DJI Go App and Your Privacy

[ianwood]

This is an important notice if you wish to keep your flight data, images and other information private. New information suggests that DJI is collecting and reusing your flight data.

DJI has recently updated their "DJI+Discover" app with a new feature to find fellow DJI users flying their drones (DJI app helps you find fellow drone lovers). The app apparently indicates "drone hot spots", i.e. areas where people fly a lot. This has revealed a concerning issue that impacts all Phantom 3, Phantom 4 and Inspire users. These "hot spots" show the locations of people's homes, their common flying places, etc. even if they didn't choose to share their flight data with DJI and only ever used the Go app.

This indicates that DJI is collecting information from the Go app in ways that are not apparent to most users even if you don't sync your data to their servers. And it suggests that DJI is intent on using this information for other products and services to their benefit.

It is suggested that if you do not want to share your flight data, images, etc. with DJI and allow them to use it for their benefit, you should consider one or more of the following steps:

• Turn off cellular data and location for the Go app.
• Set up your home firewall to block DJI servers and use a VPN to access as needed.
  
• Purge app data before allowing the Go app to connect to DJI servers.

Be aware that the app may behave differently with these services disabled.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

I noticed this lack of privacy immediately after checking out this app. I see problems stemming from this app in the future. There should at least have an opt-out option.

 

[slim.slamma]

This is an important notice if you wish to keep your flight data, images and other information private. New information suggests that DJI is collecting and reusing your flight data.

DJI has recently updated their "DJI+Discover" app with a new feature to find fellow DJI users flying their drones (DJI app helps you find fellow drone lovers). The app apparently indicates "drone hot spots", i.e. areas where people fly a lot. This has revealed a concerning issue that impacts all Phantom 3, Phantom 4 and Inspire users. These "hot spots" show the locations of people's homes, their common flying places, etc. even if they didn't choose to share their flight data with DJI and only ever used the Go app.

This indicates that DJI is collecting information from the Go app in ways that are not apparent to most users even if you don't sync your data to their servers. And it suggests that DJI is intent on using this information for other products and services to their benefit.

It is suggested that if you do not want to share your flight data, images, etc. with DJI and allow them to use it for their benefit, you should consider one or more of the following steps:

• Turn off cellular data and location for the Go app.
• Set up your home firewall to block DJI servers and use a VPN to access as needed.
  
• Purge app data before allowing the Go app to connect to DJI servers.

Be aware that the app may behave differently with these services disabled.

Shouldn't all drone flights be somewhat tracked?
Should flight data be private?
This app doesn't seem to benefit me so I want be using it for now.
Thanks for clarifying what this app actually does I'm not ready to go public yet.