Category for Mavic 2 Pro

epp · Dec 25, 2022

Sorry if this has been posted previously and answered earlier. I couldn't find anything.
I'm studying for my Remote Pilot 107 license and learning the categories for Operations Over Non-Participants.
I did a quick surf of the DJI website to determine which of the FAA categories my Mavic 2 Pro would be considered. I'm thinking Category two, but the definitions provided are a bit obscure.
Does anyone know which category my sUAS is considered?
Thank you in advance

SethB · Dec 25, 2022

epp said:
Sorry if this has been posted previously and answered earlier. I couldn't find anything.
I'm studying for my Remote Pilot 107 license and learning the categories for Operations Over Non-Participants.
I did a quick surf of the DJI website to determine which of the FAA categories my Mavic 2 Pro would be considered. I'm thinking Category two, but the definitions provided are a bit obscure.
Does anyone know which category my sUAS is considered?
Thank you in advance

None, your M2P doesn’t qualify for Operations Over People until a manufacturer(?) certifies that it won’t lacerate skin and will conform to one of the categories’ max impact spec. It would also need to support RID.

For a Mavic 2 that would likely involve a prop guard/cage and a parachute system. As far as I know DJI hasn’t announced any compliant aircraft.

Great question, good luck with the exam!

epp · Dec 26, 2022

Thank you. Very informative. Looks like I'm shopping for a Mavic 3 mini if I want to have sustained flight over "human beings..."

SethB · Dec 26, 2022

epp said:
Thank you. Very informative. Looks like I'm shopping for a Mavic 3 mini if I want to have sustained flight over "human beings..."

In my opinion (only!) we are at the very beginning of accessible drones for flying over people. Now is a good time to wait and see what manufacturers are working on.

If you look at the FAA’s list to date, there is ONE drone which manufacturer’s certification for OOP has been accepted by FAA.

UAS Declaration of Compliance

uasdoc.faa.gov

It’s this one:

eBee X mapping drone - Drones | AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.

Discover the lightweight mapping drone for large coverage and sharp data. 2D, 3D, multispectral and thermal maps. BVLOS and OOP approved.

ageagle.com

That’s a $20k-ish mapping drone, fixed wing, with a variety of sensor packages for surveying, mapping, and agriculture.

I’m hopeful that there will be many choices eventually. On the other hand there isn’t a lot of interest on this forum for OOP.
From last year:

Operations Over People - What would you do (if you could)?

There are a few obstacles before we get to legal operations over people. Category 1 drones (under .55 lbs, don’t lacerate skin) are difficult to come by in a useful form, and Category 2 and 3 drones won’t be with us until manufacturers apply to FAA and Remote ID is up. (See Pilot Institute’s...

mavicpilots.com