DJI Holds Drones Hostage, Grounded Until Update Is Installed

DJI is the biggest maker of mass consumer drones in the world, with its high-end Spark UAV being a huge hit among enthusiasts. However, owners of this drone are now finding that their unit is unable to fly. This is because DJI is currently holding them hostage in order to force customers to install an important update for the drone.

In the announcement post by DJI, the company notes that users of its Spark drones need to install the firmware update that was recently released, which is meant to address some of the biggest problems with the unit. Apparently, some of the drones have been falling out of the sky, which is obviously a cause for concern.

“The new firmware update enhances Spark’s battery management system to optimize power supply during flight. In addition, the new firmware has added support to fully integrate Spark with the DJI Goggles, optimized the PalmLaunch function for better stability after takeoff, improved the accuracy of controls under the QuickShot Dronie mode and enhanced the compatibility of the remote controller when syncing up with new firmware updates,” the post reads.

Until users install this firmware update, DJI is grounding all Spark drones in the market to ensure that no damage or injury is caused. It’s worth noting that only a small number of the drones were reported to have this problem, The Verge reports. However, even just one serious case can damage the company’s reputation.

It would seem that the problem with the drones stems from the power management system, which led to some drones simply not getting the kind of juice they need to keep flying. The firmware is intended to address this problem directly so that the drones can fly consistently and users can rely on the UAVs to fly as long as they are supposed to.