DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone questions

[plowhog]

Given that I'm a nobody who would be uninteresting to spies from any nation, I'd be fine with storing my data on a card (which is how I think it works anyhow) using a DJI drone.

It's not that easy.

Is your phone connected to the internet? Do you use your phone for email, or banking, or whatever?

The DJI drone process is to download an app to run on your phone. Is there something in that app that can break into other things on your phone? I don't know. Is that app produced by a nation largely hostile and competitive with us? Yes. Are there other examples of spyware in products from China? Yes.

Can that DJI app record keystrokes you make while texting, or inputting a password to a site, and store that internally? I don't know.

What I do know is such things are possible. That does not mean it is happening. But it means that when you download an app such as this, it does open the door to some amount of risk.

 

[2manyrocks]

If the goal is to showcase contracting work, I suspect the FAA will look at it as commercial use. I haven't followed all the details, but from afar, it seems like the FAA rules keep changing, too.

I don't know how easy it is to make a decent drone video, either, that looks good.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

 

[zzvyb6]

I found out my Samsung S20 and S22 phones don't support the DLI Flight software. Be sure to check out their list of supported phones, OR: buy a used phone that works with the drone you choose !

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I found out my Samsung S20 and S22 phones don't support the DLI Flight software. Be sure to check out their list of supported phones, OR: buy a used phone that works with the drone you choose !

I don’t like using the app, but I do. My brother uses an old tablet with his.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I do not agree that you need a 107 to post drone content to YouTube. YouTube hasn’t ever sent me a penny for my content. Probably never will. There is literally drone footage now in every YouTube video out there. There is nothing in the regs that say if your videos are publicly available you need a 107. If you sell your videos, you need a 107.

I don’t see drone footage in every YouTube video I watch.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My understanding is you need license selling drone services as a business. If I take a video for my own use, nobody pays me, and I post on my own YouTube site, I’m still not commercial, even if monetized.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Govt intrudes way too much.
Read about a place that requires a yearly license for a swimming pool. I’m sure soon we will need license for tractors and lawn mowers.

 

[riptides]

Businesses get to deduct equipment. Drones are no exception. I would like to see air time/ run time reimbursements.

 

[IXLR8]

I have a DJI Mavic 3, use an old tablet to run it, which in bright sunlight makes it difficult to see the image. I hate the fact that I have to log in to my DJI account to fly the drone more than 30ft high and 50ft away from me. To me, that is saying that DJI is recording/monitoring my use. I'm looking for a different drone manufacturer to use. Maybe I am just being paranoid. The other issue is that I bought the DJI M3 drone when it first came out. I bought the one year extended coverage, I crashed it 14 months later. DJI wouldn't cover the damage under the extended warranty. Which I expected, but what I didn't expect was a note saying that the drone was obsolete and no longer supported!!

 

[John0829]

I say - Go for it. You'll have many hours of great fun, and some surprising views of surrounding property.

Yes, thinks may not look quite like you think. The birds eye view can be amazing.

It's not that easy.

Is your phone connected to the internet? Do you use your phone for email, or banking, or whatever?

The DJI drone process is to download an app to run on your phone. Is there something in that app that can break into other things on your phone? I don't know. Is that app produced by a nation largely hostile and competitive with us? Yes. Are there other examples of spyware in products from China? Yes.

Yes, spyware everywhere. Do I worry about the DJI app, not in the least. I do not see large data transfers going out on either my phone or tablet since I control what apps have access or can upload data to the great either of the internet. Especially the tablet which is what I use exclusively for the drone, it has wifi access only and since my firewall does not allow out bound from devices unless I specifically allow it and even then only to specific addresses. All photos and videos exist only on the card of the drone, the tablet or my NAS where I back them up.

Again it would be a large data transfer if they were uploaded to some place. I am somewhat OCD when it comes to our household data and monitor daily the in and out traffic

The worst, most dangerous of all spyware is social media where people voluntarily give out information. To me the greatest danger to this nation by far is social media, all the people putting up anything and everything looking for attention (15 minutes of fame) or thinking they have something interesting/important to say. Of which the MAJORITY do not!

 

[stumblinhorse]

The new controllers have a screen. No phone needed. That is what I have. Works great.

You have to login to get your settings, but then you turn off Wi-Fi to fly and you are good to go not sharing…

And yes every YouTube video being drone is an exaggeration. But I see them quite often.

If the Chinese want info, they use TikTok..

 

[buckeyefarmer]

DJI keeps a low resolution on your phone without you doing any transfer, it’s not just on the SD card. This is my last flight, I didn’t download it to the phone, but it records the video you watch as you fly
It keeps logs, it uploads logs.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I have a DJI Mavic 3, use an old tablet to run it, which in bright sunlight makes it difficult to see the image. I hate the fact that I have to log in to my DJI account to fly the drone more than 30ft high and 50ft away from me. To me, that is saying that DJI is recording/monitoring my use. I'm looking for a different drone manufacturer to use. Maybe I am just being paranoid. The other issue is that I bought the DJI M3 drone when it first came out. I bought the one year extended coverage, I crashed it 14 months later. DJI wouldn't cover the damage under the extended warranty. Which I expected, but what I didn't expect was a note saying that the drone was obsolete and no longer supported!!

Is that just for bigger one? I have a mini and don’t log into anything

 

[plowhog]

The worst, most dangerous of all spyware is social media where people voluntarily give out information.

Years ago Facebook famously did the 10-year challenge. Post a photo of you 10 years ago, and also a current one.

Massive haul of personally identifying information-- given voluntarily.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Years ago Facebook famously did the 10-year challenge. Post a photo of you 10 years ago, and also a current one.

Massive haul of personally identifying information-- given voluntarily.

used for aging software....

 

[IXLR8]

Is that just for bigger one? I have a mini and don’t log into anything

The Mavic 3 is the only one I have had, so I don't know about any others. Maybe it is time for me to look into the mini. The 3 also has geofencing so I can't get too close to the nearby airport.

 

[stumblinhorse]

Is that just for bigger one? I have a mini and don’t log into anything

The mini does have to have a “recent” log in. Otherwise it only allows it to go a 50 feet or so. You will never notice if you use it often. I think the login will expire if not powered up every so often.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

The mini does have to have a “recent” log in. Otherwise it only allows it to go a 50 feet or so. You will never notice if you use it often. I think the login will expire if not powered up every so often.

I wonder what “recent” is? I forget about it and fly it maybe every 2-3 months a couple times then forget about it again.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I wonder what “recent” is? I forget about it and fly it maybe every 2-3 months a couple times then forget about it again.

when I recently flew, I had to log in or it restricted my height and distance. Also restricts height to about 20 ft until it gets GPS fix. One of the logs shows the path of your flight on a map, which is kind of cool. You have to dig around to find it, I always forget where it is.
Some of the files appear to be written in chinese.

 

[stumblinhorse]

I wonder what “recent” is? I forget about it and fly it maybe every 2-3 months a couple times then forget about it again.

I think no battery power is recent. I pull my batteries for storage. I have to log in often.