Here is what changed, what the zones in DJI Fly mean now, and what to check before a flight so a missing warning doesn't get you into trouble.
What changed and when
- 2013: DJI introduced its GEO system (Fly Safe) as a voluntary safety feature, to stop drones from accidentally flying into controlled airspace near airports and sensitive sites.
- January 2024: DJI started replacing its own zones in Europe with UAS geographical zone (UGZ) data from national aviation authorities. DJI's statement gives the reason: under European drone rules, as of January 2024 every drone manufacturer has to let users download and display official UGZ data from EASA member states. The first countries were Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, France, Lithuania, Switzerland and the UK, with the rest to follow.
- November 2025: DJI extended the change worldwide. All remaining No-Fly Zones were reclassified as Enhanced Warning Zones, and DJI announced that the GEO Unlock Request service would be retired in early 2026.
- January 2026: EASA announced that, with national UGZ maps now fully available, DJI's class-labelled drones (C0, C1 and so on) rely only on official UGZ data published by national authorities. The old Fly Safe data sets were removed.
According to heliguy's write-up of the 2024 update, it covered DJI Fly, DJI GO 4 and DJI Pilot, as well as DJI's Fly Safe website, and most consumer, enterprise and agricultural models.
What the zones in the app mean now
DJI's old zone types still explain a lot of what you see in forum posts and older videos:
| DJI zone | Old behaviour |
|---|---|
| Restricted Zone (red) | Warning and take-off blocked; unlock through DJI |
| Authorization Zone (blue) | Flight limited by default; unlock with a verified DJI account |
| Altitude Zone (grey) | Warning or altitude limit |
| Warning Zone (yellow) | Warning message only |
| Enhanced Warning Zone (orange) | Unlock prompt at the time of flight, no verified account or internet needed |
After the European update, most of those restrictions were removed. What remains in place of official no-fly areas, such as airport flight restriction zones, is the Enhanced Warning Zone. You confirm it in the app at the moment you fly, without asking DJI for anything.
That confirmation is not a permission. Tapping through an Enhanced Warning Zone in DJI Fly only clears DJI's prompt. Whether you are actually allowed to fly there depends on the zone's rules set by the national authority.
DJI says the same in its November 2025 announcement: Fly Safe data remains advisory and does not replace the official airspace data published by national aviation authorities.
The official zone types
EASA describes three main kinds of geographical zones, which member states can colour-code:
- Excluded zones: drone flights are prohibited, for all classes or for certain classes.
- Restricted zones: flights are possible only under the conditions set for that zone. You need prior authorisation. EASA lists airports, heliports, national parks, military sites, hospitals, nuclear power plants and key industrial sites as typical examples.
- Facilitated zones: open category flights are made easier.
There are also partial restrictions. A zone can lower the maximum height below the open category's 120 m, allow flights only at certain times of day (for example during a concert or a match nearby), or reduce the horizontal distance between you and the drone.
The EASA FAQ adds that geographical zones apply to all categories, open and specific. The flight authorisation for a restricted zone comes from the authority or organisation named on the official map, for example a park authority or the owner of an industrial site, and it is not the same thing as an operational authorisation for the specific category. EASA notes that getting an answer can take up to two days, so don't leave it for the morning of the flight.
Why a quiet app is not a green light
Three reasons the app can stay silent while you are still breaking a rule:
- Out-of-date data. Zone data in the drone is refreshed by connecting the drone and remote controller and opening the flight app online. EASA puts it on the operator: if your drone has a geo-awareness system, keeping it updated is your job.
- Things that are not zones. National maps cover airspace structures. The article on flying legally in Poland on this site gives the Polish example: DroneTower doesn't show ground facilities such as power plants or military units unless a zone covers them, and new zones can appear at any time.
- Rules that are not in any map. EASA reminds pilots that you may not fly close to or inside an area where an emergency response is under way, wherever it happens.
And the obvious one for FPV pilots: a self-built drone has no geo-awareness at all. EASA's point applies regardless of manufacturer: every registered operator should check the official zone data of the country they fly in.
What to check before a flight
- Open the official map for the country. EASA keeps a page with links to each national authority, including their UGZ maps and apps. In Poland that is DroneTower from PANSA, which also requires you to check in before each flight. The Poland article on this site covers how that works.
- Read the zone conditions, not only the colour. Height limits, time windows and distance limits are easy to miss.
- If the zone needs authorisation, get it in advance from the organisation named on the map, and stay within its limits.
- Update the DJI app data with the drone and controller connected and the phone online, so the warnings at least match the current official data.
- Treat any DJI warning as a prompt to check, not as an answer.