DJI has announced that starting next week, it will disable the option for US drone pilots to sync their flight records to DJI’s servers. The change comes at a time when a bill proposing to ban DJI drones has been scheduled for a Senate hearing amid data security concerns.
Flight records synchronization for DJI drone pilots means uploading local data in the mobile device to a cloud server, and at the same time downloading cloud data to the local device. Given that DJI drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced GPS systems, the flight data they generate is extensive. It includes flight paths, locations, and other potentially sensitive metadata.
DJI does not collect or sync flight records by default. However, drone operators across both consumer and enterprise segments have always had the choice to opt in and sync this data based on personal preference. Flight records data also comes in handy when an operator needs to send their drone to DJI for repair or after-sales service.
But now, DJI has decided to remove the “Sync Flight Data” option from the DJI Fly app for users in the United States. In addition, flight data thumbnail previews that were shown to all consumer drone users on the DJI Fly app will no longer be generated. DJI has shared the following timeline for these developments:
From June 12
US only: The “Sync Flight Data” option in the flight app’s Settings will be disabled. Operators who try to upload their local flight records will receive an error message that the upload failed.
End of June
US only: The “Sync Flight Data” option will disappear from the Settings page as part of the next update of DJI Fly (Mid-July for DJI Pilot 2).
Do note that you will still be able to access your flight records manually. It will be stored in the controller or the SD card.
Global: Thumbnail previews will no longer be generated or shown on the flight app interface as part of the next update. Enterprise drone operators are not affected by this development as their drones did not feature thumbnails to begin with.
Also read: Syncing DJI drone flight logs with Aloft for live telemetry playback
It’s worth highlighting that flight records already uploaded to the cloud are currently still available for download. However, those generated within the US will be deleted moving forward. This is why DJI recommends that operators who have previously opted in to syncing their flight records with DJI, download and create a backup of their flight records as soon as possible.
Will DJI disable flight record syncing globally too?
A broader rollout of disabling flight records synchronization to other regions is also possible based on the feedback received from the US customers.
For now, if a user from another region travels to the US and generates flight records during their stay, those flight records will not be synced to their flight data after leaving the US. On the other hand, when a user from the US travels to another region, the flight record synchronization toggle may reappear, allowing flight records generated in that region to be uploaded and downloaded normally. However, upon returning to the US, the flight record synchronization toggle will be disabled again, and uploading will not be possible.
For many years now, US lawmakers and regulators have been expressing unease about the potential for data collected by Chinese-made drones to be accessed by the Chinese government. While DJI has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has emphasized its commitment to data security, the decision to halt flight record synchronization can be seen as an effort to mitigate these concerns and avoid a potential blanket ban on its drones in the US.
Read more: Need access to your drone flight logs after DJI disables syncing?
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