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DJI Mini 4 Pro

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Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#361

Post by MichaelApproved »

corbezzoli wrote: post #238
MichaelApproved wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The point GP is making is that DJI does not indiscriminately upload every video. The moment it has the chance to associate a VIP to a drone, only then the tracking could start. It’s not like you can detect that during random tests on a new unit.

> there's no way to be sure that every second of GPS-tagged video shot by a DJI drone isn't going into a giant server farm owned by the Chinese intelligence service.

-GP

> The point GP is making is that DJI does not indiscriminately upload every video.

-You

That seems to be exactly what GP is claiming could be happening.

They were concerned about “every second of video” which would fit the definition of “indescribably”.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#362

Post by sschueller »

cheesemayo wrote: post #47

Beware that DJI's software to control these craft is super sketchy to install and use. It doesn't exist in the Google Play Store, to avoid inspection.

Honestly if I was as large as DJI I would avoid publishing in the play (and Apple app if it were possible) store as well and save the wasted time of the constant pointless review rejections.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#363

Post by MichaelApproved »

RhodesianHunter wrote: post #327
MichaelApproved wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did. Thanks!

I don't know how DJI works, but presumably it ships the video out to a service that you then log in to to view? If so, it's on their servers and there's no "networking" you can do to know whether they forwarded it on from there.

If that’s true then you’re right but I don’t know if that’s true.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#364

Post by bowsamic »

bloodyplonker22 wrote: post #251
nebula8804 wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No because DJI, XPENG, BYD, and a ton of other Chinese companies have this 'move fast and break things' mentality X100 that most American firms don't have. They ran circles around GoPro and their attempts. Closest analog is Tesla/SpaceX but who knows if even those guys last long term when the guy running it is so easily distracted by nonsense (eg. Buying Twitter, starting yet another company, playing hours of Polytop…

Come on. American software startups literally invented that motto. Just because you may be working at a slower paced company doesn't mean America does not have it.

American companies invented it as a marketing label to sell to VCs. Chinese companies actually do it

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#365

Post by 9witz »

RhodesianHunter wrote: post #327
MichaelApproved wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did. Thanks!

I don't know how DJI works, but presumably it ships the video out to a service that you then log in to to view? If so, it's on their servers and there's no "networking" you can do to know whether they forwarded it on from there.

The DJI Mini Pro 3 works without Wifi and using the expensive controller, without a phone app, so the opportunities to upload captured data to China are very limited.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#366

Post by guax »

foota wrote: post #208
snypher wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>They're beaming back home whatever they want This claim is always thrown out like a life preserver without ever anything to back it up. Do you have anything to support this claim?

They're cloud based, aren't they? So regardless of what they're doing with the data, it's true that they're (figuratively) beaming it back, although parent is admittedly implying more. I accept that chinese authorities generally have access to anything they want to in the country, so I would buy that they have access to drone data.

They're not cloud based as far as I would define it. I have one and fly mostly on areas where there is no internet signal. The drone beams back video to your phone and unless you're syncing the cache videos with their cloud nothing its stored other than flight meta data. You can avoid even that by using a totally offline controller/phone.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#367

Post by guax »

rmbyrro wrote: post #232
snypher wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>They're beaming back home whatever they want This claim is always thrown out like a life preserver without ever anything to back it up. Do you have anything to support this claim?

Given the history of China and its tech companies, the burden of proof shifted to their shoulders. So, I turn to them: is there anything that proves its a surveillance-free device? No, they cannot assure that. Someone may not like it, but China now has a very, very bad reputation among people in the West. Especially after the last pandemic and how they handled it.

After Snowden, can you affirm that any US tech company is safe to use as a non us citizen? Or even one in some cases.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#368

Post by jpgvm »

brentm wrote: post #74

I always look at these and think I want one but also can't think of what i'd actually use it for. I just picture it sitting in a closet next to my GoPro and Oculus after about 3 days of messing around. Anyone own one? What do you use it for?

I'm building a house, I'm planning to buy one to video the process periodically to create a really long time lapse of the build.

I am not yet sure if this one has the appropriate way-point features, I think I am going to go with the Air 3 despite the higher price tag because it's more robust and I need a license to operate a drone for this purpose anyway in my jurisdiction (Thailand).

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#369

Post by guax »

firen777 wrote: post #190
brindlejim wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DJI is fully compliant with China's policy of civil-military fusion. Anyone flying anywhere sensitive should not use them. They're beaming back home whatever they want, and China is using both tech and data to give an asymmetric advantage to allies like Russia in the Ukraine war.

How do Ukrainian operators avoid exposing their own positions? Do they install custom firmware on their drone?

You can operate the drones without a connected device. Operator location is done by locating the radio source. It would be better to have repeaters and cable transmitter to them to avoid direct strike.

Tech people are usually paranoid by the most unlikely scenarios. A soldier with an antenna can pinpoint the operator location much easier than trying to get this kind of info from china without leaks.

Re: DJI Mini 4 Pro

#370

Post by timeon »

brentm wrote: post #74

I always look at these and think I want one but also can't think of what i'd actually use it for. I just picture it sitting in a closet next to my GoPro and Oculus after about 3 days of messing around. Anyone own one? What do you use it for?

Yeah videos on the page look stunning but visiting those locations would be enough for me.

On the other hand I can imagine using drone with Lidar mapping (on private property).

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