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from the and-you-thought-you-owned-it dept.
DJI Spark drones will not fly after September 1 until users have applied a mandatory software update:
DJI Spark drones will not fly after 1 September unless owners apply a mandatory software update, the device's maker has warned. DJI said the update to the small drone's core software fixes some flight control issues suffered by the gadget.
The drone maker said it had warned owners about the deadline so they could avoid having their craft grounded. But the mandatory update has caused some owners to question the control DJI retains over their devices.
In a statement, DJI said the update would improve how the Spark manages power. It also helps it work with smart spectacles that give owners an immersive view of what the drone films. It added: "If the firmware of either the aircraft or the battery is not updated by September 1, Spark will not be able to take off."
(Score: 1) by Virindi on Wednesday August 23 2017, @01:22PM (4 children)
What is the real story here? Is there some bug which they want to make sure customers do not encounter? Did they add phone home anti-features and want to force people to report that data? Something else more sneaky?
(Score: 5, Informative) by Knowledge Troll on Wednesday August 23 2017, @01:23PM (2 children)
... because of an electrical issue. This is essentially an involuntary recall performed through software update.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Wednesday August 23 2017, @06:28PM (1 child)
This is essentially an involuntary recall performed through software update.
There's a bit of precedence in the auto industry. [nytimes.com]
If a manufacturer knows their product is hazardous it does seem they should be under some duty to protect the public. Whether this is going to far, or not, is another question.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 23 2017, @07:35PM
That example is a bit different, since it just used the law. These drones are defective by design if they allow someone else to disable their functionality, since that shows the user is not truly in control.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by nobu_the_bard on Wednesday August 23 2017, @07:47PM
It seems under certain circumstances the battery reaches an unsafe situation and shuts off; or perhaps, the drone simply thinks it is unsafe.
They seem to say not only does the drone's firmware requires an update, but also that the battery's firmware needs an update, and that it is an either/or situation to use the thing. I would interpret this to mean the problem is with the batteries, and they want a situation where either the drone firmware is able to compensate or the battery doesn't have the bugged version.
Also there's a lot of talk about the app that controls it. Maybe the drone doesn't call home - maybe its control app does, and it can't operate if the app doesn't greenlight it?