Mavic Mini / Mini 2 and the new EU regulations

[dsvilko]

Hi! As the new EASA regulations as outlined in EU 2019/947 seem to allow for some confusion as to the legacy, sub <250g drones, I am wondering how do the individual countries interpret the regulation. I believe the need to register is universally accepted but not for the need to pass the 40 question test. Also, not related to this regulation, is insurance required in your country for the 'small drones' and are there any restrictions on recording images / video from the air?

I can start with Croatia:
You have to pass the 40 question exam but for Mini, you are actually not required to have the certificate with you (?), only the operator registration. Insurance seems to be mandatory even for small drones such as Mini. It's still tehnicaly illegal to record photos / videos from the air, unless you are a professional photographer and aquire a permit for each recording seperatelly. The only exception is photographing your own property. This is a leftover from a very old law meant to protect military secrets and even if it's still very much valid, it's not heavily enforced. There have been very few cases of people actually beeing fined. It's strictly enforced in national parks and other protected areas.

 

[African wildlife]

Hi Dsvilko. I would like to congratulate you for highlighting that national parks and other protected areas have regulations which are strictly enforced. Where there's wildlife in a national park or other nature reserve, this is a very good policy. Exceptions can be sought, and are granted, but only for those who appreciate wild animals need sanctuary in our otherwise overpopulated modern world, Here in the UK, we are allowed to fly in our largest national park - The Lake District - but, embarrassingly, it doesn't have much wildlife, just lots of domesticated (farmed) sheep.

I'll let someone else who is more of an expert on the recently updated drone laws here in the UK explain the differences, but they're not as restrictive as yours in Croatia for the Mini 2 or any other drone weighing less than 250g. Although we are no longer part of the EU, the UK has aligned it's new drone laws with the rest of Europe which is most likely a good thing inn this instance.

 

[mucek]

I just passed an exam in slovenia, so I guess we are pretty much the same. 8 guess you got it a bit wrong:
1) For drones under 250 g without camera, no certificate or registration is requires
2) For drones with camera or over 250 g you need a certification ("licence plate" - sticker with unique ID) on the drone
3) Under 250 g you are tehhnically allowed to fly also oner areas, where people could be (but not groups!), over 250 g you must avoid people.
4) Photographing is not prohibited, but must comply with GDPR (so if you intentionaly photograph your naked neighbour when sunbathing in some public place, it is an offence, but if you see it "accidentally" it is not )

 

[photo2be]

Hi! As the new EASA regulations as outlined in EU 2019/947 seem to allow for some confusion as to the legacy, sub <250g drones, I am wondering how do the individual countries interpret the regulation. I believe the need to register is universally accepted but not for the need to pass the 40 question test. Also, not related to this regulation, is insurance required in your country for the 'small drones' and are there any restrictions on recording images / video from the air?

I can start with Croatia:
You have to pass the 40 question exam but for Mini, you are actually not required to have the certificate with you (?), only the operator registration. Insurance seems to be mandatory even for small drones such as Mini. It's still tehnicaly illegal to record photos / videos from the air, unless you are a professional photographer and aquire a permit for each recording seperatelly. The only exception is photographing your own property. This is a leftover from a very old law meant to protect military secrets and even if it's still very much valid, it's not heavily enforced. There have been very few cases of people actually beeing fined. It's strictly enforced in national parks and other protected areas.

Hi, as photographer and "spokesman" for drones in the Swedish www.blf.se "The Swedish Picture Agency" I can inform you. I'm also a happy Mini2 pilot.. If we fly a drone less than 250gr we dont have to do anything. just keep on flying.
But as the Mini2 has a camera, on or off dosen't matter we have to register as drone pilot, That's all.
No test or insurens is nessesary. But for safety reasons I have an insurens for 80000EUR and it cost me approx. 10Eur/month. Its not illegal to record or film from a drone in Sweden but of course same regulations.

 

[African wildlife]

Here in the UK, it's £9 per year. Although the Mini 2 is below 250g, it has a camera (whether in use or not) and so you have to register as an operator.

 

[Ian in London]

The UK's CAA has interpreted legacy drones sub 250 gms in a good way, unlike other larger models.
>250 gms are relegated to A3 - open countryside, unless you get online training called the A2CofC that lets you fly inside congested areas up to 50m from people, but only for a 2 year transition period. After that, you're relegated to A3 again regardless. But <250 gms drones get to fly inside congested areas with no need for the A2CofC and don't have a time limit on the transition period:

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[dsvilko]

So, the UK requires a A2 CoC for the <500g transitional class? That is one of a very few things left to the individual (EU) countries to decide. In Croatia, the basic A1/A3 online exam is enough to fly a <500g drone in a A1 subcategory.

 

[Ian in London]

So, the UK requires a A2 CoC for the <500g transitional class? That is one of a very few things left to the individual (EU) countries to decide. In Croatia, the basic A1/A3 online exam is enough to fly a <500g drone in a A1 subcategory.

Only if you want to fly in congested areas, and for sub 500 gm models, you get A1 flights "up to but not intentionally over" people.