- The DJI Mini 5 Professional drone has courted controversy as a result of its weight
- Many variations of the drone are simply over the 250g weight threshold
- This could have an effect on how and the place you’ll be able to fly it in some areas
The DJI Mini 5 Professional flew into our lives final week – and the mini drone instantly sparked a shocking controversy. Why? All of it got here right down to its weight, which is an important (if barely dry) topic on the planet of drone laws.
In most areas, 250g (or 0.55lbs within the US) is a big weight determine for drones. Actually, it is the entire purpose why DJI’s Mini sequence exists. If a drone weighs greater than 250g, it’s possible you’ll want further licenses, registrations or IDs to fly it in sure areas. It may additionally have an effect on the place you fly the drone, for instance close to ‘uninvolved’ individuals. To complicate issues additional, each area has its personal regulatory nuances.
To assist clear up this mess, I requested all the drone regulators within the US, UK, Canada, EU and Australia to touch upon the Mini 5 Professional and clarify what the load controversy means for flying it of their areas.
Should you stay in a type of areas (or are planning to journey there with a drone just like the Mini 5 Professional), the solutions beneath ought to hopefully assist. However first, a fast recap of how we bought right here…
The controversy: how DJI has responded
DJI is not precisely unfamiliar with drone laws – its Viewpoints weblog typically publishes insightful posts about them. So what did it should say concerning the DJI Mini 5 Professional’s weight?
DJI instructed us: “The DJI Mini 5 Professional has a design weight of 249.9g. As a consequence of manufacturing tolerances, the precise weight of the product might range barely inside a spread of ±4g. Minor weight fluctuations are regular”.
It added that fliers ought to adjust to their native drone laws. Which sounds easy sufficient, however these laws include refined inter-regional nuances and, within the UK’s case, are additionally as a result of change quickly in a manner that impacts drones within the Mini 5 Professional’s class.
We’ve got been made conscious that many operators have discovered their DJI Mini 5 Professional weighs greater than 250g.
CAA (UK Civil Aviation Authority)
To confuse issues additional, DJI has self-certified the Mini 5 Professional as assembly the necessities for a ‘C0’ classification in Europe (which covers sub-250g drones). However that additionally would not legally absolve you of the duty for checking your drone really meets the necessities of the category you are planning to fly in.
Nonetheless, certainly a couple of grams right here or there would not make a lot distinction? And how much regulation enforcement runs round with a set of perfectly-calibrated scales? Whereas that is true, the results might be extra severe for those who get entangled in an incident, like the sport developer Peter Tripp Akemann did lately.
Should you’re flying a drone in a manner that is not technically authorized for the load class you assume it qualifies for, then you might be in authorized sizzling water. So I requested the drone regulators within the US, UK, Canada, EU and Australia for clarification on what you’ll want to contemplate for the DJI Mini 5 Professional – this is what they needed to say.
The fact: it relies upon the place you reside
Whereas drone legal guidelines are related between the various areas that use the 250g weight marker for his or her lowest class of drones, they don’t seem to be similar.
Additionally, proper now solely the EU’s regulatory company EASA has indicated that its laws may embody help for the “manufacturing tolerances” talked about by DJI relating to the Mini 5 Professional’s weight.
That makes issues difficult, so this is what every area’s regulatory company instructed me about flying a Mini 5 Professional recreationally. Australia’s physique, CASA (Civil Aviation Security Authority), stated it is wanting into it and can report again quickly, so I will replace this web page when it does.
US
The FAA instructed me that that producer specs or classifications like ‘C0’ do not imply you need not test the take-off weight of your drone. “The proprietor should test the drone’s takeoff weight to make sure it stays at or beneath 0.55 kilos (249.48 grams) for Class 1 operations” it instructed me.
Whereas the EU’s regulatory physique EASA is proposing to permit a small 3% weight tolerance on C0-class drones, that is not the case within the US. “FAA guidelines don’t enable small weight variations” an FAA spokesperson instructed me.
So what do you’ll want to fly a drone just like the Mini 5 Professional within the US? This FAA device is a useful place to begin. In case your drone dips underneath 0.55 kilos (or 249.98g), you will not must register the drone with the FAA for those who’re flying recreationally, however you need to go the Leisure UAS Security Take a look at (TRUST). In case your Mini 5 Professional is above that weight restrict, you may must register it on the FAADroneZone. Should you’re touring to the US on vacation, there’s separate steerage for overseas operators.
