• App side-loading. *Ahem* I am familiar with side-loading, and how DJI is sidestepping Google/Androids builtin security layers. This is not really a great idea... and there are loads of reasons why this is so on this forum and the internet (notwithstanding the "alleged" privacy issues, anti-analysis techniques, unexpected data transmissions back to Weibo servers,  app remaining open in the background even when closed, self-updating feature, overly broad reaching permission access, installation of arbitrary apps, disabling of 'unauthorised' version of the app, unnecessary collection of invasive cellular information, overreaching privacy policy breaching DJIs own privacy policy, various imported 3rd party SDK software security flaws.. and so on).
• Google Play Store Ban. The various apps (not all) have now mostly disappeared permanently from the PlayStore and have been for some considerable time (years?), even though DJI have continuously noted their return.
• Apple App Store. The app is still available in Apples App Store, though for how much longer, given Apple's extreme security protocols. Ironically, any DJI product is shown as "Currently Unavailable" on the Apple website.
• Transparency. I get it that its tough meeting both apple/google (and the US) rules/regulations having done a few apps myself, but it feels like DJI is simply side-stepping issues that were know to exist prior to various OS beta releases, or perhaps its a bigger politcal party pulling the strings?
  

The DJI products in general sound really cool, but if the darn thing doesn't work with your current mobile device (where required) then the point is mute. Can one use a DJI drone if said mobile/cellular device is NOT connected to a carrier (ever)?

-Thank you
Mr Worrywart

Iphone 13 Pro max and iPhone 7+ user here and it works great with both.   On the iPhone7 I dont have a data connection.  The only issue with that is unlocking a restricted location,  but that just requires a little planning.

DAFlys Posted at 11-30 00:49
Iphone 13 Pro max and iPhone 7+ user here and it works great with both.   On the iPhone7 I dont have a data connection.  The only issue with that is unlocking a restricted location,  but that just requires a little planning.

Hi @DAFlys, Thank you for your reply :-)
You mentioned "..unlocking a restricted location".... ? what the!
So DJI drones (or is it all drones) are locked (geofencing) from certain restricted zones (inc height)?
I sort-of get it that you want a device from venturing into certain area's (e.g airports if i'm a rookie user), but to LOCK the device seems big-brother like.
I'm totes fine following CASA's rules, but to have a manufacturer control my usage.. of a device that I own.... seems.....  odd.

Can one turn off said geofencing?

SarahJ Posted at 12-1 02:38
Hi @DAFlys, Thank you for your reply :-)
You mentioned "..unlocking a restricted location".... ? what the!
So DJI drones (or is it all drones) are locked (geofencing) from certain restricted zones (inc height)?

Yes,   Many places are locked,  some can be unlocked some cannot.   For example most prisons and airports are locked and to unlock you would have to provide paper work to DJI to unlock.   

Heights are fixed to 500m,   mostly that cannot be unlocked.

There is a map you can check to see what's covered.   https://www.dji.com/uk/flysafe/geo-map  Yellow and Blue are not a problem to self unlock,  red requires permission and proof.

I had a Spark (lost it!) and now have a Air 2. Both great! Fly with both iPad 7thgen and Motorola 7 phone. Prefer the bigger display of the iPad. I always enable the most recent updates to everything and never have any problems.

A mi punto de vista lo ideal es tener un dispositivo aparte del que se usa cotidianamente y tenerlo solamente para volar, ya que con las actualizaciones hay muchas variantes con los actualizaciones que van saliendo.

yo tengo un SAMSUNG S9 exclusivo para volar y nunca he tenido ni un problema, y he volado MAVIC 2 ZOOM , MAVIC 2 PRO, MAVIC MINI, MAVIC AIR 2 Y ningun problema con la APP DJI FLY, DJI GO4

买air2s呀，晚上拍摄要好很多