Mini 3 Pro in the EU

[Brojon]

I'll be taking my Mini 3 Pro to Germany in a month.
Will it revert to the lower power the EU stipulates based on GPS or will it stay the same?
If it reverts has anyone come up with a patch to keep it in FCC mode?

 

[scro]

I can't speak specifically for Germany, but my Mini 3/DJI RC automatically switched from FCC mode (in Australia) to CE mode in the UK. The range is definitely shorter, but I can still comfortably achieve VLOS limits (and beyond if I wanted to) on CE power.

If you really need the range of FCC power and are OK with technically not complying with the laws of your host country then investigate syncoder options. I've not tried the (paid for) hack nor explored that avenue much but it's the only hack I've heard of so far for the DJI RC.

 

[Brojon]

I can't speak specifically for Germany, but my Mini 3/DJI RC automatically switched from FCC mode (in Australia) to CE mode in the UK. The range is definitely shorter, but I can still comfortably achieve VLOS limits (and beyond if I wanted to) on CE power.

If you really need the range of FCC power and are OK with technically not complying with the laws of your host country then investigate syncoder options. I've not tried the (paid for) hack nor explored that avenue much but it's the only hack I've heard of so far for the DJI RC.

It's not the legality or I wouldn't have bothered to get EU certified and licensed in Germany.
I had issues with older DJI drones in years past with many spots in the Black Forest. No idea why - possibly reflections from nearby big dang mountains. I'm hoping O3 doesn't have these connectivity issues and indeed I had no problems in New Mexico mountains aside from wind. But - nice to have options since I don't want to have connectivity issues.

 

[scro]

Not quite sure what you mean by that. It's good that you're trying to do things properly and taking the time and trouble to register and get a license for flying in the EU, but that doesn't make hacking your controller to transmit at higher power more legal.

Just for clarity, if I was really against using higher power transmission than allowable I'd not have suggested a possible way of doing it. I did want to make it clear that technically it isn't legal, with the emphasis on "technically".

Hope you enjoy your trip to Germany and get some nice drone footage there! There is some stunning scenery there for sure!

 

[Brojon]

Not quite sure what you mean by that. It's good that you're trying to do things properly and taking the time and trouble to register and get a license for flying in the EU, but that doesn't make hacking your controller to transmit at higher power more legal.

Just for clarity, if I was really against using higher power transmission than allowable I'd not have suggested a possible way of doing it. I did want to make it clear that technically it isn't legal, with the emphasis on "technically".

Hope you enjoy your trip to Germany and get some nice drone footage there! There is some stunning scenery there for sure!

Well - you're right. Illegal is illegal. Or at least not playing well by the rules.
I guess I justify it in my mind by being out in the boonies since that's the only place LOS is going to allow any sort of range. I'll be in the Bavaria area - Nuremberg, Bamburg, Munich - maybe even a trip to Prague or Vienna since it's only a few hours by train. All these metro areas have restrictions from airports and other transport where the interesting stuff is so I'm not going to be able to fly much in any metro area anyway.
BTW - there used to be an app like B4UFLY for Europe. I can't seem to recall the name.
Anyone here know what that is?

 

[Brojon]

I couldn't find much in the way of EU fly restrictions map but it turns out that DJI has one. I'm just not sure how reliable it is because I know there are restricted areas like transportation infrastructure, national parks etc. This says I should be clear to fly in some of the most interesting places - if I can find a spot where I can remain 30 m from people.
I wonder if you are allowed to ask people to politely stay away if after takeoff some folks come wandering up?
I know the A1 rules seem to lean on the side of understanding given the test always makes the distinction of "avoid if possible". Just no flying over crowds of folks.

 

[Octisurfer]

The DJI map covers only a subset.
Look here for more information: Map2Fly
There are also Map2Fly apps for mobile divices avaliable.

 

[Brojon]

The DJI map covers only a subset.
Look here for more information: Map2Fly
There are also Map2Fly apps for mobile divices avaliable.

