Looking to buy a Mavic Air 2 and get A2. What does 2022 mean for me? Confused.com

[Legendoforin]

Hi all. I used to be a professional photographer and have been wanting to get into drone flight for a long time and recently the itch has become too hard to ignore. So I have decided on a Mavic Air 2. This will be my first drone (outside of kids toys) and I feel it's a happy balance for me. I live in a beautiful historic town so once I am at one with the drone I would really love to get A2 to allow me to fly over more populated parts where I live.

So I was ready to pull the trigger finally and then read about the changes coming in 2022. I will be honest I am finding it hard to understand. Is there a layman's English version of what changes will be happening? I have read a few threads but seem none the wiser really.

What would this mean for me and the Mavic Air 2 either with or without the A2 certification? Will my drone or the A2 certification be somehow obsolete?

Kind regards

Rich

 

[old man mavic]

@Legendoforin any drone over 250g will be classed as a legacy drone from the end of 2022 there are currently no C rated drones available at the moment ,which with the A2 C of C will allow reduced separation distances and less restrictions from the end of 2022 ,also even if the drone is C,rated you will need the A2 C of C to be able to fly it from the first of January 2023 in the A2 category anyway

 

[Legendoforin]

@Legendoforin any drone over 250g will be classed as a legacy drone from the end of 2022 there are currently no C rated drones available at the moment ,which with the A2 C of C will allow reduced separation distances and less restrictions from the end of 2022 ,also even if the drone is C,rated you will need the A2 C of C to be able to fly it from the first of January 2023 in the A2 category anyway

Thank you. A few points if I may.....

So if I am understanding I could buy an Air 2 now and take the A2 exam which would allow me the freedoms that comes with. However that will be void at the end of 2022, is that correct?

Secondly seeing as I plan on using the drone for quite a while at a good distance from anyone until I get comfortable with it would you say it would be pointless getting A2 certification that close to the rules changing?

Lastly (doubtful ?) once 2023 arrives and all drones are rated C-whatever) what does that mean for the Air 2? Are the flying restrictions more severe or relaxed?

Thank you

 

[old man mavic]

@Legendoforin the A2 certificate lasts for 5 years ,and you will need it to fly a C rated A2 class drone after 2022, to enable you to use the slow speed modes and the reduced separation distances that they will have ,since the rule change at the start of this year ,all drones are now classified by weight and the potential they have to cause injury or damage,and based on where the flight is going to take place ,if the flight can not be accomplished in the open category then it moves into the specific category which has its own set of requirements ,the Air2 will not be able to take advantage of the reduced separation distances ,after 2022 that a C rated drone will have

 

[Legendoforin]

@old man mavic thank you, I appreciate the response. So, just to clarify the point, come January 2023 the Air 2 (or Air 2s which I am being swayed by) will essentially be obsolete and if I want to fly closer than 150 metres to people and buildings I would need to purchase a new drone with classification?

If that's the case how come the Air 2s has been released without classification? Such a new drone should surely have come with classification? Would now be a bad time to be buying a drone?

 

[old man mavic]

@Legendoforin DJI are very good at marketing new products ,and you can be sure that they already have the technology in place to comply with the new C rated requirements ,but there is no reason for them to produce them till nearer the end of 2022 ,and they have a lot of recent products to sell until that moment ,there is never really a good time to buy a drone ,as the specifications like other electronic goods ,are constantly evolving ,and it is very difficult to make big changes in respect of drones ,as there are many different aspects ,that combine together to be worth the development costs involved ,DJI are world leaders in drone development ,and seem to be able to judge ,just when the time is right to bring out a new product,plus of course any new drone has to have perceived improvements, at a price, that the consumer will be happy to pay

 

[Legendoforin]

@Legendoforin DJI are very good at marketing new products ,and you can be sure that they already have the technology in place to comply with the new C rated requirements ,but there is no reason for them to produce them till nearer the end of 2022 ,and they have a lot of recent products to sell until that moment ,there is never really a good time to buy a drone ,as the specifications like other electronic goods ,are constantly evolving ,and it is very difficult to make big changes in respect of drones ,as there are many different aspects ,that combine together to be worth the development costs involved ,DJI are world leaders in drone development ,and seem to be able to judge ,just when the time is right to bring out a new product,plus of course any new drone has to have perceived improvements, at a price, that the consumer will be happy to pay

@old man mavic thank you but I still have the same question. Does it mean that the Air 2S simply cannot be flown nearer than 150m after 2022? OR will there be some way to allow legacy drones to "fit in" with the newer models?

Also I can appreciate a company will always bring out newer and greater models of a product but to not include classification on a £1000 drone this close to changes is pretty bad play. I have just read through the release thread on the DJi forums and it seems I'm far from alone in that view.

But it is what it is I guess. I'm just trying at this point to work out whether buying an Air 2S at this point makes sense or not but if it will be essentially mothballed at the end of next year it will make the decision much easier.

 

[old man mavic]

@Legendoforin i cannot say with any certainty ,that things will stay the same as they are now ,but i myself will not be purchasing any drone that does not have the new C classification before the end of 2022 ,as things stand it will be a legacy drone ,without the C rating

 

[itallica]

You didn't ask this... But as a photographer, and owner of the Air2 and Air2s you REALLY should consider the 2s.

The photo quality is so much better in all aspects.

Good luck and have fun until they tell you otherwise!!