...it FORCED me to take a DJI exam on safe flight. No options; take the exam or don't fly!!! ... DJI really has gone over the top...
ABSOLUTELY. It is hard to believe that some cannot see the "writing on the wall." We've bread a generation of people who'd hand their personal freedom over to anyone who tells them to "beg," or "roll over!" Not at gunpoint, mind you, but just ... "because" they're extorted into it. It is truly a different species (at least in these once United States)! Their ancestors once cried "give me (personal) freedom or give me death! Wow...what a load!
Once the recent register or DO NOT FLY rules from DJI went into effect I decided NOT to buy another DJI product. How many would/could do that ... make a PERSONAL SACRIFICE to change things? IF everyone just said "This ends now, no more sales," how long would DJI hold out? They'd buckle in an instant. However, this is NOT going to happen. Those who did boycott would be in the minority, and those who didn't would TAKE that advantage (until they couldn't any more) to 'make money' letting others pay the price for their 'freedom.'
In reality, I am not surprised. In our American Revolution, in reality only 10% supported the war against Britain. The rest KNEW that if the revolution failed ... (treasonous) "heads would roll!" This FEAR worked, as less than 2% actually put their lives on the line for that same Revolution.
So it is really a surprise that almost no one is taking this mimi-tyrannical action seriously and saying 'enough is enough?"
There are only TWO kinds of laws. One type punished CRIMES committed against others, or harmful, dangerous acts. The OTHER KING OF LAW punishes one for breaking ANY LAW that happens to be considered a law by whomever holds the biggest stick! This example of Chinese anti-freedom is about what you'd expect from major company embedded in a (let's face it people ... it's still a) Communist country: a MONOPOLY that makes plastic propellor-powered flying toys?!
But who is empowering this behavior? Who is to blame? People who will not stand united against anything at all, if it costs them ANYTHING ... personally.
Sadly, high resolution cameras flying around in the sky are a menace to only one thing really: the tyranny of power. Forget flying bombs, these are really, primarily only FLYING EYES IN THE SKY. And yet is this not a potential "tactical weapon?" Hence, the rapidly escalating restriction. This is why the technology is now in the hands of Chinese (and I am sure American and European) police to down them where they fly, anytime. Last years total restriction on ANYTHING in the air (including kites for Pete's sake!) when the Chinese President visited Hong Kong, only demonstrates this reality!
Now, all of this is being watched, recorded and noted. If you kiss **** here YOU may not be targeted (for now) as a possible trouble maker. So, by all means stay quiet, do as your bid, and kiss the hand that is slowly strangling you. The future is only the past repeating itself.
How long before NO DJI 'drones' — in a specific area of the world — will NOT FLY when someone in China simply pushes a master button? Laughing now? I am not!