DJI, the biggest drone company in the world, has introduced a new activation process for international customers, including Australians, to ensure no one can fly a drone where they’re not supposed to.
Once pilots register their aircraft after purchase they will be required to log in when they have updated the companion DJI Go or Go 4 app.
This will then provide the correct geospatial information and flight functionality for that particular location.
If users don’t go through this registration and update process, their drone will be restricted to flying in a 50m radius at a maximum height of 30m and live camera streaming will be disabled.
Whenever anyone purchases a drone in Australia they are made aware of the flight restrictions and rules that’s spelt out on a piece of paper that’s inside the drone’s packaging.
But unless they’ve been trained to read a chart and know every last rule about flight safety, these pilots unfortunately often fly their craft where they shouldn’t.
With this update pilots will be warned if they are in a restricted area or no-fly zone (NFZ) so their judgment of their designated flight area will have to pass the app’s new suggestions.
In some cases, particularly close to airports, if a pilot tries to fly their drone – the NFZ restriction will be displayed and the craft will automatically land and remain grounded until they move to a safer area with no flight restrictions.
DJI’s goal with this update is to encourage to fly their drones in a safe and responsible manner.
