First of thanks for taking the time to read my post. I joined the forum a few days ago and started scanning around to see what kind of information I could find but it’s a bit overwhelming at the beginning.
Today I got my Pilot & Operator IDs online with the CAA, and have ordered myself a DJI Mavic Mini from Amazon which I’m very excited for it to be delivered tomorrow.
As you can tell from the title I live in Aberdeen and as you may have seen in the news we’re under a new lockdown here so this is perhaps the worst possible timing for getting a new drone and wanting to start flying. The good news is that it gives me more time to make sure I’m fully up to speed with all the regulations (which I think I am) and get to know people in the forum too.
Quick question to get me started here then…am I right in thinking that I do not have to display my operator ID on the drone and the controller for the Mavic Mini since it’s below 250g? The documentation from the CAA states that it is illegal to fly a drone between 250g-20kg that does not display an operator ID.
The reason I am asking is because I am not 100% sure that I will be keeping the Mavic Mini and may send it back to upgrade to the Mavic Air 2 so I don’t want to get any unnecessary things on the drone that I will then have to remove before sending back.
Looking forward to hearing from you and also hear from the other people that are local to Aberdeen. I’ve seen a few local posts recently so I’m excited to see how the other newbies are getting on.
Hi iEvangelos, I was also a bit confused by the way the rules for displaying op ID was written. I was originally under the impression that drones under 250 grams did not require registering. That was the main reason for DJI creating the Mini.
If you were really serious about buying Mavic Air 2, I wouldn’t even fly the Mini, just return it soon as. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
That’s correct, at the time of writing, you do not need to do that. Do bear in mind though, that if you start adding the odd strobe, or skin it, you’ll push it over the magic 250g.
You can Dyno print stickers for your operator ID, and then just peal them off when you trade up.
Bummer about the lockdown, but if you bought the fly more combo, you’ll have the prop guards and you can fly indoors. Not quite the same I know, but it’s better than nothing.
Hi Evangelos, welcome… and sorry about your lockdown today. Hope you have supplies.
The thing to watch out for with your Mavic Mini is, not surprisingly, the weight. As you say, it’s 249g so you’re clear of the 250g limit to have to label it. But only by a baw hair.
If you get any accessories to go on it (like an LED, a sticker wrap, or the prop guards) you’re going to be over that limit.
If you aren’t putting any accessories on it (and if you’re not sure you’re keeping it you’re not likely to be going out and buying extra stuff for it) then crack on… but if you are keeping it, in your shoes I’d whack a sticker on it just to save forgetting later and falling foul of the regs.
— took me so long to type that Ned got in there first…
I really want to get the Mavic Air 2 but because I’m completely new to drones I thought it would be more sensible to get the Mavic Mini (even if it’s for a couple of weeks) to try out and see if this is something that’s definitely for me and judge whether I want to spend the extra to get a better camera (and drone).
Typically when I start a new hobby I get swept up in the excitement and buy all the gear only to discover a few weeks later that I’m really not that into it and end up selling a bunch of kit (and losing money) or store it in the loft and only come across it when it’s time to move house. I think I’m slowly learning my lesson though.
You know what, I think I have a Dyno printer somewhere and I haven’t used it in ages so maybe it’s time for that baby to make a come back and get some labels printed. That way I have peace of mind that I’m definitely following the law and it’s not all hanging in the balance of 1g.
I did buy the fly more combo so flying indoors may be an option but would you recommend it for a complete beginner?
Hi Joe and thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.
It seems like the whole 249g although below the limit is not as practical as it sounds because you can go over the limit really easily. I think it’s probably better to play it safe and stick a label on it.
Hopefully the lockdown won’t last more than a week up here and I can find some good locations to go try out the drone.
I was a complete beginner a few months ago (I’m still learning) and to be honest I didn’t bother with the prop guards. Having said that, I didn’t do any indoor flying. If you do fly indoors, I’d recommend that you fit them as you might not be able to get a GPS signal and you’ll be flying in ATTI mode.
