Mini 4 Pro Plus battery and RID ?

[BrianA]

I am looking to upgrade from Mini 2 to 4 Pro. I read details from Amazon that the plus battery is needed to enable RID. Is this true or is RID enable through firmware updates?

 

[msinger]

I read details from Amazon that the plus battery is needed to enable RID. Is this true

Yes, that's true.

Another option would be to attach an external RID module like the Holy Stone or Ruko.

 

[BrianA]

Yes, that's true.

Another option would be to attach an external RID module like the Holy Stone or Ruko.

So, either way, you would have to register with FAA due to it being >250gr limit, correct?

 

[msinger]

If your drone weighs more than 250 grams, registration is required. Once registered, you must always broadcast Remote ID, even if your drone occasionally weighs less than 250 grams at takeoff.

 

[mwilson315]

If you use the standard battery, registration is not required and RID is also not required in the US

 

[mavic3usa]

If your drone weighs more than 250 grams, registration is required. Once registered, you must always broadcast Remote ID, even if your drone occasionally weighs less than 250 grams at takeoff.

If you use the standard battery, registration is not required and RID is also not required in the US

For clarification, since the OP asked about the extended battery, using it will require his >250g drone to be FAA registered and standard RID is the broadcast method. While his drone is registered, should he decide to use the standard battery for this next flight, even if the drone weights <250g at takeoff, because it is still registered then it needs to broadcast RID details. If the drone does not do so using the standard RID method then a broadcast remote ID must be attached for the flight to be legal. However, I am not 100% certain if the drone will stop using standard RID if you switch back to the standard battery (after having flown with the extended battery).

 

[msinger]

For clarification

Which part were you attempting to clarify?

However, I am not 100% certain if the drone will stop using standard RID if you switch back to the standard battery (after having flown with the extended battery).

RID will only be broadcast when using a Plus battery.

 

[mavic3usa]

Which part were you attempting to clarify?

When I saw post #5 bring up a non-registration event where someone is asking specifically about the plus battery, wanted to make sure he had seen your previous comment (#4) where using a standard battery might mean something different than he may think.

RID will only be broadcast when using a Plus battery.

I thought so as well but recent video had some concerns but since I don't have any experience with Mini 4 batteries.....

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[msinger]

I thought so as well but recent video had some concerns

Perhaps DJI made an undocumented change in a more recent firmware release?

 

[Cafguy]

What exactly turns the RID on? If you say simply added a few grams weight to the Drone would the added RPM needed to lift the drone turn on the RID or does the chip in the Battery do it????

 

[msinger]

That functionality must be baked into the aircraft firmware as that's what originally added Remote ID to the Mini 4 Pro after it was released. The firmware is able to detect the type of battery being used.

 

[mavic3usa]

Perhaps DJI made an undocumented change in a more recent firmware release?

That hasn't been mentioned before but it could be a bug where once you turn RID to ON then the standard battery does "nothing" when detected by the drone sw instead of what it should do which is turn RID OFF which leaves it ON forever. I recall on the Mini 3 series that DJI was back and forth all over the board on RID and the batteries combination so they probably think this is best outcome for the average Mini 4 consumer who doesn't care.

 

[BrianA]

OK. So, I'm a little confused. I understand the part about registration with >250g part as well as the RID for the plus battery. Does the unit still need an add on RID module if using the standard batteries? And also, since adding the RID module with take it over the 250g limit, I would assume it will still need to be registered. If that is true, then I will just go ahead and buy the plus battery option.

 

[mavic3usa]

OK. So, I'm a little confused. I understand the part about registration with >250g part as well as the RID for the plus battery. Does the unit still need an add on RID module if using the standard batteries? And also, since adding the RID module with take it over the 250g limit, I would assume it will still need to be registered. If that is true, then I will just go ahead and buy the plus battery option.

Go ahead and just buy the plus battery option and register the drone, IMO that's your best bet. If you add the RID module, then the drone needs to be registered. If you don't do either one of these, the drone does not need to be registered if you use it strictly for recreational purposes in the US.

 

[MS Coast]

OK. So, I'm a little confused. I understand the part about registration with >250g part as well as the RID for the plus battery. Does the unit still need an add on RID module if using the standard batteries? And also, since adding the RID module with take it over the 250g limit, I would assume it will still need to be registered. If that is true, then I will just go ahead and buy the plus battery option.

This help?

• Standard battery, flown recreationally only - no registration or RID required
• Either battery, flown commercially - registration and rid required
• Plus battery - registration and RID (built in) required
• Registered for any reason, either battery - RID required

As others have suggested, I agree that plus batteries and registration are the best route, even for recreational flying only. The added fight time is a big positive and registration has no real negatives, just $5/3 years and a number stuck on the drone.

 

[reedyjt]

I'm confused. I'm not sure if anyone on this thread has actually used the mini 4 pro with the extended life battery.

The remote ID hardware is built into the bigger battery itself- there is no need to buy an extra RID kit. If you plan to fly the drone with the bigger battery, then you will have to register it (if for some strange reason you haven't registered it before already- I personally see no downside to registering it regardless if you truly need to or not, but I'm part 107, so I'm definitely biased). Anyway, flying the drone with the big battery in it then becomes flying like with any other drone with built in remote ID. Obviously, if you fly the mini 4 pro without the bigger battery, the remote ID hardware goes away, and it become like flying any other sub 249g drone without remote ID.

I'm still a bit new to this and have been flying my mini 4 pro this way for about a year now, but from my understanding this is exactly how it works. Please correct me if I am saying anything incorrect or misleading.

 

[mavic3usa]

I'm confused. I'm not sure if anyone on this thread has actually used the mini 4 pro with the extended life battery.

The remote ID hardware is built into the bigger battery itself- there is no need to buy an extra RID kit. If you plan to fly the drone with the bigger battery, then you will have to register it (if for some strange reason you haven't registered it before already- I personally see no downside to registering it regardless if you truly need to or not, but I'm part 107, so I'm definitely biased). Anyway, flying the drone with the big battery in it then becomes flying like with any other drone with built in remote ID. Obviously, if you fly the mini 4 pro without the bigger battery, the remote ID hardware goes away, and it become like flying any other sub 249g drone without remote ID.

I'm still a bit new to this and have been flying my mini 4 pro this way for about a year now, but from my understanding this is exactly how it works. Please correct me if I am saying anything incorrect or misleading.

For starters, you said "the remote ID hardware is built into the bigger battery itself" is likely not an accurate statement but you are right, I don't have the equipment so who am I to say.

 

[reedyjt]

For starters, you said "the remote ID hardware is built into the bigger battery itself" is likely not an accurate statement but you are right, I don't have the equipment so who am I to say.

DUDE!! The remote ID is built into the hardware of the larger battery! I found this out the hard way. If you don't believe me go look it up.

 

[mavic3usa]

DUDE!! The remote ID is built into the hardware of the larger battery! I found this out the hard way. If you don't believe me go look it up.

Ok, maybe I don't understand what you mean by "built in." Obviously you've read the entire thread because it's only a bit more than a dozen posts so you know we all agree that the Mini 4 Pro activates RID to ON when you insert the extended battery. That's hardly what I would call "built in" but if that's what you are referring to....ok, fine. However, there is some [personal] doubt (from myself and a few others) as to whether RID is turned OFF when you remove the extended battery. Is that your thinking....when you switch back to the standard (sub-250g) battery? Is there some sort of indicator on the drone or the remote when RID is ON/OFF?