From Air 1 to Mini (CE), silly idea?

[jollino]

Hello fellow dronists,
TL;DR: thinking of getting a Mini and selling my Air 1, mostly as a Mini could fly in urban areas here in Europe. Is it a bad idea?
I understand that this is a very personal choice, but I figured I could pick your brains about this.

Longer version:
Today I've finally had a chance to do a test flight again with my Air (I hadn't flown it since last November) and all's good. I just had to recalibrate the controller because it beeped like crazy at first, but that was quick and painless.

I also tried using my iPhone rather than the cheaper Android phone I had used so far with it, and was surprised to see that it remained in FCC mode, as I though it would force a reset. Still, just for kicks, I did reset it to CE mode and managed to fly it a full kilometer with signal to spare, er, farther than I should have or thought it would manage. All I had to do was manually set it to 2.4 GHz mode and choose an empty channel. Granted, I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but I was honestly surprised at how far it went.

Note I always wanted to fly more than I actually did. Until recently I had no car, and then the lockdown hit, so in theory now I *could* use my Air more than before, but who knows if I will. Flying in national parks is forbidden here, and there are many

Thing is, I've been wondering if I shouldn't just sell it for a Mini. I suppose the wifi connectivity is similar to the Air, if not possibly a bit better given that it's more recent, and while I suspect that in a city setting it may struggle with interferences, I definitely do not plan to ever fly it "dangerously". At the same time, I'm wondering if I shouldn't just keep the Air since I don't fly much anyway. Note that I have already taken and passed the EASA pilot test, so that's not an issue at all. The Mini doesn't even require that but I don't mind having done it, as it can always come in handy.

Pros of getting a Mini:
- Can fly in cities even after 2022 (Air can't fly in cities now anyway, and will be A3 class only in 2022)
- Considerably longer flight time

Cons of getting a Mini:
- I lose 4K (meh), follow me (never really used it) and DNG (this one *is* a bummer)
- Possible transmission issues in newly-allowed city areas (in other words, this is less of an issue with the Air precisely because it can't be flown in cities anyway)
- The FCC hack seems more convoluted to apply, and the CE version is hardware locked anyway

There's the whole "bent propeller" issue, but that seems to be caused by the Fly More case and I found 3d-printable guards to keep them properly seated, so I doubt it would be much a problem. Besides, with the longer flight time I may just get the "basic" Mini with an extra battery.

Has anyone switched from the Air to the Mini and wants to chime in, please?

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Lastrexking]

I own an Air1, and bought a Mini. The Mini lasted a week before I got rid of it. It’s way too basic. Way too flimsy. And, can’t fly in a good breeze. The Air is much, much better. The Spark is also more capable than the Mini (I still have one).

 

[OptikN3rv]

I own an Air1, and bought a Mini. The Mini lasted a week before I got rid of it. It’s way too basic. Way too flimsy. And, can’t fly in a good breeze. The Air is much, much better. The Spark is also more capable than the Mini (I still have one).

My mini flies in breezes. You can even see youtube films where they fly in 40 km/h winds with little to no issues. Also flimsy works as an advantage if you crash as it will bend and not snap.
I sold my Phantom 3 SE and got a mini and love it. Basic = easier to fly without all the bells and bull which for me are not necessary. Only thing you might miss is collision detection but again my phantom didnt have that either and you're not meant to fly out of site so again I don't miss it.

Big plus for the mini is when registration and all that rubbish come into force the mini is free and the air 1 with its 340g means you gotta register and probably take an online test.

 

[Lastrexking]

My mini flies in breezes. You can even see youtube films where they fly in 40 km/h winds with little to no issues. Also flimsy works as an advantage if you crash as it will bend and not snap.
I sold my Phantom 3 SE and got a mini and love it. Basic = easier to fly without all the bells and bull which for me are not necessary. Only thing you might miss is collision detection but again my phantom didnt have that either and you're not meant to fly out of site so again I don't miss it.

