Hi all,

This question is for EU folks and it concerns the newly-released Mavic 3 Pro with its C2 certification class.

As an owner of the original Mavic 3, I was able to obtain the C1 certification given that the drone is less than 900 grams. I also have the A1/A3 and A2 licenses, so I can also fly the Mavic 3 Pro in case I decide to purchase it down the road.

However, I'm not sure if the C2 class of the Mavic 3 Pro will result in more take-off restrictions, e.g. when trying to fly the drone in a more crowded place like a city center. I understand the speed and distance restrictions in this case, but will the drone take off or am I going to be required to fill in an online form like I'm doing now when entering authorization zones with my C1-certified Mavic 3?

Sorry if this is a trivial question, but I haven't seen it addressed anywhere else until now. Thank-you!

C2 basycally means you can only fly in A2 or A3, so you need to leave 50 meters or 150 meters between the drone and people. C1 on the other hand means you can fly close to people and over people so yep, C2 is a huge disadvantage.

That's not entirely correct.
With C2 there is no need to operate in A3, and Operations in A2 means 30m minimal distance to uninvolved people in normal flight modes, and minimal 5m in a "low speed mode", meaning limited lateral speeds up to 3 m/s.

For further information and 1st hand explanation take a look at "UAS.OPEN.030" and the corresponding GM/AMC in the Annex of Regulation 947/2019 in the "Easy Access Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems " from EASA, available as PDF or as Online-Version here: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/do ... tems-regulations-eu

skyscope Posted at 4-26 18:45
That's not entirely correct.
With C2 there is no need to operate in A3, and Operations in A2 means 30m minimal distance to uninvolved people in normal flight modes, and minimal 5m in a "low speed mode", meaning limited lateral speeds up to 3 m/s.

Finally someone who knows what he's talking about.
Sure it would've been nice to for the Mavic 3 Pro to have C1, but C2 with an A2 license should be good enough for most commercial operations.

I think my question was slightly misunderstood. I wasn't asking about the "do's and don'ts", but more about the drone (i.e. the device) being able to take off in environments where it might be potentially illegal to fly. For example, I can lift my C1 Mavic 3 in a crowded city center and I don't need any authorization for that. Would the same be true about the C2 Mavic 3 Pro?

What I am basically asking is if DJI has implemented stricter controls for this particular drone to prevent people without an A2 license from flying in situations like the above (and the said people having to obtain an online/written authorization prior to their flight).

djiuser_sDJMBllmmCeJ Posted at 4-27 00:18
I think my question was slightly misunderstood. I wasn't asking about the "do's and don'ts", but more about the drone (i.e. the device) being able to take off in environments where it might be potentially illegal to fly. For example, I can lift my C1 Mavic 3 in a crowded city center and I don't need any authorization for that. Would the same be true about the C2 Mavic 3 Pro?

What I am basically asking is if DJI has implemented stricter controls for this particular drone to prevent people without an A2 license from flying in situations like the above (and the said people having to obtain an online/written authorization prior to their flight).

Hi, djiuser_sDJMBllmmCeJ. Thank you for reaching out. For policies and regulations, please go to the corresponding national regulation publication platform, which varies from country to country. For EU countries, they are generally available at (www.easa.europa.eu).  Hopefully, other users will also have some answers regarding on this but for a better understanding of restrictions, please contact EASA directly on this (https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/contact-us).

skyscope Posted at 4-26 18:45
That's not entirely correct.
With C2 there is no need to operate in A3, and Operations in A2 means 30m minimal distance to uninvolved people in normal flight modes, and minimal 5m in a "low speed mode", meaning limited lateral speeds up to 3 m/s.

Remember there's also the 1:1 rule to consider in A2.
As you say, the minimal distance is 30m , but if you're at 100m vertical you also need to have 100m distance horizontally. This also applies just the same if you're running at low speed.

Flying correctly in A2 is a pretty considerable difference to A1 and should not be brushed off as nothing.

But I think in general this highlights the problem with rigid certification requirements. It's a measly 60 grams overweight and all of the sudden it's a death machine that needs to be restricted.

With all the extra, well refined safety features DJI has packed into the drone you'd think they should be able to apply for an exemption

djiuser_sDJMBllmmCeJ Posted at 4-27 00:18
What I am basically asking is if DJI has implemented stricter controls for this particular drone to prevent people without an A2 license from flying in situations like the above ...

Extremely unlikely.

The GEO system offers first aid and restricts operation around really critical infrastructure, and neither DJI nor any other institution can know whether and how many people are in certain regions at the time of planned flight operations to prevent flying near uninvolved people. So why should such operations be categorically restricted via the DJI GEO Zone System? Ultimately the user and not the manufacturer is responsible for complying with all the rules of the regulations.

Draxel Posted at 4-27 12:13
But I think in general this highlights the problem with rigid certification requirements. It's a measly 60 grams overweight and all of the sudden it's a death machine that needs to be restricted. [...]With all the extra, well refined safety features DJI has packed into the drone you'd think they should be able to apply for an exemption

They aren't so rigid in this matter, see GM1 UAS.OPEN.030(1): "... variable and is heavily dependent on the performance and characteristics of the UAS involved"

But if a drone has a certain weight, it falls into one of the operational categories. There is no space in the regulations for any exemption regarding this.

skyscope Posted at 4-27 17:08
Extremely unlikely.

The GEO system offers first aid and restricts operation around really critical infrastructure, and neither DJI nor any other institution can know whether and how many people are in certain regions at the time of planned flight operations to prevent flying near uninvolved people. So why should such operations be categorically restricted via the DJI GEO Zone System? Ultimately the user and not the manufacturer is responsible for complying with all the rules of the regulations.

Thanks, this is what I wanted to know. I understand the rules, but wasn't quite sure what the drone was going to do in this case.