(NewsNation) — DJI, a Chinese-based technology company, got rid of its geofence software, which stopped people from flying drones over the White House, runways, power plants and during public emergencies.
First reported on by The Verge, this change, which went into effect Monday, means that instead of enforcing “No-Fly Zones,” previously restricted areas will be displayed as “Enhanced Warning Zones.”
“In these zones, in-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA-designated controlled airspace, placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility,” DJI said.
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While it is generally legal to fly a drone in most places, the Federal Aviation Administration says recreational flyers cannot go into airspace around airports, designated national security sensitive facilities, certain military bases, infrastructure and national landmarks and places covered by Temporary Flight Restrictions.
On DJI’s blog, the company said when its geofencing system was introduced in 2013, consumer drones were still a new technology, and there weren’t many flight rules and regulations.
While the geofencing system was initially created as a voluntary built-in feature to help “foster responsible flight practices,” DJI said that “global regulations and user awareness have evolved significantly.”
Remote ID solutions make detection and enforcement of drones much easier, DJI said.
“The FAA has introduced Remote ID requirements, which means that drones flown in the U.S. must broadcast the equivalent of a ‘license plate’ for drones,” DJI told The Verge. “This requirement went into effect in early 2024, providing authorities with the tools needed to enforce existing rules.”
The Verge noted that a DJI drone that crashed into a plane fighting the Los Angeles-area wildfires was a sub-250-gram model that may not require Remote ID to operate.
In a statement to NewsNation, the FAA said it does not require geofencing from drone manufacturers.
“The FAA’s role is to ensure drones operate safely within the National Airspace System. Drone operators must comply with FAA regulations, including obtaining proper airspace authorization when required,” the statement said.
Violations of these regulations range from counseling and education to stiff fines and pilot certificate suspensions or revocations.
The Verge reported that the United States government has blocked some of its drone imports and called DJI a “Chinese Military Company.”
However, in another blog post, DJI said this change was not politically motivated.
“Aviation regulators around the world — including the FAA — have advanced the principle of operator responsibility,” the DJI said. “This GEO update aligns with and respects this principle. We had planned to roll this update in the U.S. months ago but delayed the implementation to ensure the update would work properly.”
