A few days ago, I already wrote an article about our "Apple of the drone manufacturers", DJI and it's new no-fly zones. Now it's time to have a little more detailed look at their idea.
What DJI did was introduce no-fly zones of 8km (5 miles) around "major airports". I already noted, that their list includes "major" airports, such as Kuusamo, Finland (population 16177), Kittilä, Finland (population 6315) and even the closed and not even usable as emergency landing site due to used car lots on the runway, Raadi airfield at Tartu, Estonia.
Here is now a look at Finland and the impact of those no-fly zones (I couldn't resist to include Tartu, Estonia too). Finland is just an example for the consequences . In essence, especially in smaller towns with regional or local airfields which have only minimal movement and very often are used by local RC-clubs at the weekends, not only the (legal) use of the airfield is impossible but due to the unreasonable large zone, basically, operation in the whole town isn't possible.
Read the full article: http://stefan.gofferje.net/uav/195-a-closer-look-at-dji-s-new-no-fly-zones
Update:
I have removed the total block of Apple devices from my website for now after Chris told me that about 1/4 of all DIYD users actually are on Apple. I did remove it to prevent backfire and unrest at DIYD, not because I think, it's wrong!
Here is a video from DJI explaining the system in detail:
Comments
Oh no, you gave in. Sorry to hear that. Apple Rules again. Damit
Circular Advisory 91-57
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3. Operating Standards
When flying aircraft within 3 miles of an airport, notify the airport operator, or when an traffic facility is located at the airport, notify the control tower or flight service station.
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FAA MODERNIZATION AND REFORM ACT OF 2012.
Sec .336 Special Rule For Model Aircraft
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(5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport
operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the
airport) with prior notice of the operation (model aircraft operators flying from a permanent
location within 5 miles of an airport should establish a mutually-agreed upon operating
procedure with the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic
facility is located at the airport)).
I see no law to back up this firmware change in FAA Modernization And Reform Act of 2012 or CA91-57. In fact in both cases the documents ask you to contact the airport not outright ban the use of the craft.
This is probably the most idiotic move I have ever seen by a company. I almost have to ask: Are you nuts DJI? Not only is DJI giving the autopilot way too much control, but on the other side they are taking away the decision process of the user. DJI created one of the most dangerous situation of all: Letting their user base believe that their software is 100% failsafe and trustworthy.
First rule of all aviation: You never trust! I can spool down a thousand scenarios right now where a human makes the right decision but the machine fails. This is just plain stupid and what gain do they get? They are not in compliance with any regulation because most countries have not adopted any yet. This is like building speed regulators into cars - nice idea - but fails in the real world. Again, this might work in other countries (maybe) but here in the US we don't like to be restricted by a mechanical or electronic device - it's our way of life to make decisions on our own and apply common sense. Let's see how fast DJI will deliver an update to remove this update...
Anyone who thinks that this is a great feature should stop flying immediately - you are not only a danger to yourself and your surrounding but you don't understand how aviation works at all and you will do much better by staying on the ground.
Guy likes them for there strengths but acknowledges their weakness. Guy isn't cult apple material.
I'd much rather hear about dji and the restrictions since I didn't come here to read about people fighting about who's OS is better.
I use both too btw. :-)
Guy,
thanks you for a very objective counter-argument! I have worked with Macs too and I know that Macs are not only a legitimate but even the best choice in a number of fields, mostly in the creative sector. My main dislike, admittedly, comes from IOS devices. Much of what Bill and Nigel said about e.g. Android is true, with one major difference... Manufacturer's of Android devices (most of them, at least) have learned and give the user root rights or even the possibility to install alternative OSs. And I have never heard of Google or any phone manufacturer trying to drag a hacker in front of a criminal court for DMCA violations because of a jailbreak solution (in the times before user had the option to choose). True is also that Google is (almost) as picky in their app store as Apple but then again, almost is almost and in Android you can always allow "installing from alternative sources" or even use another app store. The user has the choice.
Besides - IIRC, it wasn't always that one could install other OSs on Macs. Didn't they use to have some cryptographic device which prevented booting alternative OSs?
@Nigel:
I think, your argument is flawed. On the one hand you imply that buying DJI (or Apple for that matter) is an informed, conscious, deliberate decision. On the other hand you say, People don't understand. So how can somebody who doesn't understand make an informed decision? The truth is that the majority of DJI (and Apple buyers don't buy the devices for it's technical capabilities but simply because of it's design and/or because it's "hip". DJI (and Apple) are not mere products - they are a lifestyle.
