Maker of drone that crashed at White House plans software update to block Washington flights

The Chinese manufacturer of a drone that a hobbyist crashed at the White House says it is taking steps to ensure that cannot happen again.

DJI Technology Co., based in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, said Wednesday it will send a software update for its drones' navigation systems this week that will block them from flying over Washington.

The crash of the 50-centimeter-long (two-foot-long) Phantom quad-copter prompted questions about whether the White House and President Barack Obama were adequately protected against a potential threat.

Company spokesman Michael Perry says software in DJI drones already prevents them from flying in "no fly" zones around some 700 airports worldwide.