Hi guys! My modded Mavic Pro is on its last legs, after 7 years of rather good use. I’m starting to consider it might die soon, and I might want to buy a replacement. But, I’d like to know how is the privacy situation with DJI these days. Do they still demand your app to check-in online every few days in order to upload your flight data? That was the reason I got a modded firmware/apk downgrade back in the day, and never looked back. But I wonder how are things now… Thanks!
It’s that a thing only for certain models? I’ve never had an issue with my mavic mini (1) which I fly very sporadically.
Yes.
If you’re in America I’d also be cautious about buying a DJI drone until the DJI legal issues are resolved. I’m really interested in the Avata 2 but I wouldn’t buy one because it soon may not be possible to fly in America. If that does come to pass, I wonder if it will include the o3 air unit, because that would affect a ton of hobby quad fpv’s.
Sorry…Just saw you wrote “Yes” already. DO you know what’s the state of the scene on DJI modding these days? Back when I installed my mod, I could also unlock any height/distance on the drone, and things like that.
Nope, not in America. Not at risk of having sales banned anytime soon. Still wondering about the mandatory online check-in thing, where they upload all your flight data to their servers. I’d like to avoid that. I installed a modded DJI apk that “logs in” regardless whatever gibberish you put as your account, and lets you handle your drone without any online server ever. But obviously this version is very old, and it probably wouldn’t work with a recent firmware (I didn’t have to upgrade since I did this, many years ago). So I want to know what’s the state of things these days.
I don’t know anything about uploading flight data. I just know that every once in a while I get a SMS challenge request before I am allowed to fly. This is completely separate from the LAANC auth.
Well it sounds creepy that it wants to ensure your identity before letting you fly.
Unfortunately, drone piloting is a federally regulated hobby. That fact puts it in a much different class than other very similar hobbies.
DJI has definitely improved its privacy stance since the old days. They’ve loosened up on some of those online check-ins, so you’re not tethered as tightly as before. Still might be worth looking into the latest info online or user reviews, just to be sure.
