Update | Chinese drone firm puts GPS block on flying over Washington after White House scare
A Chinese drone maker which created the small quadcopter that crashed on White House grounds said it is updating its drones to stop further flights over the US capital, where it is banned.
A Chinese drone maker which created the small quadcopter that crashed on White House grounds said it is updating its drones to stop further flights over the US capital, where it is banned.
GPS signals will determine the location of the drone and stop it from within 25 kilometres of the US capital.
The Shenzhen-based company DJI voluntarily introduced the software update for its “Phantom” series to step up compliance with US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) rules, which already bars all model aircraft from flying in Washington, spokesman Michael Perry told the .
Perry said some users were not aware of the restrictions by the FAA, which imposes fines of up to US$1,000 on reckless drone flights.
“We’ve just proactively implemented a software-based solution so people who may not know it’s illegal can be warned,” Perry told the by phone.
A government employee crashed one of the Phantom drones onto the White House lawn early in the morning Monday, causing a security scare for President Barack Obama’s protection service.
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