Other than the requirement for Remote ID, is there any change at all for flights under Article 16?
I always wondered if my DJI Mini 4 Pro (bought in January 2025) transmitted RID… until I googled the question. I got this response from Google AI
“The DJI Mini 4 Pro does have Remote ID capabilities. However, the Remote ID function is not activated automatically when the drone is powered on with any battery. Remote ID is only activated when using a DJI Intelligent Flight Battery Plus. Standard batteries do not enable Remote ID”
So.. when this rule becomes law in January 2026 will I have to buy heavier batteries or will DJI activate RID via firmware upgrade to allow me to continue to use my 3 x lighter drone batteries that currently keep it under 250grams?
I always fly out in the countryside and well away from people.
When I bought my drone, I was looking forward to a nice relaxing hobby but now wondering if I have done the right thing… I might give up on the hobby. By that time, there might be hundreds of 2nd hand drones on eBay as people give up.
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We’ve heard this phrase every time the regulations have changed. And yet the number of drone flyers seems to be on the increase, just based on the number I bump into randomly.
There might be a few new issues to consider. But give up? Nah.
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Yes, as they have done in the past for all other Remote ID countries to date 
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Tiny whoops era is coming
Not really
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Thanks for reply 
Yeah.
I dunno. I might be new, but I can’t help but get the feeling that this 100g cut off is just a means of stamping out the sub 250g hobby. Especially with model airplanes being unaffected.
It’s like the idea is that drones will be either tinywhoop/ toys or commercial. No in-between. So that any airborne quad can be instantly identified as a toy, commercial, or criminal.
Great for DJI and tinywhoops. Everything inbetween can seemingly get stuffed (with a clunky RID module).
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I’m considering concentrating on boats and trucks 
Although I do feel safer in our club field, just that flying opportunities are limited i.e. boring
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I’ll be keeping an eye on the ‘for sale’ posts 
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All my quads identify as 99 grams 
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Safety / privacy is my only real concern tbh,
I mean years ago in my younger day when I fell over I bounced so it didn’t hurt so much so was no bother,
But now am older & a tad more fragile I don’t fancy it if I can help it, I actually took up the hobby to escape all the hustle, hassles crap & to get away from it all then the CAA & whoever throws us in the deep end by only thinking about themselves !
They asked us all to speak up but totally ignored our concerns, even tho it’s going ahead it’s a shame we couldn’t protest it by some sort of document stating that if our privacy is breached through rid or Karen smashes our gear up then we hold them responsible ?
Police can read see what’s on ANPR we can’t, so why the 
should lunatic drone haters be able too !
However after a bit of thought I think nearer the time if when this all starts to fall into action & I know the score a bit better I’m hoping maybe it’ll be safer going out with a flying partner then atleast you’ve got each others backs, just have to see how it all pans out, id like to think ‘ wishful thinking rather ‘ were all be good & continue our much loved hobby.
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ChatGPT - why bother reading something no one could be bothered to write?
Remote ID fails to address or work as a foundation of anything there. For commercial ops fully automated detect and avoid is needed. Remote ID by its design cant ever address either of these. It requires entirely new systems, protocols and tech.
That’s fair - it’s a first step in a hugely complex process - they’ve gotta start somewhere and RID is a logical place to start
you seem to be agreeing with yourself …
Why bother writing something nobody could be bothered to read ( ie CAA etc ) !
This is an endless topic - same could be said for ULEZ
Ye the motorbike riders will feel this one. When a combatively small group it’s easy to dismiss and not to costly politically.
I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here to see if I can see any benefits for Remote ID for us.
So the Remote ID will not add weight to a drone as it will send an unencrypted packet of Remote ID data.
Potentially it could make drone flying for us safer as we could have controllers that are aware of other nearby drones to avoid collisions.
We could have fun apps that show drones flying around on a map in real time - ideally one that only allows people with a valid Operator ID to keep the Karens out.
Talking of Karens, perhaps the very fact that the flight path could be checked by someone in authority brings more credibility to the activity.
Perhaps the authorities will knock down drones that are not transmitting Remote IDs over sensitive areas, so it would be a good idea to turn it on.
Anyhow I’ve run out of barrel I think now!
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