I'm not convinced that map is very useful realistically - if you look literally everything is painted some shade of red.
They don't provide anything in the way of a legend to tell you what it means and they use circles to describe restricted areas that cover far more area than is actually restricted.
I actually have a support ticket in with them about the map data and legend.
Airdata has (in my mind) a more accurate depiction in that it shows the railways and such as as restricted. A large part of Nuremberg is simply controlled airspace.

 

[Octisurfer]

The legend is behind the gear icon:



By right-clicking on an interesting point on the map you will see all the relevant restrictions etc. for that location.

 

[Brojon]

The legend is behind the gear icon:

View attachment 156003

By right-clicking on an interesting point on the map you will see all the relevant restrictions etc. for that location.

Thanks!!! That does not come up on mine - I use Opera browser and perhaps it disallows something on their site.
I'll try to figure it out later.
That said it doesn't make a lot of difference since red is splashed everywhere!

 

[Chunter]

I live in Germany and have yet to see a weak signal on CE mode and lets be honest if its flying beyond vlos and you lose it because of weak signal you're at fault ( not drone police btw just saying) due to rule over here being stay in vlos.
I've flown in town and rural without issue ( yet ).

Fyi if you see the word Naturschutzgebiet its 100% no fly, they get REALLY REALLY upset if you do, it'll fly there but its not allowed.

Enjoy your time here, Bavaria is beautiful, i must get down there again now i've got a drone but its an 8 hours drive for me.

As for apps, try DRONIQ APP. I don't bother anymore, but it'll be good for you to try/check.

If you need any help when you're over i can try to help. If i can't answer my missus can ( full blown German ),

Enjoy your time.

 

[Brojon]

As per travel time - hopefully the Germans will pass that initiative for a flat rate transportation pass. 49 Eu for a month of travel anywhere? Sign me up! We had the EuroPass (25 DM!) when I was teen there and I really used it a lot. Of course hostels were plentiful and cheap then. Now a British hotel chain has bought most of the hostels and the prices reflect that. Now that the Eastern bloc is no more it is awesome to be able to travel by train to places I thought I'd never see - Prague, Bucharest - wow!
I get confused about which rules are actually enforced (nature preserves are one as you mention) and then roadways and navigable waters which near as I can tell is never enforced. Europe has always had a wink wink nod approach to many things. Back in the early 70's as kids we went to a three day British bands rock fest. The area was fenced, cops outside but they didn't check anyone and right inside there were people set up tables selling hashish and opium.
As per airports DJI now has them mapped for approach and departure routes which makes more sense than a giant circle because they'll NEVER be coming in for a landing at drone altitudes at any direction other than the runways.
All that said, Nuremberg old town puzzles me because aside from the nearby Bahnhof, and keeping an eye on crowds of people it should be possible to fly A1 in many locations.
I lost signal in a small village in the Black Forest. We stayed at a Gasthaus which sat at the base of a small mountain with bigger ones behind. I flew a Spark that day (small and portable) and not even 300m near that hill signal dropped out. I could see it but it lost signal. Did the whole RTH thing. That's when I started wondering about CE power levels.

 

[Brojon]

The DJI map covers only a subset.
Look here for more information: Map2Fly
There are also Map2Fly apps for mobile divices avaliable.

So I got an account so I could look at the legend.
Some of it does not seem to agree with the EASA rules in the test I took. A1 you do not have to worry about over flying residential properties. Before the 2021 rules you had to stay 150m away. There was no mention of any "legitimate purpose" in the rules unless that just means because I feel like it
Take this one - this in the old town in a clear park. The property is "owned" by the city. Do they not have the idea of public meaning anyone can use? Then they have a heliport that has a larger area than the airport! You have to contact them all if you want permission. I wish they had something like LAANC.
Settlement (Nürnberg) You need the consent of the respective property owner or person authorized to dispose of the property for take-off and landing. In the case of residential properties, consent is always required for overflight; operations may only take place between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., above an altitude of 100 m, in compliance with data protection regulations, with a legitimate purpose and with prior information of those affected.

