I am a commercial drone pilot, drone services provider, and drone educator based in Cleveland, Ohio, and I get a lot of questions concerning drone operations from drone hobbyists, drone training students, and those that read and watch my drone education content. Recently I noticed that there is some confusion concerning DJI Fly Safe Geo Zone Unlocks to remove flying restrictions that prevent the aircraft to fly vs. getting an FAA Authorization to fly in controlled airspace.
In this blog post I explain the following:
· What DJI Fly Safe is
· How unlocking DJI Fly Safe Geo Zones differs from getting FAA Authorization to fly in a certain airspace
· Clear up the confusion between unlocking DJI Fly Safe Geo Zones vs. getting an FAA authorization
· How to unlock DJI Geo Zones through the DJI Fly Safe website
You can also watch my Vlog/Video Tutorial on this topic below if you prefer getting your information audiovisually.
What is DJI Fly Safe?
DJI Fly Safe is a drone flight geofence system implemented by DJI for the drones they manufacture. It uses GPS coordinates to create flight restrictions (Authorization or Restricted Zones) in certain areas to keep everyone safe and compliant with existing FAA flight restrictions for drones. This system will restrict your DJI-manufactured drone from taking off, flying, and landing in such an area.
Is unlocking a DJI geo zone the same as getting FAA Authorization to fly a drone?
No, they are 2 different things and are both necessary to obtain in order to legally fly your DJI-made drone within controlled airspace.
Can I get an FAA Authorization through DJI Flysafe?
No, you can only obtain FAA Authorization to fly in controlled airspace through LAANC or the FAA Drone Zone. Even if you self-unlock your DJI Drone to fly in an area that requires FAA Authorization, you shouldn’t do so until you also receive FAA Authorization to fly there.
How do I know which area requires an FAA Authorization?
There are several ways to check what type of airspace you are intending to fly in. The easiest way is with an app that was developed in conjunction with the FAA, called B4UFLY.
Commercial drone pilots are required to learn all about these airspace restrictions for their planning and decision-making in everyday operations, and such education is included in most Part 107 Test Training for those who want to take the Part 107 Exam, as well as some basic knowledge is included into the FAA TRUST test for recreational drone pilots (hobbyists), see my VLOG on the TRUST Test for more information on this.
There are also many other apps developed by 3rd parties to help plan drone flight missions, and some with the ability to request FAA airspace authorizations (LAANC) through the app (such as Airmap, UASidekick, and Aloft, to name a few).
How to unlock a Geo Zone in DJI Flysafe?
I have step-by-step instructions on how to do this in my Video Tutorial at the beginning of this post. Check out the timestamps in the description below the video (in the YouTube view) to get to the tutorial you are looking for.
Does unlocking a Geo Zone in DJI Flysafe transfer to my drone automatically?
The unlocking license should transfer to the DJI app once you are connected to the internet/wifi with the phone/tablet that you intend to fly with. You may then have to add the license to your aircraft using the DJI App. I show how to do this in my Video Tutorial as well.
How do I apply for an FAA Authorization to fly drones in controlled airspace?
A few years ago, I recorded a video tutorial about how to get FAA flight authorization for controlled airspace through the LAANC and DroneZone. Check it out for step-by-step instructions!
I hope I was able to clear up some confusion and equip you with the knowledge on ‘how-to’ get permissions to fly your DJI-manufacturered drone from both FAA and DJI.
As usual, I encourage you to go out and practice flying if you are an aspiring drone pilot, and only to do so safely.
If don’t’ have your Trust certificate yet, please get one before you fly your drone (even if you only intend to fly for recreational purposes). If you want to take the FAA Part 107 Certificate Exam to earn your commercial drone pilot license, or to get more hands-on flight experience, check out drone training classes I teach in the Cleveland area, including Part 107 Prep Class and Drone Operations Class.
Feel free to Contact me if you have any questions or suggestions for more content like this!