Big plus for the mini is when registration and all that rubbish come into force the mini is free and the air 1 with its 340g means you gotta register and probably take an online test.

Not for long. From July, in the EU you’ll need to take a test and register.

 

[OptikN3rv]

Not for long. From July, in the EU you’ll need to take a test and register.

Nope for a drone under the 250g no registration or test and its also postponed till July 2021 due to Corona.
Mini <250g Class C0 subclass A1 no registration no training just read the manual, that's why the mini is so popular at the moment.
The Air <900g will be class C1 subclass A1 registration required and take and pass an online test.

EU Drone Rules

 

[jollino]

The test is not an issue as I already passed it, and registration only costs a one-time €6 per drone (for personal use) so that's hardly expensive.
As OptikN3rv pointed out, the temptation is more due to being able to fly (almost) anywhere, as it's A1C0 and will remain A1C0 even after 2022; the Air will only be A3 in 2022 (though it's ~450 g, it lacks a CE certification).

I had a Phantom 3 Advanced before getting the Air, and the control link was definitely more stable and responsive. To be honest it's the only thing I "dislike" about the Air 1, but then again it's only because I have tried the other kind, otherwise it's not that bad. It's the only reason I may consider moving up to an Air 2 instead of down to a Mini, but it's hardly worth the expense in my specific use case.

At the end of the day, as much as I'd like to fly all the time, I just can't do it, so investing into expensive things is pointless. There are many restricted areas everywhere here, and that alone complicates matters a lot. National parks and natural reserves are not marked in the app's map, but flying there without a specific permit can lead to hefty fines, and figuring out just where the borders are can be incredibly complicated.

When I still had the P3A I took a photo of a small town perched onto a hill, and I still wonder if I shouldn't just unpublish it in case someone comes after me — according to my calculations I was just outside of the park's perimeter (whose surface area is 630 square kilometers, so not exactly a tiny thing ), but I can't say I'm 100% sure of that.
A Mini wouldn't be spared from those limitations, but "gains" urban areas. Odd as it may sound, if it saved DNGs it would almost be a no-brainer for me.

(Sorry for the stream of consciousness post, just trying to "think aloud"!)

 

[Matt M PA]

I can't compare to the Air, as I only have a Mini. I bought it on purpose. I didn't want to learn with all the electronic nannies to help me. I do plan at some point to move up as I will be able to use it for work, once I pass the FAA exam. I'm thinking that I'll keep the Mini too as it will have some use...perhaps in smaller places, inside, etc..

 

[OptikN3rv]

Well here in the Netherlands we struggle with the typical grey areas when it comes to drones, we have green zones natura 2000 areas where people say you cannot fly yet if you look into the law the people who manage parks have nothing to do with air space. It all depends how you interpret the law and the dutch are great at have laws which have multiple interpretations.

 

[maxpower]

I went from a Mavic Air to the Mini for the same reason, under 250g drone that I can fly in a lot more places here in Canada. It is an amazing drone as long as you are OK with its limitations. I didn’t want to lose my Mini due to wind and found myself flying less because I was always concerned with wind. I flew the Mini in an area where I could not fly the Air only once. So I sold the Mini and got the Air2. I much more prefer to fly my Air 2 with more restrictions than the Mini that I could fly almost anywhere.

 

[OptikN3rv]

One of my biggest needs in a drone was small and easy to fit in my backpack with my canon 80d and tamron 150-600 and as these 2 items are heavy the drone needs to be small and light.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Nope for a drone under the 250g no registration or test and its also postponed till July 2021 due to Corona.
Mini <250g Class C0 subclass A1 no registration no training just read the manual, that's why the mini is so popular at the moment.
The Air <900g will be class C1 subclass A1 registration required and take and pass an online test.

