Resolving Mini-2 Weight Question

[Chaosrider]

When I first started this adventure, I put strobes on all of my Mini-2s, to improve visibility. Visibility to *ME*, not to other aircraft. At the time, with just a casual look, I thought they were still under 250 gram legal.

Now, six months older and wiser, I'm basically certain that a Mini-2 with a strobe is over 250 grams.

Does anyone here dispute that conclusion?

If not, then I'll have to register the other two as well. Which isn't a big problem; I was just hoping to keep them stealthy!

Thx,

TCS

 

[slup]

You don't say what kind of strobe you have, but ...

The standard weight of the aircraft (including battery, propellers, and a microSD card) is 242 grams which gives only 8 grams left for something extra ... and with the knowledge that my tiny ViFly Beacon I have on my quads weigh 6 grams I'm pretty sure you're over those 250 grams.

You don't have the possibility to put it on a scale ..?

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Why don't you take the mini 2 to a shop with self use scales and weigh the drone as it sits at take off. I assume your shops are obliged to use calibrated and checked scales.

 

[Chaosrider]

You don't say what kind of strobe you have, but ...

The standard weight of the aircraft (including battery, propellers, and a microSD card) is 242 grams which gives only 8 grams left for something extra ... and with the knowledge that my tiny ViFly Beacon I have on my quads weigh 6 grams I'm pretty sure you're over those 250 grams.

You don't have the possibility to put it on a scale ..?

Well, the only thing I have on them is a single Firehouse ARC, which I think keeps them under 250, if the basic weight is 242.

I don't have a scale here at home. I have a place where I could weigh it, but where's the need? I'll just believe they are under 250, in the absence of solid contradictory evidence!



Thx!

TCS

 

[Chaosrider]

Why don't you take the mini 2 to a shop with self use scales and weigh the drone as it sits at take off. I assume your shops are obliged to use calibrated and checked scales.

That's a finer degree of precision than I need, as long as it's seriously plausible that they're still under 250.

I registered one of them, and whatever additional tinkering I want to do, I'll do with that one, and just leave the others in stealth mode...

;-)

TCS

 

[Deleted member 103366]

But the two people who have so far responded to your thread have both suggested actually weighing the drone, there might be a reason for that.
Anyhow, it's your neck, best of luck.

 

[thispilothere]

My advice, don't worry about it. If you register it, you'll need RID when it comes out...which is the opposite of being stealthy.

If anyone has a problem just say you thought it was the stock drone that needed to be under 250. What are they going to do, give you a huge fine for being a few grams overweight?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Well a strobe itself is not stealthy either, but I use mine purely to assist with vlos whey looking up from my screen to find a drone with my own eyes if I need to.
Mostly I fly without a strobe, fitting one where I think it’s needed for a slightly more distant flight, or one with difficult background to sight a drone.
I often fly with FHT Dual on the Spark, using the ARCII for the M1P.
The Dual is not quite half the ARCII weight, but might be the best option if the ARCII does push you over the 249g.
Weigh your setup ready to fly.
Costs nothing and you can be sure then.

 

[Meta4]

I registered one of them, and whatever additional tinkering I want to do, I'll do with that one, and just leave the others in stealth mode...

Unless you are using them commercially, you haven't registered any drone.
You have just registered yourself as a recreational drone owner.
And that registration is good for as many drones as you own.

 

[MARK (LI)]

First of all ...if you are flying as a recreational operator you register yourself for 5 dollars ...you get issued one number and you use that same number on all of your drones...if you get the 107 cert then you need to register each drone at 5 dollars each and each one is issued its own number ...you do it all on line and it takes a few minutes here

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

 

[Chaosrider]

But the two people who have so far responded to your thread have both suggested actually weighing the drone, there might be a reason for that.
Anyhow, it's your neck, best of luck.

I don't think there's an FAA guy extant who will bust somebody who makes a good faith effort to comply with the 250 gram limit, and mistakenly busts it by a couple of grams.

TCS

 

[Chaosrider]

My advice, don't worry about it. If you register it, you'll need RID when it comes out...which is the opposite of being stealthy.

If anyone has a problem just say you thought it was the stock drone that needed to be under 250. What are they going to do, give you a huge fine for being a few grams overweight?

Well, they are stock drones, except for the strobe, and with the strobe they are under 250 grams, to the best of my knowledge an belief.

I've resigned myself to the remote ID outcome, and except for broadcasting the data to J Random Citizen, I actually think it's a good idea!

Looking at the UTM architecture broadly, RID is a necessary precursor to more widely available legal BVLOS, which I hugely support.

Thx,

TCS

 

[Chaosrider]

Well a strobe itself is not stealthy either, but I use mine purely to assist with vlos whey looking up from my screen to find a drone with my own eyes if I need to.
Mostly I fly without a strobe, fitting one where I think it’s needed for a slightly more distant flight, or one with difficult background to sight a drone.
I often fly with FHT Dual on the Spark, using the ARCII for the M1P.
The Dual is not quite half the ARCII weight, but might be the best option if the ARCII does push you over the 249g.
Weigh your setup ready to fly.
Costs nothing and you can be sure then.

