DJI ditches No Fly Zones in USA; Australia exempt, for now
Drone manufacturer DJI says it will no longer enforce “No-Fly Zones”, in the USA, putting the onus on pilots to ensure they don’t fly in restricted areas, although Australia will remain exempt from the changes, for now.
In a blog post, DJI says that a new update means US-based pilots will see DJI geofencing datasets replaced by official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, matching similar changes made to European Union (EU) DJI drones last year.
DJI contends that the update is in accordance with global aviation regulations and emphasizes it is the responsibility of the drone operator, rather than the manufacturer, to adhere to aviation rules.
In recent years, unauthorised and irresponsible use of drones in wildfire zones have created problems for firefighting aircraft, as recently seen in a collision during the Los Angeles wildfires.
A Canadian Super Scooper aircraft assisting with the wildfire suppression was grounded after being hit by a drone.
However, DJI Australia says it has no plans to update its geo-fencing technology here.
Locally, DJI drone users who attempt to fly into a no fly zone are prompted with a warning and flight is prevented.
A spokesperson for DJI Australia said that its geo-fencing system has not been changed.
"DJI will conduct further assessments based on the local situation in Australia. Please stay tuned to the official DJI announcements for the latest information," the spokesperson said.