As for Apple, I didn't say a word about Apple on DIYD until some Apple-cult followers started a shitstorm here because they couldn't access my website. If somebody attacks me, I defend myself, especially if somebody wants to attack my right of free speech or my right to do with my property (website) as I please. With - by the way - "Apple-cult" not at all being a rant or even my own invention, but what the press says: http://theweek.com/article/index/229766/5-signs-that-apple-is-a-cult
You might also find this articles about neuroscientific research about Apple (and other megacorps) interesting:
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/19/apple.religion/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13416598
What happened here proves their point and me right in my conviction that Apple (together with other megacorps as Bill pointed out earlier) is one of the biggest threats to freedom of our modern world. Think about it - a less determined and strong character person would never dare saying anything against Apple in public, having to fear such a shitstorm, even demanding the removal of the user account from this website - just because I dislike Apple and for that reason don't allow Apple devices on my private website. So the Apple cult is already interfering with freedom of speech and expression.
When it comes to DJI - what you call rant, I call having a founded opinion and standing up for it.
And yes - I don't believe at all the DJI spent any serious thought on either the development or the implementation of this "feature". I already explained that, but in short - the whole system is neither thought through, nor researched properly, nor implemented properly. Keywords: Small backwater airports, closed airports, etc. (for details please read my article again). Besides, at least in Finland, some airports which are much bigger than the ones in the list are NOT on the list, such as Helsinki-Malmi or Jyväskylä.
To me this has more the appearance of some sales guy having an idea, running to the developer and telling the developer to have it ready by the end of the week.
Stefan - Please. You make some good points regards DJI, but your zealous anti Apple and anti DJI ranting has no place here. I use both Android and iOS. I am working on projects for both. On the surface, Apple has more control over their eco system than Google, however, Google retains almost as much control over Android, from killing aps in their store, to dictating last week where and how the Android logo should appear in the interface.
You (and I) are 'technical' people. We understand how these devices work. But huge numbers of people don't. THey want a device that they can pick up and use, not spend their days customising. They don't want malware and viruses. So they use Apple.
Same applies to DJI. Many build their own vehicles and fit APM. Most don't, they want the simple get up and go 'Apple experience'. Neither are wrong. It's a choice they make BEFORE they buy.
In your perfect world, everything would be 'open' and work perfectly and we could all do what we want. It isn't like that...
Do you all think that DJI haven't thought long and hard about airport exclusion before implementing it? Do you think they haven't taken extensive legal advice before doing so? Do you really think they want to do it? It's due to the 'open' free for all, 'I can do what I like where I like' attitude of some that we've got here in the first place...
With regards to privacy, you can't even trust home appliances any more. German IT new service heise Online has recently reported about several issues in smart TVs from LG, Samsung and Philips, which sent e.g, data about your viewing habits to Google analytics and/or tc stations. Another TV allows full access to connected USB storage through an open Wlan... And much more...
But - as I wrote - privacy is not my main point about Apple. Their control-freakism is.
@bill:
Me deleting comments wasn't meant as censorship to suppress opinion but simply because I wanted to keep the discussion on topic. I wasn't aware of the "special" attitude towards this on DIYD.
I also didn't make the people click through to my site to convey my anti-apple message. It was primarily because of technical aspects - I can't do this map-popup-in-a-lightbox at DIYD. If you check pther blog posts of mine, such as the IR photos with Boscam, you see that I c&p them 1:1.
As for other corporations, you are right about privacy. In essence, you can hardly use any cloud service or commercial product nowadays. But I dislike Apple especially because they want total control over their users. "Apple knows best what's good for you"... They decide what OS and software you can use. They even tried to drag jailbreak developers to criminal court for "circumventing copyright measures" although jailbreak is not about using pirated software, it's about simple things like having control, I.e. root rights, on a device that is YOUR property. The worst thing is the Apple fan community who refuse to see the problems even if you prove them indisputably right in front of them, but believe every word from Apple's marketing. Just as an example, the "Antennagate" and other (tons of) hardware and software issues with the iphone 4. I know personally Apple users who told me "nono, it's no fault of Apple, it must be user mistake" even after I showed them 3 different mainstream press articles about it. THAT was when I started the decision process on locking Apple defices out. Besides, I'm not alone with that. At least in Europe, there's a growing number of websites restricting access for or blocking selected or all Apple devices.
Hosting... Good point there. I already host my mailserver myself on my premises for years and if there wasn't some mailing list operators which STILL don't support TLS, I would enforce it incoming (I know, it'd be against RFC...). And of course, my "important" website is also hosted at home with https.
@Euan,
If we get around to implementing this in AC/AP you can be sure there will be an enable/disable parameter.
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