DJI introduces renewed geofencing system for better protection of airports

Chinese drone maker DJI is releasing its Geospatial Environment Online 2.0 software in 32 European countries. According to the manufacturer, this new version ensures that, for example, airports are better protected against any flying drones.

An important innovation that DJI is implementing with version two of the GEO software is the creation of safety zones at airports with a different shape. In the original system, circles were only used for zones where the drones were not allowed to fly, but in the second version these zones take the shape of a bow tie. Depending on the expected risks at an airport, this means that the actual runway is covered with an oval, supplemented with strips that screen off the approach routes.

In addition to this innovation, the new software also includes support for temporary flight restrictions. For example, these can be set during major events or natural disasters, so that these areas are temporarily a no-fly zone. These temporary restrictions are based on Eurocontrol data.

In addition, the new software ensures that polygon shapes are used to shield sensitive installations, such as nuclear power plants. In last week’s version, only circles were used here.

According to DJI, the renewed system ensures that the actual risks are better anticipated and that there is more flexibility in areas where the risks are less great, such as in places parallel to runways.

The new software will be available to owners of recent DJI drones later this month. To implement the new system, the DJI Go 4 app and the drones’ firmware will need to be updated.