Applying for C1 Certification

[Deco]

Hi,

I am in the UK and travelling to Spain in 4-5 weeks time. I have an RC Pro controller. I’ve updated all of firmware on M3 and controller, but I’m not getting an option to apply for the cert. Is there another way to apply. I don’t see any option in the Consumer section of the go app.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

D

 

[js47]

Unfortunately there is no official* way to apply for the stickers/certification unless you and your drone are physically located in the EEA at the moment of application. If you are located outside of the EEA, the option will not show up in the DJI Fly app or on the controller. I don’t think you’d ever see the option on the DJI Go app, even if in the EU.

I received my stickers in the UK 70 days after submitting my application (shipped from Barendrecht, NL). DJI quotes that they will mail the stickers within 5 working days of receiving the application, and delivery will be within 20 days of the shipment date. Once you receive the stickers you need to send photos of them applied to the drone, and your C1 certification PDF should be delivered electronically 2 working days after that.

The issue for me was that the stickers never left the warehouse after I applied — they got lost before getting shipped. Figured that out when I contacted them after not receiving the stickers 25 working days after applying. So they shipped another set. 25 working days after that I contacted them again since I still had not received (informing them that I was leaving on a trip for Iceland in a few weeks so needed the stickers ASAP), and they UPS Expressed me a second set of stickers which arrived 2 days later. If you manage to apply tomorrow you’d theoretically get the stickers between 1 and 21 August, if they don’t lose them like they did twice with mine.

Your only sure option is to buy a second Mavic 3 or Mavic 3 Classic on the used market, making sure it already has the stickers applied. Might need to buy it in the EU since most Mavic 3s sold in the UK don't have the stickers as far as I am aware (though I do think you have better odds with the Classic).

Other options:

1. Fly your Mavic 3 as an A3 drone on your trip, or buy a Mini 3 to fly in A1.
2. Go to the EU and apply for the stickers ASAP. They still might not arrive in time for your trip, though. I can fly to Dublin for £36 roundtrip as soon as tomorrow.
3. There is a guy on eBay selling the stickers for £100. But the certification does not become official until you get the PDF certificate from DJI and I am not sure they'll give you one if you didn't complete the initial stages of the application first.

*There is an unofficial way but I don’t think it would help you since I don’t think you’d get the stickers in time for your trip.

 

[JeffreyS]

I don't understand what these stickers are about and what DJI has to do with them. I live in the USA and recently traveled to Italy with my drone. Isn't Italy part of the EU? I went to the website D-Flight and registered myself as a pilot and downloaded a QR code for my drone which I printed and applied to the front. It took less than an hour. I never saw any enforcement anywhere.

 

[js47]

what DJI has to do with them

DJI wouldn't have anything to do with them, except that the Mavic 3 was not C1 certified when it was released (because the EU C-class rating system did not exist yet). The Mavic 3 was C1 certified after it was released, so DJI is sending the new conformity stickers to owners upon request. It is simply a nice thing that DJI is doing for their customers.

Isn't Italy part of the EU?

Yes, Italy is of course part of the EU/EEA.

If you don't hold an EASA A2 certificate and you flew an unclassmarked Mavic 3 in the EEA in anything other than category A3 flight (ie, if you flew closer than 150 meters away from any uninvolved person or structure), then you broke the law.

 

[Deco]

Unfortunately there is no official* way to apply for the stickers/certification unless you and your drone are physically located in the EEA at the moment of application. If you are located outside of the EEA, the option will not show up in the DJI Fly app or on the controller. I don’t think you’d ever see the option on the DJI Go app, even if in the EU.

I received my stickers in the UK 70 days after submitting my application (shipped from Barendrecht, NL). DJI quotes that they will mail the stickers within 5 working days of receiving the application, and delivery will be within 20 days of the shipment date. Once you receive the stickers you need to send photos of them applied to the drone, and your C1 certification PDF should be delivered electronically 2 working days after that.

