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US Army Walks Back Decision To Ban DJI Drones Ever So Slightly (suasnews.com)
garymortimer shares a report from sUAS News: News has reached me that another DJI memo was passed around on Friday the 11th of August. An exception to policy with recommendations from the asymmetric warfare group that will permit the use of DJI kit once some conditions have been met. The Android Tactical Assault Kit will become the ground control station (GCS) of choice when a DJI plugin has passed OPSEC (Operational Security) scrutiny. In a separate report from Reuters, DJI said it is "tightening data security in the hopes that the U.S. Army will lift its ban on DJI drones because of 'cyber vulnerabilities.'" The company is "speeding deployment of a system that allows users to disconnect from the internet during flights, making it impossible for flight logs, photos or videos to reach DJI's computer servers," reports Reuters. While the security measure has been in the works for several months, it's being rolled out sooner than planned because of the Army's decision to discontinue the use of DJI drones.
I see we are emulating CNN now huh?
They probably realized the near-term alternatives suck, and there is active combat that needs them now.
Table-ized A.I.
Actually, just because it's not transmitting a log doesn't mean it's not recording a log, or burst reporting a log summary once the drone clears the area. A wise intel officer for a foreign power can easily extrapolate the data based on the "on/off" nature of what it does. This can even allow you to pinpoint things enough for a decent zero survivor air strike.
But, hey, what do I know
reconnect later
How hard is it to run open s/w on a DJI platform?
DJI collects a cr@ploads of flight data, including location data. Just sniff their app's traffic using xposed framework. DoD should definitely be concerned. Also, collected data varies depending on your locale settings. RU and CH are threated specially by the app for some reason.
DJI is several years ahead of its competitors, including US companies. In tech industry it is forever.
I see on youtube a lot of videos as in the USA people are fined routinely for flying a tiny quad-copter say in a national park (while one can fly a huge and really loud helicopter there all right). There are enforced bans of tens of miles in radius around large cities, etc.
Instead of creating such obstacles in a negative way, a government in fact could do a lot for the development of this industry. For example create spacious RPAS (UAV) parks were people could come with their unmanned aircraft and pilot freely (perhaps with technical guidance?). Or teach students in schools UAV electronics, aerodynamics, piloting, meaningful regulations, safety.
But instead we see only ban this, ban that. So as a result we see as the US and European civil UAV industry is lagging behind. It is not possible to build a hundred of good quad-copters or fixed-wing civil RPAS. A base, a mass market is necessary for this.
> The company is "speeding deployment of a system that allows users to disconnect from the internet during flights, making it impossible for flight logs, photos or videos to reach DJI's computer servers,
How much did they pay so the military use ipads that never connects to the net.?
There is even mature open source drone software that could be adapted easily enough and is already in use in commercial drones and even in places like Boeing and NASA.
Are we frikkin idiots or something? Are we just crossing our fingers and hoping our largest rival isn't snooping on that data? That they aren't slipping nasty surprises into our equipment? That they aren't doing the rational thing that any other nation would do and using this to gain an advantage over us?
What's next, buying our radios from North Korea? Our encryption from Russia?
So, you are saying that while the drone is flying, it is connected to the internet? How is this being done? What radio frequencies are being used? What receiving equipment is being used?
There is so much acceptance that it is true, I'd like someone to point me to something that would educate me on how all this is working.
A quick peek at the DJI forums has folks saying that they flow out in the wilderness with no internet all the time. So... what is going on here?
It's way worse than that.
They have the ability to hot patch their shit. Think about that for a minute.
TURN IT OFF! AYEEEE! TURN IT OFF!
Just rig the controller tablet or phone NOT to hook up to the Internet or the cellular network. No talk, no data.
I do this on a tablet that I use to run my Phantoms. It's locked down from about six months ago. The software stock on the tablet and the drones works fine, the newer software doesn't offer any advantages that are apparent and the software can't phone home to China to tell them about my boring flights in the woods. Certainly the Army could rig up a similar sealed system or is it 'bring your own device' in the military these days?
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
It's pretty simple, force DJI to abandon its Big Brother attitude and open-source their products just like 3DR did with the Solo.
Why not just cc them on every order our troops receive?
Because not every use of drones is in support of troop activities?
Are we frikkin idiots or something?
I think that term applies. The military uses DJI aircraft for some things; it also has an entire arsenal of other drones that aren't connected to DJI for use in military ops.
What's next, buying our radios from North Korea?
I hear we buy the plates that the officers eat chow on from China. Just a rumor, but that's enough to throw accusations.