DJI loosens flight restrictions, decides to trust operators to follow FAA rules

Drone maker DJI has decided to scale back its geofencing restrictions, meaning its software won't automatically stop operators from flying into areas flagged as no-fly zones. 

While the FBI searches for a drone operator responsible for a collision with a firefighting aircraft battling wildfires in California, mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey, and the Chinese firm faces a countdown to being banned in the US, DJI chose this moment to loosen its geofencing restrictions.

Instead of its drones refusing to fly into restricted areas, DJI said that it's chosen to trust owners of its UAVs to do the right thing. 

"Areas previously defined as Restricted Zones (also known as No-Fly Zones) will be displayed as Enhanced Warning Zones, aligning with the FAA's designated areas," the world's largest drone maker said. "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."

We all know how responsible drone operators are, so sure - let's give them more leeway.

The change to DJI's geofencing policy is now in effect in the US after being implemented in the European Union early last year. DJI said that it geofenced drones voluntarily due to sparse regulation in the UAV space years ago, but new rules mean it's not an essential measure anymore. 

"Global regulations and user awareness have evolved significantly, with a greater focus on geo-awareness and Remote ID solutions which makes detection and enforcement much easier," the outfit said. "DJI reminds pilots to always ensure flights are conducted safely and in accordance with all local laws and regulations." 

DJI's move comes as the drone maker has sued the US government for adding it to a list of companies affiliated with the Chinese military without it having the opportunity to protest. Meanwhile, a bill aimed at banning DJI drones from sale in the US has passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

With the upper chamber not moving the bill forward, Congress decided to take measures to add elements of the Countering CCP Drones Act to the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law by President Biden in late December. The NDAA includes language, as DJI noted, that would ban sales of its devices in the US within a year of the bill's passage if "an appropriate national security agency" hasn't concluded an investigation into the national security risks of DJI's continued operation in the United States. 

We've reached out to DJI, but haven't heard back. 

DJI drone grounds firefighting aircraft; FBI investigating

Speaking of bad timing on DJI's part, one of the biz's drones was allegedly part of a collision last week between a "super scooper" firefighting aircraft battling the Palisades wildfire near Malibu, California and a drone operating in - ahem - an FAA restricted area.

According to photos published by the FBI alongside a notice that it's seeking the operator, "parts of the heavily damaged drone were recovered," and the pieces appear to belong to a DJI Mini 3. The drone left a three-by-six-inch hole in the aircraft, grounding it until repairs can be made and removing a critical asset from efforts to stop the ongoing blazes. 

California officials said there have been at least 40 incidents involving drones since the wildfires broke out that have forced crews to ground air operations. The Palisades fire, where the drone collision took place, is still largely uncontained as of publication. The nearby Eaton and Auto fires are also less than half contained.

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The amphibious CL-415 "Super Scooper" aircraft being used to battle the California wildfires is capable of carrying 1,600 gallons of water skimmed from the ocean, and is considered one of the most effective tools in battling wildfires.  

Did everyone forget about those New Jersey mystery drones?

Drones causing trouble for efforts to battle California wildfires has overshadowed another UAV story that made headlines only a month ago: The mystery drones being spotted in New Jersey. 

Despite federal officials maintaining the unidentified drones do not pose a significant threat without knowing their origins, and the world has largely moved on from the story, local news reports indicate the sightings continue to baffle locals. One New Jersey state senator has reiterated that there's no sign there's a foreign adversary stalking the night skies, and New Jersey officials said the investigation into the matter is ongoing, with the FBI leading those drone identification efforts as well. 

Early reports of the mystery drones had them spotted in the skies above US military bases in the area, as well as above President-elect Donald Trump's Bedminster golf club, and led to airspace closure at multiple airports. Reports have also suggested that the mystery drones frequently appear in airport flight paths, suggesting observers on the ground may be mistaking commercial aircraft for giant UAVs. 

Trump, who will be sworn in for his second term as US President on Monday, has promised to release government information about the drones on his first day back in office. 

We reached out to the FBI to see if it had any updates to share about its investigation into the New Jersey drones, and whether it has managed to track down the Palisades drone operator, but didn't hear back. ®