Thanks Chris, I have the p3 pro although not very long I found it hard to take my eyes off that to look at the screen but I think this comes with lots of practice and building up my confidence, but having said that once the bug sets in your hooked
Having started with a Phantom 2 Vision+ some years ago I found the Mini 2 a lot easier to fly and less intrusive.
I would recommend fitting a Cree strobe to help with visibility as it’s smaller and easy to lose sight of if you look down at the screen. Thankfully the orientation map display is a great help in relocating I find.
Just don’t panic if you lose sight. You can always go for the RTH but bear in mind the RTH default height may be higher than you are flying so you may not pick it up until it starts descending to land. That caught me out at first. I always set the RTH height lower than default if surroundings allow.
Thanks for the reply Kev, I will have a look at the strobe you have mentioned sounds a good thing to have. 
Well my new drone has arrived, now all I can say with just looking at it is wow can’t wait to get it out.
All batteries are on charge even the charger is a great bit of kit so much better so more videos to watch while it all gets charged up.
Thanks for your help.
Regards Dave.
I have a phantom 4 and although I’ve never flown a smaller drone I wouldn’t want to. The P4 is big so easier to see and can fly further and on Saturday I was up in 25-35mph wind maybe more and the drone didn’t really notice it. It’s weight is an advantage.
I’ve never had an issue with restrictions. Just stay out of peoples way and pick your time to fly.
But I’m sure the smaller drone are good for what they’re used for.
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I’ve got a P4 and a P4 Pro, and a Mini 2. At the viaduct meet a couple of weeks ago, I took a Mavic Air 2, Mini 2, and Mavic 2 Pro, plus 11 batteries for all of them and a Smart Controller, in a small back pack bag. The P4P would have been heavier, bigger and bulkier on it’s own than all of the stuff I carried that day.
These things pretty much fly themselves! It’s got return to home, auto land and take off and when you let go of the sticks it will just hang there!
Remember a big open field and make sure the return to home settings are correct for your surroundings and always make sure you have plenty of satellite’s locked
Fly the first battery close and just practice with the controls don’t worry about the screen
Test the auto take-off and land and then try the return to home
You will love it, it’s so easy to fly
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Your correct in being able to see the bigger drones better, but the main issue for me is being an amputee and lugging a big back pack around on uneven ground but I try and get out and about as much as I can and enjoy flying around with my drone.
Regards Dave
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And awkward to travel with, be it by foot or plane.
I’ve got a harness that fits around the P4 box and turns it into a back pack, but it’s still way big to hump about for too long!
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Your are right the p4 is heavy and can be awkward carrying around but I just think it’s worth it. I’ve put The foam case in a ruck sack and carried miles to fly before. Not the easiest of walks but it definitely helps to keep me fit! Can I ask why you’d have more than one drone? I’m just interested in what others do with them.
For me a smaller drone would feel fragile and not as sturdy.
I believe most people have purchased sub 250g UAV’s due to the change in the law coming into effect at the end of the year. You will only be able to fly UAV above 250g in the A3 sub category unless you hold the GVC certification then you will be able to fly in the specific category.
At present there are no “C” classified UAV’s on the market and so it goes on weight. All UAV’s in the U.K. are classified as “legacy” until the new “C” classified UAV’s become available.
Until January 2023 if your drone doesn’t have a class marking, you may fly it in the following categories:
Drones under 250g can be flown in the A1 sub category (there are also some exceptions for drones up to 500g too).
Drones less than 2kg can be flown in A2 sub category, but you must keep at least 50 meters away from people and pass the A2 theory exam (A2 Certificate of Competency or ‘A2 CofC’). If you have not passed the A2 theory exam, you may only fly these drones in the A3 subcategory.
Drones of 2kg or greater may only be flown in the A3 subcategory.
After 1 January 2023, you can continue to fly a ‘legacy’ unmarked drone in the following categories:
Drones under 250g can continue to be flown in the A1 sub category.
All other drones must only be used in the A3 sub category. ( unless you hold a GVC for the A2 specific category)
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Literally take it everywhere with me, planes trains and automobiles (scooter and bike too).
Full kit for the M2 weighs in at just over a kilo.
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So has anything actually changed ? I have a phantom 4 which is a heavy drone. So as I understand it. The drone can be flown anywhere unless it’s says no drones in which case as long as your not on their land when you take off and land you can still fly over there land as they don’t own the air space.
And keeping alway from people at 50m unless there in your party in which case you can get closer.
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Before this gets too far off topic, run a few different scenarios and a few different drones though here:
You’ll soon see some differences.
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A P4 can not be flown in the A1 open category, it can be flown in the A2 open category with A2CofC certification until the 1st January 2023, or in the A3 category, there after it can only be flown in the A3 open category. ALL drones over 250g presently in the U.K. are classified as “legacy” and can only be flown in the A3 sub category, as of 1st January 2023, unless being flown in the A2 specific category with a GVC and CAA operations manual.
The CAA make it abundantly clear that any UAV Pilot must know the rules under which the pilot is operating, and have any equipment required. Safety is the primary objective and the remote pilot must operate in a safe and professional way and hold all relevant certification/insurance required to fly in the category they have chosen.
Why not?
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I have 3, a DJI mini 2/ Mavic 2 pro with a zoom camera that I can take out the pro hasselblad and fit the zoom and an inspire 2. Depending on what I wish to do depends on which UAV I use, even though I have my A2CofC and GVC and CAA Operational Manuel, there are restriction on MSD, with the Mavic and inspire, but with the Mini 2 there is no MSD, but off course you are still responsible for flying safety
Manual or Authorisation? If it’s just the Manual, you need to send it off to the CAA (with £253) to get your Authorisation.
