USA Anafi stuck in CE mode - should be in FCC

[dkokki]

Dear guys, good morning from Greece,

About a month ago, I wrote to Parrot because I used the FCC Channels with Fake GPS and and I'll want to show you the discussion.

Ask

Dear A... good morning from Greece,
I have one phone Oneplus 3 and one tablet Teclast M89 MT8176 Hexa Core 3GB RAM 32GB. Most times I 'm using the Teclast tablet with no issues. I tell you that before the firmware 1.6.4 I used and fake gps to have the fcc channels and seems that it locked the fcc channels after latest updates 1.6.4. I don't have any issues with phone or tablet with fcc channels, and I want to have the fcc channels because these are most stable, without problems. I ask you because, I want there is no problem with that with these channels to locked.

Until now I have many flights with FF6.6.5 and 1.6.4 firmware and I don't have any issue with fcc channels and I want to keep these, as long as you have no problems with that.

Sincerely yours


Answer

Hi Dimitris,

This is Alex from Parrot support team and I am happy to be helping with your case # 1397293, concerning your Parrot Anafi.

Please note that the new FCC channel rules are legal obligations and there is nothing that Parrot can do to change that.

We are sorry for the inconvenience.


Ask

Hi A...,
I unterstand that the new FCC channel rules are legal obligations and there is nothing that Parrot can do to change that, but I have already here in Greece locked the fcc channels.

I don't have any problem with that, but is this a problem that can cause something issues in the firmware or at drone ? I only ask.

Thanks


Answer

Hi Dimitris,

This is Alex from Parrot support team and I am happy to be helping with your case # 1397293, concerning your Parrot Anafi.

Thanks for your reply.

Please note that this is not going to affect the drone usage or its firmware.

 

[charleslee]

I really think that Parrot staff or mad ...

 

[Gipsz Jakab]

I really think that Parrot staff or mad ...

Why would they be crazy?
You ask me: Hi, I live in a CE country and so far I have been able to play piracy to illegally use my drone in FCC. What happened now? why can't i hack?

What were you waiting for?
It's officially forbidden! Parrot is bound by law, which, if not followed, closes the company.

 

[catkinson80]

To keep all customers happy parrot should just put an FCC/CE switch on the app and attach a responsibility disclaimer

 

[Gipsz Jakab]

To keep all customers happy parrot should just put an FCC/CE switch on the app and attach a responsibility disclaimer

Probably the authority ordered parrot to take this step.
European laws become stricter from June. This is the reason for the measure.

 

[charleslee]

Why would they be crazy?
You ask me: Hi, I live in a CE country and so far I have been able to play piracy to illegally use my drone in FCC. What happened now? why can't i hack?

What were you waiting for?
It's officially forbidden! Parrot is bound by law, which, if not followed, closes the company.

May i remind you the title of this thread

USA Anafi stuck in CE mode - should be in FCC

That is USA country

 

[BRC]

Thank you charleslee for pointing that out -
i still have not heard back from Parrot, very displeased as its been over two weeks

 

[catkinson80]

What does the BRC stand for?

 

[BRC]

Initials of my name - not very creative!

 

[catkinson80]

Ahh I see I though it might have related to some sort of organisation.

 

[Ana789]

To keep all customers happy parrot should just put an FCC/CE switch on the app and attach a responsibility disclaimer

I think that DJI had a hardware switch for that, some years ago.
I am pretty sure, they would not have bothered with the GPS-sw option, if they had a choice.

 

[catkinson80]

You could be right about that, I think parrot should try and get access to some other frequencies that allow a higher power output outside of the US. Also if they create a follow up to the Anafi it should have a system similar to occusync or leas which hubsan are using.

 

[Ana789]

The problem there is, that there are no other frequencies for "short range devices", methinks!

My guess, the next step will be a geofence for distance, that has a maximum set by the rules in the country you fly.
Or simple, by VLOS, defined by someone in meters.
Radio can do 7 k, but flying only 500m from starting point!

 

[catkinson80]

I think geofencing at a reasonable range would be fair. Some people are reporting distances of around 200m at the moment which is pretty poor.
Or even geofence based on where you are flying via gps similar to NFZ's, say for instance your in a remote location automatically increase the geofence and decrease it in more populated areas.

 

[BRC]

If I connect to drone with controller & FF6
Then go to network screen and power off and then back on the Anafi
I see the FCC channels 36 thru 48 flash briefly on screen then they disappear
See attached video – watch in very slow motion
1st loads CE channel, then includes FCC channel, then ends in CE channels

Same happens above if I just use phone wifi directly connected to Anafi without controller

On occasion if I do same above and am really quick manually selecting one of the FCC channels before it disappear it will lock in- see attached photo
But once it is selected it locks in and will not allow you change it, just keeps reverting back to the FCC channel that was selected
I did try to fly Anafi once I selected FCC channel 44– but distance was terrible – like 250 feet or so and would disconnect, behaved erratically
See attached photo


Parrot did respond to my service request to try the following steps below - but no luck so i provided them the info above

Can you please check your smartphone region and make sure it's the United States also change the country in your Profile.
Also, you Can perform a reboot to your Drone by following the below steps:

1. Power ANAFI off.
2. Close the Parrot Skycontroller 3.
3. Kill FreeFlight 6 on your device.
4. Reboot your device.
5. Open the Parrot Skycontroller 3.
6. Power ANAFI on.
7. Wait for synchronization between Parrot Skycontroller 3 and ANAFI (steady dark blue LED on the controller):
check that the left trigger of the Parrot Skycontroller 3 activates the drone’s gimbal to ensure the synch is complete.
8. Plug your device to the Parrot Skycontroller 3.

 

[JhosueOrmaza]

Good morning, I am very concerned, in the DJI drones such as Mavic Air to verify that it is in the FCC, the visible channels must be from 1 to 11, because if the channels are visible from 1 to 13, it means that it is in CE, why in parrot is different, since in both FCC and CE modes channels 1 to 11 are seen and it is only verified that it is in FCC with channels 36 to 48 while for dji these channels do not indicate that it is in FCC or CE mode. .. what do you think?

 

[Deekster]

Good afternoon fellow fliers... I haven't updated my Anafi in a while but I'm reading these reports and before I power on and do any updates I'm curious about what to do or NOT do since I'm sure once things are charged and the app is activated I'll be prompted for some kind of update... Please advise!

 

[charleslee]

easy DONT UPDATE

 

[Ana789]

And if on Android, perhaps, switch to the FF6 from the mod-topic , here in the forum.
At least DON'T use the last 2 FF6, you may have autoupdated to, in the past month.
They may force the update!

 

[BRC]

I am continuing to work with Parrot to resolve issue in USA.
I tried updating to 1.67 but no luck
Once resolved I will share with group
My issue showed up two or three weeks after the upgrade to 1.64
I mistakenly did a hard reboot of drone by pressing and holding battery button down while in drone
It was a dumb thin to do and I recommend not doing it
My second anafi was fine on FW 1.64 & currently on FW 1.65
Good Luck!