One easy thing to understand about the C-class markings is that they only apply to the Open category of flying. They are not relevant at all to the Specific category, so if you fly under GVC OA, PfCO or Article 16, you can continue to fly the same drone as today with no change to the restrictions.
If you fly a sub-250g drone there is also no change to the restrictions.
In the absence of any C-marked drones, I’m still optimistic the CAA will extend the transition date.
With the very recent release of the Mavic 3 the subject of “C” marking has come up. Many are saying that DJI should have marked the Mavic 3, and even the Air2(S). So I thought it was worth highlighting @kvetner post directly above.
I class myself as an average hobbyist drone flyer, which I should think the vast majority on this site are also. I have zero interest in making myself into a commercial operator of any kind, even a casual opportunistic purveyor of drone imagery is of no interest. To that end the ‘C’ marking system is totally irrelevant to me.
As a member of the BMFA, and having taken their online test, I can now fly under Article 16 authorisation. Surprisingly this has opened up more flying opertunities for me as I can now fly my larger drones (I’m talking Phantom size up to heavy lift hexacopters) in areas that I couldn’t/shouldn’t previously have done.
I know some have aspirations to do something commercially with their A2CoC certificate and are hankering after that ‘C’ classification, but in reality I think the majority will be lucky if they will be able to make Mars Bar money unless they can somehow elevate themselves from the very many with similar intentions, and provide something especially unique. Remember all the drone does is collect the data, it’s up to the user to present that data so that someone is willing to pay for it.
I saw a similar thing when the first affordable prosumer/consumer digital SLR’s came on the market. Everybody and their brother were convinced they were going to achieve fame and fortune with their art. The sad reality is they are now reserved to posting their work into regional Facebook Groups in the hope of garnering some attention.
Almost all my flying now is under Article 16 or in Open A1 with a sub-250g drone. And if I did want to fly commercially I’d go the GVC/OA route, for which the C-classifications are totally irrelevant.
To answer the O. P. the time before we see Class marked drones on the market is entirely dependent on the CAA and the Government arranging contracts with approved testing centres to conduct the conformance and type approval testing on manufacturer’s prototypes. The types approval tests are expensive. The costs are normally paid by the equipment manufacturer but in the case of the C class markings brought in by a change in law it may well be that funding or grants were intimated to encourage the manufacturers to start developing products that would comply with the specifications drawn up by the CAA and manufacturers’ working groups.
The manufacturer has to submit a prototype to the designated test and type approval centre. If the product passes then the manufacturer has to sign a document that states all manufactured items will be cloned versions of the tested prototype. Then a certificate is issued to the manufacturer then production begins and the production items are stamped with the C class certification mark.
The delay has absolutely nothing to do with DJI or any other drone manufacture. Until the type approval test centre / centres has been set up you will never see a C class marked product. End of story!
In my experience of working in the International electronics and telecommunications industries with an understanding of type approval testing around the world it could be another couple of years yet. When the UK jumped on the bandwagon to created new legislation and class marked drones that need to meet specific specifications every dim witted civil servant overlooked the fact that compliance costs money and that money was never budgeted for. The drone manufacturer likely has to bear the cost of the testing but is NOT responsible for the company contracted to become the accredited institution that is selected to perform the testing.
DJI can not be responsible for saying their drones meet the relevant standard. Only an independent body/ organisation on behalf of the CAA and the UK standards authority can do that.
Amongst all the other post-Brexit UK standards accreditation bodies which need to be set up, I suspect drones are waaaay down the list of priorities even for the CAA
[MartG1960]
Absolutely. It’s easier to just extend the current moratorium on legacy products for another 18 months … and then probably another 18 months after that until some major incident causes questions in parliament about drone registration and ownership, and the CAA gets pushed / lambasted by the Government into getting the entire classification system “fixed” once and for all. It’s just not an important issue right now.
Add to Covid, sleepy bureaucrats, general confusion and China getting understandably pissed off with US sanctions ( there follows a highly un-PC rant - deleted - O) there is a continuing deficit in new chip production; which probably means a further delay to rolling out C-compliant birds.
And as I do not see my recycled nonstandard 2013 Ifly 4S receiving a C mark, let alone the stretched one I’m putting together (600 mm, 3506 600Kvs, 14" props) I shall just keep on buggering on until there is any evidence of anyone wanting to arrest me.
The default position for all governments is “if the plebs are enjoying themselves, legislate to prevent them”, and I for one am up to here with it.
Hi guys I think I 've seen the first C1 marked drone and it was the MJX Bugs 16 Pro and the rebranded Flyhal FX1, I don’t know if it is legit or not but the C1 mark was there, I have already asked MJX for clarification on this and waiting for a reply ( just did it today)