How about flying over individuals? The information is much less rosy there for the Mini 5 Professional. “A drone can solely fly over individuals underneath Class 1 if it weighs 249.48 grams (0.55 kilos) or much less at takeoff and all through the flight. The drone additionally can’t have uncovered rotating components. Including gear equivalent to propeller guards, a bigger battery, or further lights could make the drone too heavy to qualify for Class 1 operations” the FAA instructed me.
In different phrases, that requirement to make use of propellor guards for flying over individuals and transferring autos will nearly definitely tip the Mini 5 Professional over the restrict, given its weight alone is 249.9g. So except you apply for a waiver, you may be extra restricted in these conditions than in different areas…
UK
The UK’s drone legal guidelines are as a result of change from January 1 2026, which has repercussions (some constructive) for fashions just like the DJI Mini 5 Professional.
Till then, you are going to must observe present guidelines, together with getting each a Flyer ID and Operator ID. Curiously, the CAA (UK Civil Aviation Authority) instructed me “we’ve been made conscious that many operators have discovered their DJI Mini 5 Professional weighs greater than 250g”. In order that confirms it is a frequent problem – sadly, that does not imply there’s any leeway within the drone legal guidelines.
The CAA instructed me there are not any weight tolerances within the UK’s laws, like those proposed by the EU’s EASA (see beneath). “If the drone has been classed as C0, even when it has a C0 sticker, but weighs greater than 250g, then this takes away the C0 score” it instructed me for flights within the UK.
So what does that imply for flying till January 2026? You are going to should watch out and never take that C0 label at face worth as a result of “the take-off weight of the drone is the essential measurement”, the CAA instructed me.
“The addition of any equipment, equivalent to further touchdown legs, filters, coloured skins, visibility lights and even ID labels, should be factored into the overall weight of the drone. No matter is connected to the drone should be weighed as properly. If this modifications the class of the drone, then you should fly within the right weight class” it added. In different phrases, get your scales out.
This places DJI Mini 5 Professional patrons in a clumsy place for the following few months, however there’s some excellent news. From January 1 2026, the CAA will probably be permitting C1 class drones to fly in the identical A1 ‘over individuals’ class as C0 drones at the moment can. This implies there will be no actual drawback to upgrading your Mini 5 Professional to the C1 class (following DJI’s course of) in 2026, with DJI confirming to me that when you have upgraded it will additionally help Distant ID (one other C1 necessity).
The unhealthy information? These new laws will solely apply till finish of 2027. What occurs after that is not but clear, however it may imply C1 class drones may lose that skill to fly within the open A1 class – let’s hope there is a change within the laws earlier than then.
The opposite large change from 2026 is that the UK may have its personal classification labels (which carefully observe the EU’s labels). The CAA says you may nonetheless find a way purchase and fly drones that do not have these new labels from subsequent 12 months, you may simply must observe the laws primarily based on the drone’s weight. For a lot of Mini 5 Professional homeowners, that may doubtless imply following C1 laws.
Canada
Canada’s drone laws have their very own language, with sub-250g fashions referred to as ‘microdrones’. Nevertheless, the basics are the just like different areas exterior the EU – there is no such thing as a allowance for manufacturing weight tolerances within the legal guidelines, and it is as much as the drone proprietor to know the load of their drone. This implies the Mini 5 Professional doubtlessly tipping the fallacious facet of that 250g mark is a reasonably large deal.
If the working weight of the drone is 250 grams or extra, it isn’t a microdrone. Drones at or above this weight should be registered.
Transport Canada
The nation’s drone regulation company, Transport Canada, instructed me: “Drone pilots are answerable for confirming the load of their drone. The load and capabilities of the drone, distance from bystanders, and airspace guidelines decide the class of drone operation. Every class has its personal algorithm that drone pilots should observe.”
‘Microdrones’ (ones underneath 250g) have comparatively few laws. You need not register or get a drone pilot certificates to fly them. You additionally solely must observe “good follow”, together with maintaining a “protected lateral distance between your drone and any bystanders”. That every one modifications for drones above that weight.
