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DJI Moves to Keep Drones Out of Restricted Areas

DJI's Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) will be continually updated with real-time restrictions.

November 18, 2015
DJI Phantom 3 Professional

Drone maker DJI has announced a virtual fence technology that will keep drones out of restricted airspace.

Dubbed the Geospatial Environment Online (GEO), the technology will be continually updated with real-time restrictions, so users flying DJI drones won't run afoul of regulations. It will launch first in North America and Europe.

Accoring to DJI, its technology will help drone aviators stay away from everything from forest fires to major stadium events that authorities want clear. For the first time, it will also apply to locations such as prisons, power plants, and other sensitive areas where drone operations raise non-aviation security concerns.

By default, when GEO identifies a restricted area, DJI will not allow the drone to take off within the area or will stop the UAV from flying into it.

Some estimates say that within the next few years, the total number of drones in the sky at one time in the U.S. could reach more than 1 million. A key component in that growth is the ability for drone makers—like DJI, Parrot, and 3DRobotics, among others—to reduce their costs and bring prices down. Other companies, including GoPro and Qualcomm, also have their sights set on the drone market, which will further boost the space.

DJI has incorporated a built-in override function for drone owners to fly into certain restricted areas. In order use that function, users will need to have a verified DJI account that has a credit or debit card or mobile phone number connected to it. While the service will be free, DJI says that having the information on-hand will deliver "a measure of accountability in the event that the flight is later investigated by authorities."

Even with override enabled, it won't work in certain areas, like Washington, D.C. or other government-restricted areas.

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The GEO is powered by geospatial data from California-based AirMap. The mapping platform will be available in December via an update to the DJI Go app and drone firmware.

Last month, the FAA said it is testing a system that could identify drone operators that fly into restricted airspace. The agency is partnering with security firm CACI International on the system, which would be operational within a five-mile radius of airports, where drones are banned.

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About Don Reisinger

Don Reisinger is a longtime freelance technology journalist and product reviewer. He covers everything from Apple to gaming to start-ups. You can follow him on Twitter @donreisinger.

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