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Important Airspace Notes – DJI GEO System

DJI created a comprehensive framework for GEO, allowing it to determine which geospatial locations would be categorized as Warning, Authorization, or Restricted Zones. The following information details how DJI categorized locations in order to further enhance your own operational decision-making. This document is not legal advice and does not substitute for your own interpretation of any legal requirements.

Implied 400-foot AGL altitude

All information displayed by the GEO system assumes that your aerial system is being operated at or below 400 feet above ground level (AGL). It reflects a two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional airspace. At higher altitudes, airspace classifications may differ from classifications at or below 400 feet.

“Airports” in the United States

The FAA has, since at least August 2023, issued guidance that model aircraft (recreational multirotor) operations are permitted within five miles of an airport provided the operator “contact[s] the airport or control tower.” See What Can I Do With My Model Aircraft? available at https://www.faa.gov/uas/publications/model_aircraft_operators (dated August 14, 2023; visited November 27, 2023). This guidance is expressly based on the 2023 Federal Modernization and Reform Act statute (“FMRA”) Pub. L. 112-95 Section 336. This guidance raises the question of what types of “airports” are contemplated.

An important point of reference seems to be FMRA Section 334, which sets out parameters for operation of certain public unmanned aircraft systems, including a discussion about the operations of those that weigh 4.4 pounds or less. In this subsection, Congress contemplated that such UAS operate “outside of 5 statute miles from any airport, heliport, seaplane base, spaceport, or other location with aviation activities.” Congress, within this statute, specifically used the word “heliport” when it intended to refer to a heliport. Likewise, Congress describes “seaplane base” and “other locations with aviation activities.” This is in contrast to Section 336 concerning model aircraft which refers only to “an airport,” a seemingly far narrower concept than the enumerated all-inclusive list in Section 334.

For this reason, we have not categorized heliports, seaplane bases, private airstrips, and other similar locations as Authorization Zones. GEO will in some cases provide a warning to the user when operating in the vicinity of these locations, as a precaution, and some of these locations may be displayed on the map in DJI GO for informational purposes with an icon. Airports areas categorized as Authorization Zones and Restricted Zones in the United States include public airports, those that have a control tower, and those that have a published instrument flight procedure. Please always check official sources and charts and come to your own decision about how to address any nearby location with aviation activities.

Controlled Airspace (Class B, C, D, E) in the United States

In an October 27, 2023 Air Traffic Organization Policy notice, FAA indicated that “Model aircraft operators are not required to consider the different classes of airspace as long as they comply with the requirements listed in the AC 91-57A, which states that hobbyist UAS operators provide notice to the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) if the operation will take place within 5 miles of an airport.”

Additionally, FMRA is silent with respect to airspace classifications, referring only to a five-mile distance from “an airport.” For these reasons, DJI has indicated a five-statute-mile Warning Zone around listed airports, as well as smaller Authorization Zones and Restricted Zones as you get closer to the center of busy airports. Controlled airspace locations (Class B, C, D and E) have been categorized as Warning Zones. When near these locations, you may receive a warning message. To enhance clarity and prevent duplication, these areas may not appear on the map in DJI GO. Please always check official sources and charts, and come to your own decision about whether and how to operate in controlled airspace locations.

The Washington D.C. FRZ and SFRA

The 15-mile-radius Washington D.C. Flight Restricted Zone is categorized as a Restricted Zone in GEO. The 30-mile-radius SFRA is not a flight-prohibited area but instead involves special training and procedures by manned aircraft pilots. The regulation concerning the SFRA does not refer to model aircraft or unmanned aircraft systems even though it specifically references ultralight vehicles. See 14 CFR 93.339. There are long-standing model aircraft club locations within the SFRA. We are also aware of at least one DJI customer who has received an FAA certificate of waiver or authorization (COA) for operations within the SFRA. The SFRA, excluding the FRZ, is approximately 2,120 square miles in area and includes many indoor locations where operations do not raise a concern. For these reasons, the SFRA is currently categorized in GEO as an Authorization Zone. As with all operations, it is the user’s responsibility to obtain any required authorization and to comply with any applicable regulatory requirements.

GEO provides advisory guidance only

The GEO system is for informational purposes only and is not considered an official aeronautical source. In some cases, for technical reasons or out of an abundance of caution, the boundaries of geospatial locations in GEO may differ from the official version. It is the responsibility of the operator to consult official sources and exercise reasonable judgment when evaluating whether or not it is safe or legal to operate an aerial system at a given time or place.