DJI to offer drones that don't need an internet connection
Engineers at Chinese drone firm DJI are developing a local data mode that prevents flight control apps from sending or receiving data over the internet for users with "heightened data security needs", according to Brendan Schulman, DJI's vice-president of policy and legal affairs. Local data mode will be available in versions of the DJI Go, DJI Go 4, DJI XT Pro, DJI Pilot and Ground Station Pro apps available from this autumn. The company warned pilots that using the new mode may result in some performance limitations, which it said were a "necessary trade-off for data assurance on sensitive flights".

DJI will soon let you fly without data transfer to the net

DJI’s flight control apps are great in that they offer local geofencing data as well as relevant local maps. However, keeping these databases requires routine communication with the internet, and that lends itself to privacy concerns.

So, the engineers at DJI are coming up with a new local data mode that stops the app from sending and receiving data over the internet. Brendan Schulman, DJI Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs said: “We are creating local data mode to address the needs of our enterprise customers, including public and private organizations that are using DJI technology to perform sensitive operations around the world. Local data mode will provide added assurances for customers with heightened data security needs.”

Because it blocks all data, DJI apps on local data mode won’t get updated maps or geofencing information. Pilots will also not receive notifications of newly-issued flight restrictions or software updates. DJI says it may also result in other performance limitations, but that’s a necessary trade-off for data assurance on sensitive flights.

The company also states that they do not collect or have access to user flight logs, photos or videos unless the user chooses to share those by syncing flight logs with DJI servers, uploading photos or videos to DJI’s SkyPixel website, or by physically sending the drone in to DJI for servicing.

Local data mode has been in development for several months and will be included in future versions of DJI apps, starting in the next several weeks. These include the DJI GO, DJI GO 4, DJI XT Pro, DJI Pilot and Ground Station Pro apps, which run on smartphones and tablets that control the drone or connect to the drone’s remote control unit. The local data mode feature may not be available in locations where an internet connection is required or highly advisable due to local regulations or requirements.