 

[Brojon]

As for apps, try DRONIQ APP. I don't bother anymore, but it'll be good for you to try/check.
If you need any help when you're over i can try to help. If i can't answer my missus can ( full blown German ),

Interesting app but kind of a pain to use.
It also paints Nuremberg solid red. Interesting though when you hit it for details it basically says you can fly if you have permission similar to LAANC. Problem is the area I had tagged was outside the heliport, Bahnhof or the airport.
I went up to Ulm to see if there were any areas I could take off to get a good pic of the magnificent cathedral.
They have a huge parking lot and it seems perfect to take off straight up and get a nice image without the parallax distortion and keystoning. The app claims it's restricted due to "critical infrastructure" - which can be a federal or official building but there are none unless they're saying the church is considered such.
I tried another area further away and again, they say prohibited but use the old rules - which in no way prohibits flying. For example roads - the rule was (is?) minimum 10 meters away and the drone cannot be any higher than the distance from the roadway. So if I'm 100m from a road I can fly up to 100m in altitude.
That's a rule not a prohibition.
This is what makes the map apps hard to use - old rules and wrong-headed interpretations.

 

[Octisurfer]

As per travel time - hopefully the Germans will pass that initiative for a flat rate transportation pass. 49 Eu for a month of travel anywhere? Sign me up!

The 49 euros per month only come from January and are only valid for local transport and slow trains.

 

[Brojon]

The 49 euros per month only come from January and are only valid for local transport and slow trains.

Dang - knew it had to have a catch.
I thing Nuremberg still has a deal for tourists on buses and trains.

 

[Chunter]

This is what makes the map apps hard to use - old rules and wrong-headed interpretations.

Its because of that i tend to see if it will take off and if there's no one around at sites of interest, except nature parks, i'll just send it up, applying lots of common sense.
Luckily the min 3 as you know is super quiet so doesn't draw much attention.
Unfortunately it's the d1ckh3ads that fly where ever they want without respecting others that have brought us to this place of confusion.
My own rule of thumb here in Germany is " would it piss me off or will i get in the sh1t?" before i fly, if i pass that test i fly.

 

[Chunter]

If you translate this page using a website translator you'll get the latest info

EU Drohnenverordnung für DJI Mini 3 Pro [ Drohnen-Gesetz ]

EU Drohnen-Gesetz Welche Vorgaben, Regeln und Gesetze gibt es gemäß der neuen EU-Drohnenverordnung für die neue DJI Mini 3 Pro Drohne? Wichtig: Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich ausschließlich mit der DJI Mini 3 Pro.

www.drohnen.de

you will need drone 3rd party insurance and a drone number plate. ( well if you live here so i do), unsure for tourists.

 

[Brojon]

If you translate this page using a website translator you'll get the latest info

EU Drohnenverordnung für DJI Mini 3 Pro [ Drohnen-Gesetz ]

EU Drohnen-Gesetz Welche Vorgaben, Regeln und Gesetze gibt es gemäß der neuen EU-Drohnenverordnung für die neue DJI Mini 3 Pro Drohne? Wichtig: Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich ausschließlich mit der DJI Mini 3 Pro.

www.drohnen.de

you will need drone 3rd party insurance and a drone number plate. ( well if you live here so i do), unsure for tourists.

Thanks for the chuckle - I too usually apply the "common sense" test.
I already have my German ID and tags should be coming soon from drohnen.de (check them out!).
I have the requisite insurance on file. I'm lucky my homeowners insurance covers this as NOBODY in the EU will issue insurance to someone not a resident.
My last trip I was hardly able to fly at all so this trip I tried to make sure I have everything covered.
That said - what happens if you find yourself talking to the polizei?
Do they confiscate or what exactly is the "penalty"?

 

[Chunter]

Unsure myself because i'm not a d1ck, i have seen one guy on a german hacking forum have his mavic taken away as they caught him on aeroscope being the said "d1ck" in a major town, i forget where.
I believe they kept his drone for the court case and was fined a lot of money.
I've been buying my ids for drohnen.de for years so know them well.

I was in an open car air car park and filmed this in the centre of my town Paderborn and because i wasn't being a d1ck no one batted an eyelid or even gave 2 effs about me and my drone.

Common sense ftw.