When you get your mini set up, there’s a wee tutorial that walks you through the controls… I just went through that in my back garden.
It’s good to hear from somebody that was a beginner recently. I think as people gain experience they tend to forget what it was like at the beginning.
It sounds like if I try flying outside in an open field, the prop guards aren’t really going to be necessary but I’m definitely going to put them on if I fly indoors or in the back garden (trees) because at the end of the day I’m not 100% convinced I’m going to keep the Mini so it’s best not to start bashing it against sofas, TVs, trees, etc…
I have downloaded the manual from DJI directly so I can have a read while I am waiting for the drone to arrive. Can you tell I’m excited?
I bought the mini a few weeks ago. Absolutely love it but even though its ‘easy to fly’ it’s also easy to crash or misjudge the flightpath etc. It gets very small very quickly in the sky so you need to be mindful of that! The video feed is excellent and I’ve got some great shots in the country. Handles winds okay too although had to use p or s mode for the extra grunt to cope with winds. I’m a beginner and cautious with it but defo think it’s the kinda thing you need to slowly master rather than taking big risks and losing or crashing it!
£1600 v £400 (fly more kits) it’s a no brainier, but personally I would hold out for the M3P or look at the middle of the road MA2 for the best bang for buck.
@Subfrequenz
Oh god, sounds like you’ve had a few scary moments with your drone but from what you’re saying you seem to be enjoying so that’s hopefully good news for me too! Have you noticed yourself getting better at flying it?
@Booker999
I wish I could get the Mavic 2 Pro! It sounds amazing and all the YouTube videos I’ve seen of it make me really want to buy it but unfortunately the price for me at the moment is very restrictive. Even the Mavic Air 2 will be a stretch. Did you and your wife start with a smaller drone first or did you go straight for the Mavic Pro 2?
@milkmanchris
Yeah, I think my choice is either the Mini or the Air 2. I didn’t know there was a Mavic 3 Pro rumoured to be coming out. I’ll check what the rumours sites are saying. Even though it’ll still be too expensive to buy I still enjoy finding out more about what they can do because I think it’s genuinely fascinating, especially form a camera perspective.
I’m also new to drones and doing a training course, on the course provider recommendation I have a Ryze Tello (with the game controller) to start to learn basic handling skills. It can be flown indoors as well as outdoors if it’s calm. Flying squares and circles in the living room at home is a good start to learning basic flying controls without any GPS help. I have aready trashed a prop guard and a propeller on the Tello (I managed to land the drone very neatly on a bookshelf but when I tried to take off from there it didn’t go well).
Price-wise the Tello is such a good deal, even with extras like spare prop-guards, extra batteries and so on. The camera is small- but not too shabby when you think of the price of the drone.
When I have basic flying skills I will move up to a bigger drone but having the Tello will also mean I can keep my skills sharp in the winter months when it can be wet and windy for weeks at a time.
I had originally been going to do what you are doing- I was looking at a Mavic Mini or maybe the air 2, but now I am getting into it I am glad I followed the advice of the trainers. Admittedly, slow but steady suits me (and may not suit others) but without the training school’s excellent advice I would not have even thought of starting with the Tello.
Good replies to questions about the mini. Bought my MA1 last September to practice on before retiring in May. Illness, rain, Covid,. Meant not able to learn to fly. Gathered so much information before first flight, a blessing in disguise. So much information on line, use your time to learn and be confident before your first flight
I was also thinking about buying the mini, but after much thought decided on the air 2. I thought I read as well that the mini also requires the ID as it is over 250g with prop guards. I may be mistaken.
I also boughtht the air 2 as it has it has the obstruction avoiding sensors and it’s a little more stable in wind. Also I didn’t want to have that niggle later on that I should have bought the other one.
So far I’ve been pleased with it and don’t regret not getting the mini. I do cycle and have taken it with me on various rides.
If in doubt don’t use the mini and do a little more digging to make sure you have bought the best one for your needs.
