P3 sends data to FAA?

[SteveMann]

That's not necessarily true. I live near an international airport (Kingman, Arizona, USA - KIGM) that is NOT on the DJI no-fly list. Couldn't tell you why, maybe it's because this airport mainly services cargo planes and flight training, and doesn't have passenger flights running out of it.

I don't know why you think it's an "International Airport", the name in the Airport Directory is simply "Kingman Airport".
There are 15,000 airports in the US and I doubt there's enough memory in the Phantom for that much data. So, the DJI No-Fly database just includes all airports in Class B airspace and most in Class C airspace. Kingman is in Class E airspace. If you are within 5 miles you can call the airport manager to advise of your flight. There is no control tower.

David French
7000 Flightline Dr.
Kingman, Az 86401
Phone 928-757-2134

 

[Meta4]

I was immediately presented with an option to upgrade to firmware version 1.3.0. Since then I have practiced base station flights and my vps seems all good again.

Guess they do pick and choose favorites.

DJI's website is still showing no new firmware updates available since 1.2.6 / 1.2.8.
How did you get 1.3.0 ... are you in the beta test program?

 

[Kovacs]

DJI's website is still showing no new firmware updates available since 1.2.6 / 1.2.8.
How did you get 1.3.0 ... are you in the beta test program?

I think that was a sarcastic joke, implying that he photo'd something pro-China which was surreptitiously observed by DJI, with a "reward" of the long-awaited firmware update.

 

[Meta4]

Thanks ... I'm a bit slow today

 

[happydays]

Those are your flights, are they not?

Yes they are. But I don't see that on any web page, perhaps you could PM me with how you did it!

 

[thunderchicken]

They also said that the government has a kill switch for the P3 and Inspire. They can just shut it off, or even land it wherever they please. LoL

It makes perfect sense to me that the government would request that the manufacture of drones install a "backdoor" kill switch that they could use in the event of a detected incoming drone headed for a high priority government property. But, since DJI is made in China, they are probably using their products to spy on us in any number of ways.!! Get used to it - it's a new world we live in these days. . .

 

[SteveMann]

It makes perfect sense to me that the government would request that the manufacture of drones install a "backdoor" kill switch that they could use in the event of a detected incoming drone headed for a high priority government property.

I am amazed that this thread is still going - there's more of the Tin Foil Hat Gang here than I thought.

 

[Meta4]

It makes perfect sense to me that the government would request that the manufacture of drones install a "backdoor" kill switch that they could use in the event of a detected incoming drone headed for a high priority government property. But, since DJI is made in China, they are probably using their products to spy on us in any number of ways.!! Get used to it - it's a new world we live in these days. . .

That makes perfect sense? This is pure fantasy stuff.
There is no kill-switch and your government can't detect your Phantom headed for a high priority government property.
And what could your Phantom do that would be worth worrying about anyway?
As for Chinese spying using your Phantom ?!?!?
If they could do that, imagine what they could do with a few million Iphones.

 

[flyNfrank]

I would be more opted to think that our aircraft are setup to not fly in certain areas such as a qualifying government building. It would be like a geo fence. We all know what it's like when setting a distance & height limits. Once reaching the limit the results were like it hit a invisible rubber wall. So maybe it's possible that the same type of effect will take place if flying into a particular area deemed off-limits. The aircraft would stop x-amount of set distance. These areas would be as though there was a dome over them that stops them in flight, but allows them to fly away from the area.

But since there has been terrorist who have attempted bring bombs hidden in their underwear, it does not surprise me the FAA would want to know who is responsible for trying to enter an area that is known not to be flown into.

And not to mention all those that now THINK they have a new way to transfer their drugs from one location to another. Surely the DEA is laughing their *** off saying these dumb asses fell for this like we knew the idiots would. They now know right where all the distribution spots are and more.

Of coarse all this is speculation, but I can't think of any better reasons why the hobbyist was not suppose to know about the online ability.

By The Way, I have known about this for a little over a month and nobody told me about it. I found it on my own and was rather somewhat shocked each day that went by that someone else hadn't posted about it here. And I absolutely positively would not have EVER known about it had the BS with the 1.2.6 firmware crap taken place. Had at least a band-ade cure been put in place for the P3P the sametime the 1.2.8 firmware came out for the P3A I again would not know about it now. But I was determined to fix this issue and not send my P3P in for warranty repair when dji suggested that was the only option, and I knew I just needed to reinstall the firmware instead. My quad once again flies and functions perfectly.

 

[Meta4]

It makes perfect sense to me that the government would request that the manufacture of drones install a "backdoor" kill switch that they could use in the event of a detected incoming drone headed for a high priority government property.

I would be more opted to think that our aircraft are setup to not fly in certain areas such as a qualifying government building. It would be like a geo fence. We all know what it's like when setting a distance & height limits. Once reaching the limit the results were like it hit a invisible rubber wall.

But since there has been terrorist who have attempted bring bombs hidden in their underwear, it does not surprise me the FAA would want to know who is responsible for trying to enter an area that is known not to be flown into.

The problem with these theories is that DJI only have access to your flight records WHEN & IF you get around to synching them to the cloud.
Say goodbye to any hope of a kill-switch of wall in the sky to stop Phantoms where they are.
Is the FAA/CIA/Secret Service going to kill Phantoms a week after they fly where they shouldn't?
And any bad guys that have worked out how to do evil with their Phantoms are probably smart enough to not synch their flight records.

