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No fly zones discrepancy

Joined
May 23, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
22
Age
42
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
Hello everybody! Before anything I apologize for the (yet again) long post, but I think some context is needed.
Since I bought my Typhoon H I had only perfomed bench tests and one take off test at an empty parking lot. Yesterday I tried, for the first time, to make a proper flight test in an open area with a radius of around 110 metres, no metal structures or buildings nearby and a clear vision of the sky for GPS locking purposes.
After normal ST-16 and ACFT startup I received a no fly zone related warning which I dismissed (I'll explain why a bit further) and carried on with systems check and "READY" on GPS indication, then walked some 10 metres away from the ACFT and tried to engage the motors with the red button. I could hear an audible "deny-like" sign coming from the aircraft and no further response, no motor start. After a couple of times, I tried an automatic take off via the "task" option on the ST-16, also without success. After a few tries, I was getting out of daylight and decided to wrap everything up and go home. Already knowing that Yuneec's NFZs are huge, I went to their website to check it and, to my surprise, I realized that I couldn't fly almost anywhere in my city. This was a bit of a shock, since I had (as I always do) filed a flight plan with the Brazilian Airspace Control and I have all necessary clearances to fly a UAS. Also, I had flown several times in the same region with my DJI Mavic without any problem whatsoever, always with the proper clearances.
Below, there are some screenshots comparing the maps of the Brazilian Airspace Control, Yuneec and DJI regarding UAS operations, with brief explanations. In all of them, the solid red circle next to the red arrow covers a radius of roughly 110 metres in which I was allowed to fly up to 130 ft ASL, according to the filed flight plan.

1596215203562.png
Official Brazilian Airspace Control map. This is the map used for all UAS flight planning and clearances, which uses their own dedicated system and data. The red translucent circles are restricted areas, where flights can be allowed under certain circumstances. Regardless of these areas, when flights are filed, the system automatically approves or denies them, accordingly to the parameters used (time of day, altitude, flight area and ACFT classification).

1596218214893.png
Yuneec's bizarre NFZ map. By this map, most of my city's airspace is a NFZ. The area is the same for any airport, regardless of its size. The puzzling fact is that I managed to take off, hover and land during the aforementioned motor test in a parking lot, which is also located inside Yuneec's NFZ, but much closer to the runway orientation. During this test no warning was given.

1596218431317.png
DJI's GEO Zone map. This is a MUCH better map, which takes into consideration the size of the airport, runway axis and arrival/departure paths. The orange area represents and Enhanced Warning Zone where users are required to unlock the flight promptly by agreeing with all responsibility for their actions. The blue area is an Authorization Zone, where flight can be unlocked in a similar way, but requires registration on DJI's website and following a specific procedure.

Given all this context, I would like to ask if anyone knows why the crap Yuneec's NFZs are even more stringent than my country's official airspace UAS regulations (which, by the way, are based on FAA's), and how do I get rid of this limitation, since it basically disallows any operation inside my urban area, rendering my Typhoon mostly useless for my work. I searched the forum for answers and noted that there lots of folks with the same problem. Also, trying to access Yuneec's NFZ release is useless, since the webpage is broken. The only one which works, seems to be for US users only.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
These are the airports in Brasil that I found in the Yuneec database:

Val de Cans/J煤lio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport​
Presidente Juscelino Kubistschek International Airport​
Tancredo Neves International Airport​
Afonso Pena Airport​
Herc铆lio Luz International Airport​
Gale茫o - Ant么nio Carlos Jobim International Airport​
Guarulhos - Governador Andr茅 Franco Montoro International Airport​
Congonhas Airport​
Deputado Luiz Eduardo Magalh茫es International Airport​

Any area withing 5 miles or 8 KM from the center of the airport will be in an NFZ.
This database was created sometime in late 2014 or early 2015. As far as I am aware it has remained the same.
If you have official authorization to fly, submit a copy together with the H ID number to Yuneec EU. You would get the aircraft ID by connecting the H to the GUI. Hopefully they will be able to supply you with the NFZ removal firmware.
 
...The only one which works, seems to be for US users only.
Any help is greatly appreciated...

Fill that one out, include all required documentation. If they come back and tell you it's only for US users, ask them where and how to proceed.

I submitted that form (I'm in the US) 2 months ago, but they did finally respond and give me the NFZ unlock codes for my H+.
 
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These are the airports in Brasil that I found in the Yuneec database:

Val de Cans/J煤lio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport​
Presidente Juscelino Kubistschek International Airport​
Tancredo Neves International Airport​
Afonso Pena Airport​
Herc铆lio Luz International Airport​
Gale茫o - Ant么nio Carlos Jobim International Airport​
Guarulhos - Governador Andr茅 Franco Montoro International Airport​
Congonhas Airport​
Deputado Luiz Eduardo Magalh茫es International Airport​

Any area withing 5 miles or 8 KM from the center of the airport will be in an NFZ.
This database was created sometime in late 2014 or early 2015. As far as I am aware it has remained the same.
If you have official authorization to fly, submit a copy together with the H ID number to Yuneec EU. You would get the aircraft ID by connecting the H to the GUI. Hopefully they will be able to supply you with the NFZ removal firmware.

Thank you for your reply, Steve!
I am aware that I'm inside Yuneec's NFZ (Guarulhos International - SBGR), as I demonstrated in the screenshots. The thing that make me go nuts is why does it have to be so wide! Also, as you suggested, I have sent a message to Yuneec Europe since Yuneec US seems to be irresponsive sometimes.
Lastly, any idea on why I was able to take off a few days ago inside the same NFZ?
 
These are the airports in Brasil that I found in the Yuneec database:

Val de Cans/J煤lio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport​
Presidente Juscelino Kubistschek International Airport​
Tancredo Neves International Airport​
Afonso Pena Airport​
Herc铆lio Luz International Airport​
Gale茫o - Ant么nio Carlos Jobim International Airport​
Guarulhos - Governador Andr茅 Franco Montoro International Airport​
Congonhas Airport​
Deputado Luiz Eduardo Magalh茫es International Airport​

Any area withing 5 miles or 8 KM from the center of the airport will be in an NFZ.
This database was created sometime in late 2014 or early 2015. As far as I am aware it has remained the same.
If you have official authorization to fly, submit a copy together with the H ID number to Yuneec EU. You would get the aircraft ID by connecting the H to the GUI. Hopefully they will be able to supply you with the NFZ removal firmware.
One more thing: this list seems to be incomplete, since there's is a small airport (Campo de Marte - SBMT) a bit further to the southwest which also has a NFZ of 5 NM, despite its size.
 
Finally each manufacturer puts his own layer for the NFZs without worrying about the why and how.
You just have to choose the right model (while remaining within your own legality of your flight) and the right supplier.
I came across the same card for Autel and the H520, nice card and less dapper colors.
Bresil.JPG
 
I use this drone ( H+) for professional reasons, and to avoid not being able to take off because of the many NFZ of my country, I sent my drone to Germany so that it neutralizes these NFZ .
Since then, I have no more problems and I can take off everywhere, even on an airport, with permission of course.
 
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