Mavic Pro 2 - 905 grams???

[RPSM]

It's a serious issue for EU buyers, and unfortunately can only be corrected with a special EU version, or (most possibly) with next Mavic version.

I agree. My son keeps telling me they'll come out with a "v2" of the 2 in a year to comply, but that won't help current buyers. I wouldn't buy one now, and I was going to when I first heard. I have a Spark and an Air, and would have loved to add the Pro 2 to the stable (and would kill for a "Spark Air" under 250g), but not if I cannot fly it unhindered.

 

[RPSM]

I think most European users who use hobby UAVs do not care about EU restrictions at the moment, but if there is a confirmation of this law in the coming months, DJI will risk losing a lot of business in the EU. Are there more users using drones for hobby or work?

Yes, correct, once this goes into effect, which it will in the next 6 months, people will care. The two plausible answers are (a) someone messed up, (b) someone did it on purpose (to what effect, I cannot imagine). Shaving 5g off the drone would have been trivial (I don't make drones, but I make electronic gear, it is possible...)

 

[m15Alien]

Yes, correct, once this goes into effect, which it will in the next 6 months, people will care. The two plausible answers are (a) someone messed up, (b) someone did it on purpose (to what effect, I cannot imagine). Shaving 5g off the drone would have been trivial (I don't make drones, but I make electronic gear, it is possible...)

A possible fast workaround is to reduce the weight of the battery, Dji could produce an EU battery version to put the drone into the C1 class. But I have no certainty.

 

[RPSM]

That is a very clever idea. It would need to be an official battery, but you're right this would work.

 

[gnirtS]

This is very unlikely to be what DJI calculate when they are designing the drone, as their objective is to create a shape that is efficient moving forwards, sideways, etc.

And with one touch of a button they calculate the terminal velocity case to apply for CE certification. It takes absolutely no extra effort.

Your comparison to a brick is also incorrect, as the drone falling head first will be significantly more efficient, and hence accelerate faster than a brick. Then you need to count the air resistance at the altitude the drone is flying at, and not the height the drone is flying at off the ground, and the heat of the air where you're flying.

All of which is fed into the simulation programs. CE, FAA and all others have standardised criteria for temperature, air density and so on at which the tests are run. It takes no effort to run that calculation.

You're right though, someone messed up for 5 grams.

Nobody messed up. They knew the extra weight wouldnt take it over a limit. Because they're represented, knew the rules, have engineers and do the calculations.
DJI isnt some spotty teenagers front bedroom outfit. EVERYTHING is computer modelled well before its prototyped or built.

 

[gnirtS]

Yes, correct, once this goes into effect, which it will in the next 6 months, people will care.

Didnt realise 2022 was 6 months away. Because the document doesn't even pass committee stage until 2019 according to their own timeline on the document.

The only thing they'd need to do is a crippleware firmware update to reduce the max speed from 20 to the EU mandated 19msec. This can then be selected along with CE transmission mode whenever its in the area.

 

[RPSM]

Didnt realise 2022 was 6 months away. Because the document doesn't even pass committee stage until 2019 according to their own timeline on the document.

The only thing they'd need to do is a crippleware firmware update to reduce the max speed from 20 to the EU mandated 19msec. This can then be selected along with CE transmission mode whenever its in the area.

You can't fix weight by a firmware update, but you know more than DJI's response, so hey, go to town...

 

[Skyscope]

Didnt realise 2022 was 6 months away.

Where does this come from?
The new regulations were adopted by the parliament in July and were published in the EU Official Journal last week, so they are in force. Now the commission / EASA are finalising the rules, which leads to Implementing Regulations by the end of this year, and there is no Grandfathering planned, as far as I know.

EASA suggested in their opinion to transfer the 80J provision into a weight limit of 900g, but this ist still pending and it is therefore open whether this limit will take place or not.

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Proposed....the rules are in for that.
They're MUCH less restrictive than the design-by-committee EU rulings. and the 80J refers to a drone falling at terminal velocity not horizontal speed so its going to depend on drag and so on. The MP was something like 70.

We'll only get more restrictions of the number of morons keep flouting the rules left,right and centre.

Either way wont be an issue, by the time the commission finishes talking about it and paying each other off the mavic 3 will be out (and the UK not in EASA) so i cant see the issue.

For the lifespan of THIS product its not an issue.

Thank you for you informative, yet enjoyable, update from behind the EU's iron curtain. (LOL)

My wife and I are glad to hear the wheel are still turning slow and are wobbly as usual.

You are so right about the need for professionalism and respect by all unmanned pilots, just as it is expected of manned pilots.

 

[Elton Hammonds]

Why do you have to do that? A lot of what you say makes sense, makes me want to listen and respect you. Then you go and bring in Brexit. Why? Can we have a discussion among friends who share a hobby without making a political comment?

Laws are made by politicians and are always subject to change by them, so mention of political situations and looking forward based on situations, trends and projections isn't being antisocial.

Personally, I think this is the most enlightening, timely and and social thread that I've seen in this group so far.

[emoji851][emoji106]

 

[Elton Hammonds]

It's a serious issue for EU buyers, and unfortunately can only be corrected with a special EU version, or (most possibly) with next Mavic version.

Great idea!

Maybe they could offer a slightly smaller battery to meet the requirements and someone in their engineering department should be contacted vs the sales/customer service department, as mentioned above by others.

 

[yysc]

Very informative post. My M2P arrives tomorrow and my P4P is in the process of being sold.

I have no doubt DJI designed the M2 series in orther to comply EU regulations and with C1 (<900g OR <80J). In fact C2 limit is <4000g and Inspire 2 MTOM is exactly 4000g. Coincidence?

Very detailed explanation on the 80J rule here:
European harmonisation of drone regulations 'en route' to the EC

In conclusion, an MTOM of 900 g can be considered as a good threshold to allow a Class C1 UA to be flown over isolated people. UAS with a greater MTOM could also qualify if the manufacturer demonstrates that the kinetic energy transmitted to the head would be less than 80 J.


PD: Game over for consumers and the Phantom series.

 

[lolo780]

Lighter than advertised. Can't complain.

 

[RayOZ]

maybe a couple of screws fell out.

 

[Skyscope]

Lighter than advertised. Can't complain.View attachment 45327

Even with stickers still in place. ;-)

 

[lolo780]

Even with stickers still in place. ;-)

I left the stickers on for the distance record as well.

 

[m15Alien]

Lighter than advertised. Can't complain.View attachment 45327

• Is it the Zoom version?
• Does the scale work fine?
• Have you tried to check the scale weighting a L of water ?

Thanks for the picture.

 

[RPSM]

Is it the Zoom version?

Does the scale work well?
Have you tried to check the scale weighting a liter of water ?
Thanks for the picture.

That was my first thought. I would be SO HAPPY to order a Mavic Pro 2 if this was true. DJI really need to confirm this issue. Unfortunately as the regulations stand, it's the declared weight at take-off from the manufacturer that counts, not any modifications you may do (or therefore your scale). It's certainly possible that someone put the pre-release weight on the documentation and at some point it changed. Wouldn't be the first time this happens in engineering (regardless of how good the company is).

Great find.

 

[RPSM]

Lighter than advertised. Can't complain.View attachment 45327

Which version is it? The Pro or Zoom? Are you sure the scale is 100% correct? This is a great find.

 

[gnirtS]

Until someone tells us whether a terminal velocity mavic 2 is under or over 80J weight isnt actually important.
And this is years away from happening. Its not even going back to the talking shop (who'll make changes and send it back) until next year.
Non issue.