The issue for me was that the stickers never left the warehouse after I applied — they got lost before getting shipped. Figured that out when I contacted them after not receiving the stickers 25 working days after applying. So they shipped another set. 25 working days after that I contacted them again since I still had not received (informing them that I was leaving on a trip for Iceland in a few weeks so needed the stickers ASAP), and they UPS Expressed me a second set of stickers which arrived 2 days later. If you manage to apply tomorrow you’d theoretically get the stickers between 1 and 21 August, if they don’t lose them like they did twice with mine.

Your only sure option is to buy a second Mavic 3 or Mavic 3 Classic on the used market, making sure it already has the stickers applied. Might need to buy it in the EU since most Mavic 3s sold in the UK don't have the stickers as far as I am aware (though I do think you have better odds with the Classic).

Other options:

1. Fly your Mavic 3 as an A3 drone on your trip, or buy a Mini 3 to fly in A1.
2. Go to the EU and apply for the stickers ASAP. They still might not arrive in time for your trip, though. I can fly to Dublin for £36 roundtrip as soon as tomorrow.
3. There is a guy on eBay selling the stickers for £100. But the certification does not become official until you get the PDF certificate from DJI and I am not sure they'll give you one if you didn't complete the initial stages of the application first.

*There is an unofficial way but I don’t think it would help you since I don’t think you’d get the stickers in time for your trip.

Thanks JS47 - some great advice. I’m not too far away from the Irish border, so I might go to a coffee shop in the Republic of Ireland, log on to the free internet and then go through the process. I don’t have an address in the ROI though - I wonder would they permit sending to UK. I do have friends I could have them sent to, so that’s an option. Time might be against me though:-(

I have registered as an operator in the ROI, so plan B is to follow the A3 regs, as you suggested. The other options are good, but not preferred.

I have reached out to DJI to see if they have an official, not official solution.

 

[Deco]

I don't understand what these stickers are about and what DJI has to do with them. I live in the USA and recently traveled to Italy with my drone. Isn't Italy part of the EU? I went to the website D-Flight and registered myself as a pilot and downloaded a QR code for my drone which I printed and applied to the front. It took less than an hour. I never saw any enforcement anywhere.

JefferyS sounds like you were lucky not to come across any enforcement - I just don’t fancy taking the risk.

 

[js47]

Thanks JS47 - some great advice. I’m not too far away from the Irish border, so I might go to a coffee shop in the Republic of Ireland, log on to the free internet and then go through the process. I don’t have an address in the ROI though - I wonder would they permit sending to UK. I do have friends I could have them sent to, so that’s an option. Time might be against me though:-(

I have registered as an operator in the ROI, so plan B is to follow the A3 regs, as you suggested. The other options are good, but not preferred.

I have reached out to DJI to see if they have an official, not official solution.

There is no official unofficial solution unless they have changed their stance in the last 6 months or so. But I’d say if you are in NI just drive over the border! Make sure you take both the drone and remote controller with you.

If it won’t let you change the shipping address from ROI then I’d suggest contacting support and tell them about your trip to Spain — maybe they’ll ship UPS for you too.

 

[Deco]

There is no official unofficial solution unless they have changed their stance in the last 6 months or so. But I’d say if you are in NI just drive over the border! Make sure you take both the drone and remote controller with you.

If it won’t let you change the shipping address from ROI then I’d suggest contacting support and tell them about your trip to Spain — maybe they’ll ship UPS for you too.

Yip, looks like a trip to the border. I will give a VPN a go first.

I have reached out to Support already - hopefully they’ll be able to sort it out without all of the messing around.

 

[js47]

Yip, looks like a trip to the border. I will give a VPN a go first.

I have reached out to Support already - hopefully they’ll be able to sort it out without all of the messing around.

VPN didn't work for me (would have had to spoof GPS location from the drone also) but could be worth a shot being so close to the Republic — maybe it will be confused, or close enough. Crazy that they take such extensive measures to geo-lock this.

 

[Deco]

I’ll give it a go. I hadn’t considered the drone GPS location. Hopefully it only checks IP address of the remote. Yes, crazy this is geo-locked. Will update this post with any progress.

 

[Deco]

Good news reaching out to DJI Support. They have agreed to send me the transfers. Alas, the time frame is the 10-20 days you mentioned JS47. They have agreed to expedite delivery, so here’s hoping.