Part 107 UAS pilot reported having issues with UAS mapping software while hovering that resulted in brief flight into controlled airspace without authorization.
Synopsis
Part 107 UAS pilot reported having issues with UAS mapping software while hovering that resulted in brief flight into controlled airspace without authorization.
Narrative
I was flying a DJI Mavic 3 in Class C airspace roughly 2 miles from an airport. Through AutoPylot; I had received LAANC authorization to fly in that area up to 200 feet. I had just completed a flight a few miles away in the same airspace restrictions. In that flight; the drone's Geo Zone software was working perfectly to indicate flight ceiling restrictions and safety hazards. However; on this particular flight a few minutes later; the Geo Zone software was not accurate. I was keeping my eyes on the drone and watching out for any nearby people; cars and small aircraft in the area. About 10 minutes into the flight; I glanced down at my altitude and noticed I had drifted above 200 feet. The drone's Geo Zone software was telling me I was still within an acceptable altitude. However; I knew something must be off either with the software on the drone or the AutoPylot request I submitted pre-flight. It was at this point that I decided to land the drone to double-check my pre-flight information. Upon further investigation; it was clear the drone's built-in Geo Zone software was not functioning properly. It was indicating I was clear to fly up to 400 feet; which was not accurate. It also was not indicating the nearby cutoff to a 0-foot zone. Because of this; I inadvertently flew above the 200-foot ceiling (but stayed below 400 feet). Looking back at my flighttracker info; I may have also accidentally crossed about 50 yards into the 0-foot zone for about 60 seconds before turning around. Again; the drone software was not indicating that I was that close to the border of my approved zone.In retrospect; I should not have been relying so much on the built-in DJI software to be accurate. It had been accurate on previous flights. However; I now know that it cannot be fully trusted. In the future; I will not be relying on the software; so as to prevent a future incident like this. As a newer drone pilot; I had not been warned about the inconsistency of this software. It would benefit a lot of pilots to hear about this through some means; perhaps requiring the DJI app to put up a disclaimer upon each use that information may be inaccurate and needs to be independently verified?
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.