China-based drone manufacturer DJI announced Monday that the latest firmware update to its “GEO” geofencing system reclassifies Restricted Zones (aka No Fly Zones) as Enhanced Warning Zones. The change means that drone operators are now responsible for monitoring their aircraft to ensure they do not encroach on FAA-designated flight restriction areas, as opposed to the automatic GPS-derived “fencing” that would not allow the drone to enter the restricted airspace.

  • regrub@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    21
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    12 hours ago

    How long do yall think it’ll take for us to see a major drone incident due to this change?

    • Cort@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 hour ago

      A major incident is what caused the change, in my opinion. As I understand it, a DJI drone took out a water bomber working to put out some California fires. DJI changed their software to put the onus on pilots so they authorities couldn’t claim it was due to faulty software

      • regrub@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        24 minutes ago

        It’s likely to lead to more incidents though, since just about anybody can operate them and will do dumb things with them. The geofencing at least limited the acts of stupidity, imo.

    • aramis87@fedia.io
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      24
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 hours ago

      Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg are supposed to be sitting together on Monday, that’d be nice …

    • keinBloudsinn@lemmings.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      12 hours ago

      Not very long, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are plans and secret rooms to make drones illegal or for military and farm use only