There are way too many holes in this particular conspiracy theory.
But it's always amusing to see what crazy things people choose to believe.

 

[blade strike]

They already have kill switches for our craft.. It's called a jammer. Trust me if they can jam GPS and other signals for military ops they will be able to jam a consumer drone.

 

[flyNfrank]

The problem with these theories is that DJI only have access to your flight records WHEN & IF you get around to synching them to the cloud.
Say goodbye to any hope of a kill-switch of wall in the sky to stop Phantoms where they are.
Is the FAA/CIA/Secret Service going to kill Phantoms a week after they fly where they shouldn't?
And any bad guys that have worked out how to do evil with their Phantoms are probably smart enough to not synch their flight records.

There are way too many holes in this particular conspiracy theory.
But it's always amusing to see what crazy things people choose to believe.

I'm sure you probably realized by now you would have been better off to not comment on something you know little about. What has given you the idea flight files are only going to a cloud? You see how flytrex works. Pretty much data transfers during the flight. It only takes internet access for something similar to take place, and with a device built to stream live to the internet at that.
You seriously do not need to jump on a post I've made in the way you did. I don't appreciate it, and hope you can use your better judgement in such a situation.

 

[Meta4]

I'm sure you probably realized by now you would have been better off to not comment on something you know little about.

That's never stopped you Frank.

You seriously do not need to jump on a post I've made in the way you did. I don't appreciate it, and hope you can use your better judgement in such a situation.

Frank .. when you post crackpot stuff like that with holes in your theory that you can drive a truck through, you have to expect people to comment.
If you want to suspend disbelief and believe the unbelievable, knock yourself out.
I won't comment any more on this ridiculous nonsense.

 

[blade strike]

If you actually think there is a conspiracy going on where dji is giving the faa, fbi or cia your flight logs, you should remove the hat now.

Theres more of a chance of the "all seeing eye" monitoring everything you type or post on the interwebs. So I guess in a way they are getting your flight logs and also all "those" websites you visit

 

[snerd]

 

[klimon]

Couple guys at the field are all paranoid about their P3s sending data to the FAA. One went as far as selling his P3 because of that, regretting it a day later, lol. They are all worried about flying over 400ft, or outside the park. My ipad never gets connected to the internet anymore and is only used for my P3, but I don't think I would care anyway.

They said the info about the P3 sending data to the FAA is in the manual, but I cant find it.

Any thoughts?

This is an excellent example that shows conclusively how the world is full of totally stupid people! So the idiot sells his P3 on a totally absurd assumption and then regrets it the next day? Are you making this up or is this for real?

 

[flyNfrank]

That's never stopped you Frank

The main difference is, I didn't ask to put myself in the position to be a moderator. If you knew it was in you to respond to people the way you have me and whoever else when the subject matter was not directed at you, then you should not have been a moderator. Post like the one below are not necessary. There is no point in being sarcastic when speaking to someone. Other then that, you've done a decent job. But then again I don't follow you around.

Frank .. when you post crackpot stuff like that with holes in your theory that you can drive a truck through, you have to expect people to comment.
If you want to suspend disbelief and believe the unbelievable, knock yourself out.
I won't comment any more on this ridiculous nonsense.

 

[flyNfrank]

If you actually think there is a conspiracy going on where dji is giving the faa, fbi or cia your flight logs, you should remove the hat now.

Theres more of a chance of the "all seeing eye" monitoring everything you type or post on the interwebs. So I guess in a way they are getting your flight logs and also all "those" websites you visit

I'll send you a pm.

 

[ianwood]

If you actually think there is a conspiracy going on where dji is giving the faa, fbi or cia your flight logs, you should remove the hat now.

Theres more of a chance of the "all seeing eye" monitoring everything you type or post on the interwebs. So I guess in a way they are getting your flight logs and also all "those" websites you visit

Many companies are all to quick to cough up customer data during informal gov't requests. The gov't often uses similar to tactics that many police use when asking people if they may search their car or something similar. People get confused and say yes way too quickly not knowing that they aren't obliged to do so or feeling otherwise pressured into it.

It would be really beneficial if DJI had an official policy on data protection, data security, data reuse / resale and gov't data requests. It's all well and good if we're told here informally but official statements would be a lot more reassuring.

I don't know why you think it's an "International Airport", the name in the Airport Directory is simply "Kingman Airport".
There are 15,000 airports in the US and I doubt there's enough memory in the Phantom for that much data.

The P3 is a new bird with built-in NAND and onboard SD storage. It could easily store a lat, lon and airport type for every single airport on the planet in under 300Kb and that's before any optimization.

They could (and should) do polylines of actual airspace instead. It would actually be much easier. All the shape files are easily downloaded from the gov't.

 

[F6Rider]

I find it hard to fathom the vast amount of BS being flung around, if you are worried about your flight data being snooped then just DON'T SYNC the **** stuff, how hard is that to understand. I don't see any benefit in syncing it in any case, if you need a warranty claim the internal logs will suffice. I don't sync mine, and I don't connect to the net while flying, not because I am paranoid about any perceived snooping but I just don't see any reason to. People just need to stop worrying and go fly.