DJI issued a press release this past Saturday detailing their "new application activation process" that will go into effect at the end of this week. Users who do not register their drones with the site will find their units subject to "restricted operations."
The news is actually a good move on DJI's part as the intention is to make sure all drones are programmed to comply with local flight regulations and restrictions. Users will be prompted to login or register after updating to the latest version of the DJI GO and DJI GO 4 apps. This will allow DJI to ensure that owners drones are configured with the "correct set of geospatial information and flight functions for your aircraft, as determined by your geographical location and user profile."
Users who do not log in after the latest update will find their drones rather limited in functionality per DJI's announcement:
You will need a data connection to the Internet for your smartphone or tablet when you log in, in order to verify the account information and activate the updated software or firmware. If this activation process is not performed, the aircraft will not have access to the correct geospatial information and flight functions for that region, and its operations will be restricted if you update the upcoming firmware: Live camera streaming will be disabled, and flight will be limited to a 50-meter (164-foot) radius up to 30 meters (98 feet) high.
Make sure that you update your aircraft and log in to register the latest firmware so that you don't experience any reduction in flight capabilities.
Photo by DFSB DE and used under Creative Commons.
[via DJI]
DJI about to find themselves subject to a ton of lawsuits and a ton of lost revenues for thinking they have the right to do such things.
So, we are supposed to assume that Donny Cotten knows more about the law than DJI's team of lawyers?
Pssshhhh.... please...
He speaks with such conviction you'd think he knew what the hell he was talking about.
Trolls..
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/appeals-court-strikes-faa-dro...
Seems you're ignorant to the facts. It was never a law and it was struck down by a federal court. We all know companies never break laws or do things wrong with all those teams of lawyers they have...
I know business well and I know you don't piss off your customers with stupidity such as this and keep their business. There is no law requiring them to do such things.
They have a right to sell a product that performs a specific function and unlock further functions if you give them something in return, in this case you're not paying for it, they're only requiring registration. Companies do it with software all the time. They're also providing a service with geolocation and firmware updates for the drones that they're not required to provide. They can change those services at will without breaching any user agreements. They would get in trouble for example if they forced you to register/update, or the drone won't work at all, but they're only changing the service terms for a service they are providing free of charge for an indefinite amount of time. They also aren't forcing the update. If you don't update, you can still fly wherever you want, but they won't be providing you with geolocation services. TLDR, DJI isn't forcing anything. They're withholding their geolocation services if you don't register. And if you agree to install the firmware update, but don't register, then the firmware will cripple your flight abilities. All of it is voluntary, but it's advantageous to comply, especially if your job depends on it.
Companies don't have rights.. first of all. Second, no company has the authority to sell you a product then disable it when there was no notice that such things would occur at the time of purchase. Maybe you would be ok if your car suddenly could only travel 20miles from your house at 15 miles per hour if you didn't purchase the manufacturers brand of gas and use only their credit card...
According to the law they do. It's called corporate personhood, and while it sucks, it's the law of the land. My car doesn't require gps data, or proprietary services to run, so your point is moot. The reason analogies rarely work in debate is because they were based on a false premise in the first place. If your point was valid, you could state it plainly, and I would agree. The only reason I would agree with your statement here is if there was no such thing as "terms of service". If you agree with the terms of service, you have no legal standing. It's a contract between you and the company whether or not you read it or knew what you were getting into when you hit the "accept terms" button. They didn't sell you a 5 year GPS service contract, they provided this free of charge. It wasn't nice of them not to tell you they could revoke the service at any time since you don't pay maintenance costs for it, but that's not the issue here. The issue is legality, and what they did was legal. Talk to the lawyers for yourself.
One thing that I know for sure is that I will not buy anything new from them based off of this. I will build my own and be able to fly wherever and however I want.
I do think that this is a CYA move on the DJI side. They don’t really care they just want to make a reasonable effort to disable people being a dumbass.
Well I haven't heard any lawsuits coming to Apple for not allowing to access all the features of the Iphone by not registering and putting it up to its paces via Itunes.... Which is kinda the same here.
That's not even remotely the same and not registering with Apple does cripple the phone.
Anything leading to fewer drones or fewer drone accidents... I'm good with. If we can accomplish both, even better.
Are there that many drones, and accidents for that matter?
It will do neither... It's just more control efforts for the sake of control and loss of freedom. You're probably one of those that think taking guns away from the public equals less crime too.
Wow... Gun laws too. Where's my tinfoil hat
Ah the liberal response when they can't comprehend facts....
