Maximum takeoff weight of DJI Mini 3 Pro

[KLJ5]

Does anybody know how to find out the maximum takeoff weight of the Mini 3 Pro? I've learned through the specs in the manual that the weight of the drone with standard battery, props and data card is 247 G. I also know that the Intelligent Plus (extended flying time battery) increases the weight to 287 G. My recently acquired Mini 3 Pro came with 3 standard and 2 Plus batteries. I have a basic licence and I've registered the drone, so am legal to fly it at > 250 grams, but what if I wanted to use the Plus batteries and say, extended landing gear (35 g) That would take me up to 322 grams. Would that be over weight?

 

[msinger]

what if I wanted to use the Plus batteries and say, extended landing gear (35 g) That would take me up to 322 grams. Would that be over weight?

DJI does not advertise the maximum possible takeoff weight anywhere.

You should find the Mini 3 Pro has no trouble taking off and/or maintaining stable flight with those accessories attached.

 

[scro]

The Mini 3 Pro can take off with a significant amount of payload - You need to add at least 280g of additional weight before the drone starts to struggle to get airborne. That gives gives a max takeoff weight of over 500g if you use the definition of MTOW as the maximum weight the drone can have before it fails to take off successfully. Sometimes the MTOW is defined by the manufacturer and is well below the weight at which the drone can no longer lift off, but in the case of the Mini 3 pro DJI haven't given this information.

My mini3 pro flew quite happily with a 140g flashlight strapped to it. It was clearly having to work harder, but it was still able to climb at normal speeds and deal with a reasonable breeze. It's takeoff weight was well beyond 250g so meant I had to adhere to the more onerous restrictions for the UK A3 Open category.

Since you're from Canada you may be looking to keep under the 250g limit, in which case you'd need the standard battery. About the only accessories you can get away with adding are ND filters or an extremely lightweight strobe or leg extensions. Anything else will push it over the 250g threshold.

 

[Zbip57]

Since you're from Canada you may be looking to keep under the 250g limit...

Here's something peculiar in the wording of the Canadian Regulations that's always bugged me. The understanding is that the 250gram limit refers to the aircraft's actual take-off weight. If you add a heavier battery or any accessories bringing the static weight to 250grams or more, then all of the regulations, registration, and certification apply, whereas the sub-250g application is much more lenient.

However the published definition of "small remotely piloted aircraft" in CARS 101.01 (1) says the following [emphasis added]:

small remotely piloted aircraft means a remotely piloted aircraft that has a maximum take-off weight of at least 250 g (0.55 pounds) but not more than 25 kg (55 pounds); (petit aéronef télépiloté)

Why did Transport Canada include the word "maximum"???

It has been clarified that the limit was intended to refer to the actual take-off weight, not the maximum weight at which the aircraft potentially could still take off.

Although a Mini could take off fully loaded weighing 500g (i.e. its maximum take-off weight is 500g), it is still legally considered a sub-250g microRPAS whenever its actual take-off weight is less than 250 grams.

That would all be a lot clearer if they ever got around to removing that word "maximum" from the published definition!

 

[scro]

A similar grey area exists in EU and UK regulations where "maximum takeoff mass", "actual takeoff weight" and "flying weight" are used.

Fortunately for me the Mini3P doesn't have a class mark or a defined MTOM in the UK so "actual takeoff weight" applies.

 

[Zbip57]

A similar grey area exists in EU and UK regulations where "maximum takeoff mass", "actual takeoff weight" and "flying weight" are used.

Same here. They refer to takeoff weight, but specify a unit of mass.

You could build a massive R/C model Zeppelin having a heavy structural mass greater than 250g, but as long as you fill it with enough hydrogen it could end up being buoyant and weighing less than air.

Even though its mass is greater than 250g, does that qualify as a take-off weight of less than 250 grams?

 

[scro]

I think this might confuse the already confused legislators