DJI Drones Temporarily Banned Due to Malfunctions in UK
Here are the DJI Drone models temporarily banned and what seems to be causing the safety problems.
DJI has released a statement to go along with reports that the Civil Aviation Authority - UK’s specialist aviation regulator - has temporarily banned certain models of DJI Drones from flying within 50 meters of people, buildings or vehicles due to a “small number” of reported incidents of DJI Drones falling out of the sky.
DJI is aware of a small number of reports involving drones in the Matrice 200 series that have lost power mid-flight. Flight safety and product reliability are top priorities. Our engineers are thoroughly reviewing each customer case and working to address this matter urgently. - Official statement from DJI.
DJI Matrice 200 Issues
The reported issues seem to have all come from the DJI Matrice 200, specifically with models which use DJI TB50 and DJI TB55 battery types, which are those suspected to be failing in-flight. The DJI Matrice 200 series is a marketed as a sturdy, weather-proof quadcopter which is built for working in more extreme conditions.DJI Drone UK Temporary Ban
While the ban is expected to be lifted soon, DJI users in the UK should take note of the CAA ban which includes both the DJI Matrice 200 as well as the DJI Inspire 2 (the latter of which suspect of having suspect batteries as well). The ban is meant to protect people and property, so recreational use (and tests of your drone) can still be done in clear, safe settings.
Firmware Update Recommended
In DJI’s official statement, the company goes on to recommend that all DJI drone owners update the firmware on their drones by using the DJI Pilot App or the DJI Assistant 2. Firmware updates should automatically update both aircrafts and batteries. Here’s the rest DJI’s statement.
We are looking to implement additional safeguards. When prompted on the DJI Pilot App, we recommend all customers to connect to the internet on the app or DJI Assistant 2 and update the firmware for their aircraft and all batteries to ensure a safe flight with their drone.
For more information, as well as a step-by-step guide on how to update your DJI Drone, follow this link here.