DJI removes geofencing from drones flying in US

Chinese drone manufacturer DJI is replacing its geofencing datasets with official FAA data regarding restricted flight zones in the United States. DJI drone operators in the U.S. are encouraged to update their DJI Fly and DJI Pilot flight apps to view this new information. DJI implemented this change Jan. 13. [caption id="attachment_57148237" align="aligncenter" width="580"] DJI is replacing its geofencing datasets with official FAA data regarding restricted flight zones. (Courtesy/DJI)[/caption] DJI’s geofencing system, called GEO, automatically prevented drone operators from flying over airports, power plants and other restricted zones , aka no-fly zones. With this change, drone operators will receive in-app alerts when they fly too close to restricted areas, thereby “placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility,” DJI wrote in a Jan. 13 blog post. Register here for Cargo Facts ’ free webinar, “ACMI, CMI and Charter in 2025: Challenges and Opportunities,” taking place on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 11:00 a.m. ET (UTC -5). This GEO update has been active in the United Kingdom and several European Union countries since January 2024, starting with Belgium, Germany and France. In June, it expanded to Estonia, Finland and Luxembourg. The remaining EU countries under EASA jurisdiction will also receive the update this month, DJI said. Geofencing not required by FAA The FAA does not require geofencing from drone manufacturers, a spokesperson told Cargo Facts . DJI voluntarily introduced GEO in 2013. Since then, global regulations have grown to focus more on geo-awareness and Remote ID solutions. Remote ID lets an in-flight drone provide identification and location information to third parties, including government agencies, via a broadcast signal. With this new system, drone operators wishing to fly in no-fly zones, called “enhanced warning zones” on DJI’s apps, must obtain airspace authorization directly from the FAA, DJI said. “Generally speaking, it is legal to fly a drone in most locations if you’re operating under 400 feet, but there are rules, including passing pilot safety tests, keeping the drone in sight, avoiding all other aircraft, not causing a hazard to any people or property and avoiding restricted airspace,” the FAA spokesperson said. The FAA works continuously to educate drone pilots on safety and regulations, the spokesperson said. When violations occur, the FAA can take actions ranging from counseling and education to fines and pilot certificate suspensions or revocations. Political tensions On Sept. 9, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Countering CCP Drones Act, a bipartisan bill seeking to add DJI to the Federal Communications Commission’s Covered List. This would essentially ban new models of DJI drones from operating on U.S. communications networks. “For years, the U.S. government has known that DJI presents unacceptable economic and national security risks but no one was willing to take the necessary steps to remove Communist Chinese spy drones from our skies,” U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, the New York Republican who sponsored the bill, said in a September release. DJI denies many of the claims made against it in the bill. For instance, the bill accuses DJI of being a military company, but DJI claims to be “one of few drone companies to clearly denounce and actively discourage use of our drones in combat.” Due to this ongoing tension, some have accused DJI of ending GEO in retaliation. DJI denies this. “Politics does not drive safety decisions at DJI,” the drone manufacturer said in a Jan. 16 blog post. “To suggest that this update is linked to the current political environment in the U.S. is not only false but also dangerous.” DJI said it has implemented this change — which is in line with prior changes made in the E.U. and U.K. — to support the principle of operator responsibility. DJI planned to implement this update in the U.S. months ago but held off to ensure the best results, DJI said. Register now for Cargo Facts' essential regional events for industry stakeholders: Cargo Facts LATAM 2025 on Feb. 10-11 at the Pullman Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport in Brazil; Cargo Facts Asia 2025 on March 24-26 at the W Shanghai in China; and Cargo Facts EMEA 2025 on May 6-8 at the Shangri-La Bosphorus in Turkey.

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