DJI published a promotional video earlier this month showing footage captured in highly restricted airspace where drones are banned, including over United States national parks and Navajo tribal lands. The video immediately caused controversy, leading DJI to remove it.
As initially reported dronexl earlier this month and followed by National Park Traveler This week, DJI published a mavic 4 pro The promotional video included beautiful aerial landscape shots, including many scenes of the American West.
The issue is that some of these beautiful scenes are filmed in places where flying drones is very restricted and requires a permit. In some cases, such as Navajo Tribal Park locations, flying drones is banned entirely except in very rare, special circumstances. A video like the one in question is unlikely to meet these stringent standards.
VideoThe video, titled “The West Awaits – Epic Road-Trip Journey Captured with 100MP Mavic 4 Pro”, was deleted a few days later dronexlArticle of, per National Park Traveler,
petapixel We contacted DJI for comment on the video and its removal, and the company responded immediately. The comment below comes from a DJI spokesperson:
We thank the drone community for bringing this to our attention. DJI gives the highest priority to compliance with local rules and regulations, and is currently investigating the situation internally. The video – which was produced by an independent producer and was not commissioned by DJI – has been removed for the time being.
Ultimately, DJI is responsible for the content posted online, even if an independent creator made the video. Admittedly, drone pilots, from hobbyists to professionals, constantly have to navigate complex regulatory and legal landscapes when flying their drones. There are many places where drones are not allowed, period, and many more that require specific permits and permissions.
dronexl Several screenshots were captured of the video before it went offline, showing views of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Death Valley National Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, and more.
At the time of initial reporting, it was speculated that DJI might have obtained the necessary permits. However, since the video was removed, it’s a safe bet that this is not true, or at least DJI itself is unsure whether it is true.
A more likely explanation for how the footage was captured is that it was done without the necessary permits, which is illegal. Drone has been flown in the National Park against the law With few exceptions, up to a decade, and punishable by hefty fines and possibly even prison time. Repeated offenses will naturally attract additional penalties. No experienced drone pilot would be able to reasonably claim that they did not know that it was illegal to fly a drone in national parks without a special permit.
As expected, the comments before the video was removed included many questions about how the footage was filmed, given the well-known restrictions regarding filming on national parks and tribal lands.
Although former President Biden signed a law Before his term ended, the law that made it easier to film and photograph in national parks did nothing to make it easier for people to use drones in the parks. As dronexl Note, there are good reasons for these restrictions, including protecting people’s peace while enjoying nature and protecting wildlife. Drones are not quiet at all. Some pilots fly irresponsibly, which unfortunately leads to more restrictions for everyone else.
When a company like DJI, undoubtedly the biggest name in the drone field, publishes a video with illegally filmed footage and without any mention of permits, it can make matters harder for law-abiding drone pilots and encourage others to violate the rules.
That said, perhaps DJI’s investigation will reveal that some of the footage included was captured after its creators obtained the proper permits, and it could return online in modified form. that would be great. However, if it has been captured illegally, the right move is to keep it offline forever.