The strobes do so much to improve VLOS for me that I use them every time.

I'm as sure as I need to be!

;-)

Thx,

TCS

 

[Chaosrider]

Unless you are using them commercially, you haven't registered any drone.
You have just registered yourself as a recreational drone owner.
And that registration is good for as many drones as you own.

Actually, I have my 107, and I do plan to start using them commercially eventually. At least one of them.

The one I registered (Phoenix), is registered under the 107 rules, with it's own distinct registration number.

I'll be putting the license plates from PI on as soon as I get them!



TCS

 

[smashse]

Just so people know, I have a calibrated scale and a Mini 2 and a Firehouse Arc V. My mini2, battery and strobe with the velcro that Firehouse sends, weighs in at 252.7 g . I do have a label on it with my registration number, which is less than 1 gram.

Of note, mine is actually under 240g without the strobe. and the strobe with the velcro by itself is over 14g. The velcro is over 1G by itself.

This was done with a battery at about 20% and an SD card. And while fully charged batteries actually do weigh more, I do not think my scale would even detect the difference.

My drone is other wise completely stock, still have the original props on it. By law I think you need to have it registered, because if anything happens, it could come into play as the operator was "negligent".

But as far as tracking, the only way they could track your drone right now would be to get your drone and read the registration off of it. Not like a manned AC tail number which is visible from the ground. So as long as you don't lose it, I don't see how registration would even come into play.

 

[Chaosrider]

Just so people know, I have a calibrated scale and a Mini 2 and a Firehouse Arc V. My mini2, battery and strobe with the velcro that Firehouse sends, weighs in at 252.7 g . I do have a label on it with my registration number, which is less than 1 gram.

Of note, mine is actually under 240g without the strobe. and the strobe with the velcro by itself is over 14g. The velcro is over 1G by itself.

This was done with a battery at about 20% and an SD card. And while fully charged batteries actually do weigh more, I do not think my scale would even detect the difference.

My drone is other wise completely stock, still have the original props on it. By law I think you need to have it registered, because if anything happens, it could come into play as the operator was "negligent".

But as far as tracking, the only way they could track your drone right now would be to get your drone and read the registration off of it. Not like a manned AC tail number which is visible from the ground. So as long as you don't lose it, I don't see how registration would even come into play.

I'll register the other two if it comes to pass that I want to use them in commercial operations, or operate them under Part 107 rules. Which will probably happen at some point.

For now, they're legal sub-250 drones, operated recreationally, under the recreational rules.

Thx,

TCS

 

[smashse]

So why did you ask? If you have a drone that is 252g, you are operating it illegally under the rec rules. But why ask if you are just going to say at the end that you are going to illegally continue to violate the law AFTER being proven that you are violating the law? Why not just continue to be a criminal and break the law, being a 252g drone at take off weight requiring registration? I don't get why people ask, then when they get an answer they don't like, say, well I am going to continue to break the law anyway because why not, no one will find out. Which is fine, but then why ask, then give others who may want to stay LEGAL bad information in that you are NOT LEGAL if your drone is greater than 250g, which it is, guaranteed at take off weight if what you said is true?

You obviously do not have any respect for law, and that they do not apply to you. Good luck, it's people like that is why we have so many rules and regulations to begin with, because people can't follow the simple rules or use common sense.

This isn't a question about if something is interpreted somehow, like altitude near a cliff, or whatever, it is clear, nothing over 250g at TAKEOFF without registration, hobby or 107. And when told you are definitely over 250g, you say you will continue to break the law.

 

[BigAl07]

If anyone has a problem just say you thought it was the stock drone that needed to be under 250. What are they going to do, give you a huge fine for being a few grams overweight?

Horrible and dangerous advice. Are you so sure in your advice you will openly state you're willing to also accept any repercussions someone faces from your "keyboard" suggestions if they take your horrible advice.

Keep in mind, "Ignorantia juris non excusat" or " ignorantia legis neminem excusat" is very much as play here.

Rules are rules whether it's a few grams, a few feet, a few miles per hour etc etc. Where do you draw the line of "just barely over the law" is allowable and what isn't?

 

[thispilothere]

Where do you draw the line of "just barely over the law" is allowable and what isn't?

You never speed in your car? That's FAR more dangerous than flying a drone that's a few grams over the legal limit for registration. He's not even talking about breaking any rules of flight, just not registering it. He's not talking about flying too high or over crowds or too near an airport or even slightly BVLOS - it's 2-3 grams overweight for registration, that's it.

 

[zeusfl]

Register the drone and the problem is resolved. $5 is a one-time shot and will cover all your drones.
Now if you are Part 107 you need to register each drone.

U.S. Drone Registration

www.faaregisterdrone.com