With regards to DJI’s “manufacturing tolerances” for the Mini 5 Professional, Transport Canada stated: “If the working weight of the drone is 250 grams or extra, it isn’t a microdrone. Drones at or above this weight should be registered, and a Pilot Certificates is required to function them”. Crucially, it add that “when there’s uncertainty concerning the drone’s weight being 250 grams or extra, it’s endorsed to register the drone and acquire a Pilot Certificates – Primary Operations or Pilot Certificates – Superior Operations.”
The previous includes registering your drone and passing the Small Primary Examination as a way to get the certificates. If you wish to fly over ‘bystanders’ or inside 30m of them, you may want the Superior Operations certificates, which has a lot more durable necessities (together with passing an Superior Examination and passing a flight evaluation with a flight reviewer. Meaning Mini 5 Professional pilots are doubtlessly extra restricted in Canada than different areas, if their take-off weight is over 250g.
EU
The EU’s drone company, EASA, has arguably muddied the waters slightly in its response to the Mini 5 Professional. As reported by Quadricottero Information, EASA’s Drone Mission Supervisor Natala Di Rubbo instructed it: “I’ve verified: the Mini 5 Professional has a declaration of conformity with Regulation 2019/945 for sophistication C0. A better studying of the prEN 4709-001 commonplace reveals that the required tolerance is ±3%.”
In different phrases, a drone may weigh 257g and nonetheless qualify for the EU’s C0 classification underneath that regulation. This complete fiasco could be loads easier if that was additionally the case for different areas just like the US and Canada, however it is not. There’s additionally an inevitable complication – as famous by DC Rainmaker, that commonplace seemingly would not take impact till April 30 2026. Sigh.
I requested Natala Di Rubbo and the EASA to make clear this, however to date have not acquired a response and can replace this web page if I do. Nevertheless, as you’ll be able to see within the diagram beneath, this in the end would not make a lot distinction to the Mini 5 Professional when flying within the EU. As a result of C1 class drones can even fly within the A1 subcategory over individuals (however not crowds), you might merely improve your Mini 5 Professional to a C1 classification in that area with out a lot draw back.
The principle distinction between a C0 and C1 drone in Europe (aside from the load allowances) is that you’re going to want to finish on-line coaching and go a web-based examination for a C1 classification.
You may additionally want a drone that helps Distant ID, however DJI instructed me that when you have utilized for a C1 classification (following DJI’s course of) then Distant ID will probably be activated on the drone, no matter which battery you are utilizing (the Clever Flight Battery or the Plus model).
The decision: it is difficult, however no deal-breaker
The DJI Mini 5 Professional is, sadly, a slight authorized mess. The crux of the problem is that the “manufacturing tolerances” that DJI outlines within the drone’s specs aren’t mirrored within the legal guidelines of most areas, which have a tough 250g restrict for his or her lowest drone class.
In some areas, this is not a serious problem. For instance, within the EU (and the UK from January 1 2026), the upper C1 class nonetheless permits pilots to fly close to uninvolved individuals in the identical manner because the C0 classification.
This implies many Mini 5 Professional homeowners in these areas will doubtless apply for C1 classification. It is one thing Mini drone homeowners have additionally wanted to do when flying with DJI’s heavier Clever Flight Battery Plus, which is not accessible within the UK or EU. And past the extra trouble, the one actual draw back within the EU is needing to go a web-based examination, which is not any unhealthy factor.
However whereas it appears the EASA (the EU’s drone company) is planning to construct some manufacturing weight tolerances into its laws, that is not the case proper now in different areas, as confirmed to us by the FAA (US), CAA (UK) and Transport Canada. In some instances just like the latter, the Mini 5 Professional’s weight problem has larger implications, equivalent to being unable to fly it inside 30m of bystanders if its take-off weight does tip over 250g.
None of that is actually a deal-breaker for DJI’s new drone, with our hands-on DJI Mini 5 Professional evaluation concluding that it is “positively value upgrading for”. Nevertheless, the added problems of that weight are one thing to remember, significantly for those who’re planning to journey and fly the drone exterior your own home nation. Hopefully, the knowledge and hyperlinks above will show useful if that is in your plans.
