DJI drone has no GPS signal: how to fix weak GNSS

A DJI drone with no GPS signal is usually indoors, under cover, too close to buildings, or hasn't had time to find satellites. DJI says the search takes about 1 to 3 minutes after power-on. Take off from open ground, wait for the GNSS icon in DJI Fly to turn white, and keep away from buildings and metal structures. If the drone never finds satellites in a wide-open field, contact DJI.

No GPS: fixes in order — DJI's help center says a GPS search takes about 1 to 3 minutes after power-on. Most no-GPS warnings come from where the drone is, not from a fault.

Step-by-step fixes

Start in the open. DJI recommends launching in an open, outdoor space. Indoors the signal is blocked and the drone may drift.
Wait for a fix. Leave the drone powered on, still, for 1 to 3 minutes. Watch the satellite icon: yellow or red is weak, white is strong.
Get away from obstructions. Buildings, mountains, trees and anything overhead block satellites. The Neo's manual says not to take off from a balcony or within 15 m of buildings.
Check the app's location access. On your phone or the DJI RC, allow DJI Fly to use location. DJI's newer manuals say disabling GPS authorization stops the drone getting a GPS signal.
Avoid interference. DJI lists high-voltage power lines, transmission and broadcast towers, radar, phone base stations, Wi-Fi hotspots, routers and Bluetooth devices.
Update. Update the aircraft firmware and the FlySafe database in DJI Fly. DJI's interference guide says an up-to-date database flags known trouble spots as Enhanced Warning Zones.
Calibrate the compass if a compass warning appears too. A compass fighting magnetic interference can show up as a positioning problem. See DJI compass error.

Model notes

DJI Neo. It positions itself mainly with its downward vision system, which DJI says works best 0.5 to 10 m over clear, textured, well-lit ground. Over water, plain floors or in dim light, positioning can fail. In palm and phone control, the Neo then lands on its own. Only fly it in daylight. With a controller, the Neo records a Home Point only when the GNSS signal is strong.
DJI Neo 2. The same habits apply: outdoors, open sky, wait for the signal before relying on Return to Home.
DJI Flip. Uses GPS, Galileo and BeiDou. Under trees or between houses it may fly on vision positioning only, so keep it low and close.
DJI Mini 3. Uses GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. A slow yellow status light means no GNSS and no vision positioning: ATTI mode. See Mini 3 flashing yellow.
DJI Avata 2. Uses GPS, Galileo and BeiDou. In Manual mode it doesn't hold position anyway, but Return to Home still needs a Home Point recorded with a strong signal.

What happens without GPS

The drone switches to ATTI mode if its vision positioning can't help either. DJI says it then drifts with the wind and can't hover or brake by itself. Land as soon as it's safe. DJI Fly may also limit altitude: the Mini 4 Pro is capped at 30 m above takeoff in good light until the signal has been strong once.

When it's a fault

Contact DJI or start a repair if the drone never gets a fix in open sky after updates, if it lost GNSS after a crash, or if the satellite count drops to zero in flight with nothing overhead. For what each GNSS message means, read DJI GPS/GNSS error.