EU Drone Rules

This is not correct.
No existing drone (including the mini) has already obtained a certification under the new rules.
There are transition rules for existing drones which will allow drones under a certain weight to operate under A1 category until January 2023 and in A3 category (which heavily limits where you can fly) after that.
For existing drones with a maximum takeoff mass under 250g the transition rules are the best: they can basically operate under the same conditions (no trainings and little restrictions) as the C0 category and without an end date. The only difference I could see is that drones with C0 can be flown by kids on their own, while existing drones <250g will need adult supervision.

However the Mavic Mini does not seem to fall in this sub<250g as it's maximum takeoff mass (it can for example carry a prop guard) seems to be higher than that. It will therefore become an expensive paperweight in Europe after 1 January 2023 (i.e. the places you can fly with it will be very restricted and you will need training & certification).

On page 20 of the new rules we can find the following:

DEFINITION OF ‘MAXIMUM TAKE-OFF MASS (MTOM)’
This MTOM is the maximum mass defined by the manufacturer or the builder, in the case of privately built UAS, which ensures the controllability and mechanical resistance of the UA when flying within the operational limits.
The MTOM should include all the elements on board the UA:
(a) all the structural elements of the UA;
(b) the motors;
(c) the propellers, if installed;
(d) all the electronic equipment and antennas;
(e) the batteries and the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and all fluids; and
(f) the heaviest payload allowed by the manufacturer, including sensors and their ancillary equipment.

I have underlined the word 'should' as it does not say 'shall' and it is therefore the only leeway I see DJI might have of claiming that their MTOM is 249g. But as you might have noticed, DJI nowhere claims the MTOM of the mini is 249g. The specs only mention the "Aircraft takeoff weight (includes battery, propellers, and a microSD card)" of 249g.

 

[jollino]

I have underlined the word 'should' as it does not say 'shall' and it is therefore the only leeway I see DJI might have of claiming that their MTOM is 249g. But as you might have noticed, DJI nowhere claims the MTOM of the mini is 249g. The specs only mention the "Aircraft takeoff weight (includes battery, propellers, and a microSD card)" of 249g.

So the issue, if I understand correctly, is that the propeller guards are part of the MTOM (the keyword being "Maximum" there) even though they're not installed?
I had not considered that, as most Italian drone sites keep stating that the Mini will remain in C0 after 2022. Then again I admit I got lost in all the changes to the regulation and simply stopped following them waiting for the final version.

That definitely changes things, and getting a Mini now may not really be worth the hassle in the long term. Not that I expect a quad to necessarily last a decade, but just selling a drone nowadays is more complicated due to the new requirements.

Actually, since you guys definitely know more about this whole ordeal, let me ask one related question about the A1 subcategory. According to https://dronerules.eu/assets/covers/Dronerules-table-2.png, the only mention of urban areas is for A3, which must be kept away from them. Does that mean that a future quad with a CE mark weighing under 900 grams — say something like a Mavic Air 1 or 2, but properly certified — *would* be able to fly in urban areas, as long as it stays "over" (rather than "near") uninvolved people?

 

[Droning on and on...]

My understanding is that you would indeed be allowed to fly in urban areas except if it is in a zone where nationalities have set stricter rules.

 

[jollino]

My understanding is that you would indeed be allowed to fly in urban areas except if it is in a zone where nationalities have set stricter rules.

So I guess I'm back to square one with two choices:
1. Keep the Air 1 and fly in A3 now, then possibly get an Air 3 (or Air 2 Plus or whatever) with a CE mark to fly in A1
2. Get a Mini and fly in A1 (as C0) and A3 now (MTOM "issue" aside for A1C0), then possibly get CE-marked Air 3 for better stability and features etc.

I suppose I could put up an ad and see if my Air grabs anybody's interest around here...

 

[Frustrated]

Not sure why WiFi would be better with the mini?

 

[jollino]

Not sure why WiFi would be better with the mini?

Fair point, that was just pure speculation on my end. I remember reviews of the Air saying that it’s WiFi was better than the Spark’s, so I wonder if the Mini’s even better, being more recent. Then again WiFi is WiFi... there’s only so much you can do about it