.
You kids get off my lawn!
Is this a one time login, or something to be done before every flight? As someone who spends a lot of time outside of regular cell reception, that would be quite crippling.
According to DJI's press release, this will be a one-time thing.
As long as I can get a full refund and buy something else, because they have changed the product, I'm OK with it. I don't see how they can legally change the ability of an already purchased product without allowing people to get a refund. Another case of punish the many because of the few. I will join the class action lawsuit if I have to.
Seems like only drone "operators" that fly where they shouldn't will be annoyed.
Or people who don't like a corporation taking it upon themselves to require registration of a product for full usage capabilities.
Well you can't play any of today's video games without having an account, and internet access. Same goes for Adobe's Creative Suite.
You can actually play quite a few of today's video games without having an account and internet access, and Adobe CC is an ongoing subscription service, not a pay-and-you-own-it product (anymore). Even if your statements were true, they still wouldn't be comparable to the DJI thing since you would have bought those things knowing the requirements for usage, whereas DJI is retroactively applying this restriction to people who already own their products.
Oh, understood. I'm not in agreement with them retroactively imposing these limits on owners of their products prior to this announcement. However, I think this will benefit many amateurs who continue to fly (and crash) drones near airports, over public parks, and most certainly in national parks.
Andrew in the PC world there's Steam you won't be able to play the games if you aren't logged in their servers :P... Same with some games capabilities as an Example Metal Gear Solid V Phantom Pain won't allow you to do certain stuff if you aren't logged in PSN (can't name which ones to avoid doing spoilers for other people here)
But if we take it one level above to activate an Iphone's full features (allowing you to get apps) you have to sign in to Itunes. Same with Android based phones.
While I am not setting myself in favor of the move the move isn't unheard at all...
Thank a bunch of idiots that think just because they plunk down some cash they can fly the thing where ever they want. Fact is to many people doing to many stupid things with drones. Pretty smart for DJI as a company to be proactive, make it look like they are doing something before the government steps in and passes pretty restrictive laws.
The federal government has no such constitutional authority. It's powers are enumerated in the Constitution and restriction of air use is not one of them. Therefore it falls to the states to decide. I'm more than sick of hearing how my freedom should be restricted because some idiot might do something when the proposed rule or law does ZERO to stop it if some idiot wants to do something after the fact they still will. If laws stopped crime there would be none.
I never said federal government, but they seem to find a way to make things under their authority.
Restriction of Air use is absolutely one of them. The FAA (the F stands for Federal) case lost because the law wasn't made to address the current situation and it's under the jurisdiction of congress to change the law. Furthermore, jurisdiction comes down to enforcement. We have a United States Air force, not an Idaho, California, or Texas air force. States don't have the power to enforce that law, so why would it make sense for the states to make the law? Imagine air traffic control, and pilots having to learn different states aviation laws and air spaces? That's complicated and creates unneeded bureaucracy. Knowing you're a conservative (or at least not a liberal) from previous comments, wouldn't preventing that kind of unnecessary government spending be in your favor?
Try reading the constitution. The federal government has enumerated powers and air control isn't one of them. The constitutional also states that any issue not listed in the constitution as a power of the federal government falls to the states. You fail at knowledge of the constitution. Congress can't arbitrarily decide the federal government needs more power. It has to be done through the constitutional amendment process and the states have to agree. That has not occurred for the FAA.
Apples and oranges. Those are known requirements that you get to agree or disagree to before buying. They don't sell you a game and then tell you if you don't sign up they will cripple the game. It sickens me so many are eager to be slaves to control.
It's more like if you don't sign up, you can't play in multiplayer mode. You bought the game, but you're not paying a subscription for online services, so they can terminate those services at any time without notice. A lot of old games don't have servers to play on anymore. Likewise, you can still use your drone without the update, but they're not going to provide you with GPS data unless you do. If you agree to the update and the terms of service say "this update will reduce drone functionality if you do not register", then you agreed to the terms of service and that's the end of it. They're allowed to reduce the drone functionality because you gave them permission. You don't have to like it, but there's always the option of selling the drone and not purchasing DJI.
As usual, you're not correct. There is not TOS that says they can disable the drone with DJI so your lil example is worthless.
*new* terms of service for the firmware update. You don't have to install the update, and they don't have to provide GPS data. Let me know what DJI's lawyers say when you speak with them.
Most TOS will have a section saying they are free to change the conditions of the TOS whenever they see fit :P you can read them if you want.