Class 0 drones

[gadgetman]

Does anyone have good suggestions for drones which come under the 250g limit which won't break the bank for a first timer? 

 

Whilst I'd love a DJI, not sure I can go to that price as a drone newbie. 

 

After something reliable, with good camera, good run time which I can fly just about anywhere under the class 0 rules 

[john999boy]

There has been a recent rule update which involves drones under 250g but I can't remember what the implications are. Maybe best to check out before restricting yourself to the smaller versions?

[Liger1956]

If you read the rules then you will find that drones below 250g with cameras still have restrictions on them. You will also, as I understand it, have to register as an operator with the CAA. The BMFA has some good information. Remember that cheap and good quality do not often come together.

[MikeTheThinker]

Worth asking @Lady Elanore
 she drives drones professionally.

[gadgetman]

1 hour ago, Liger1956 said:

If you read the rules then you will find that drones below 250g with cameras still have restrictions on them. You will also, as I understand it, have to register as an operator with the CAA. The BMFA has some good information. Remember that cheap and good quality do not often come together.

Reason for asking about class 0 is I believe you can use pretty much anywhere without needing a full CAA licence? 

 

You can fly near buildings etc. Class 1 you then cannot fly around people, and over that are the professional drones which need insurance. And CAA flightplans? 

[J.R.]

2 hours ago, StickyMicky said:

Worth asking @Lady Elanore
 she drives drones professionally.

 

And I drone on for the pleasure of boring others

 

A cool job, I am jealous!

[Liger1956]

@gadgetmanI have been flying model planes for many years and multirotor craft since they became available to build and solder at home. "Drones" is a term now used in the legislation to include both fixed wing and multirotor unmaned flying models. When I first started doing Aerial Photography, with some of the first affordable compact cameras in a fixed wing model, the general public were genuinely interested in what I was doing. These days most people seem very atagonistic when they see you flying a multirotor in the countryside and they do not see the irony of them taking photos of you, with their mobile phones, in order for them to complain about you taking photos of them from hundreds of feet away. You therefore need a good appreciation of the current rules and I am still trying to get my head around them.

 

Having said that many places and organisations such as the National Trust, English Heritage, many Councils, most tourist places and landowners have banned the use of drones on their land.

 

Class A1 is:-

A1 (fly over people). This applies to low risk drones because of their weight being less than 250g, their construction or because they are a toy (designed for use in play by children under 14).  However, flights over open-air assemblies are not permitted.

 

In my opinion this means that you cannot fly in built up areas in which people are walking about but only accidently over one or two people. Also the control range of Class C0 drones is 50m max and they must be certified to 2009/48/EC as a toy. CAP2007 gives more details http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP2007_EU_Drone_Rules_Factsheet_V7 5.pdf

 

This is a good video summerising the new rules but as always until the rules are tested in a court of law there will always be differing opinions.

 

I am sorry if this is a bit of a ramble and it looks like I am trying to put you off buying a drone but I wanted to make you aware that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find places, and suitable weather as the lighter the drone the calmer conditions it needs, to fly them.

 

[gadgetman]

Thanks for the information. 

 

Fully aware of the operation limitations of the class 0/1. 

 

More looking to dip a toe, and removing restrictions on operating in residential areas, near people and buildings for these classes is a a plus. 

 

Looking more for advice on what to go for. 

 

 

Would love a DJI Mini, but the £400+ price is way over my starter budget. 

 

Unless anyone knows where to grab a new mini combo kit for £350 or less 

[Lady Elanore]

5 hours ago, StickyMicky said:

Worth asking @Lady Elanore
 she drives drones professionally.

I drive people nuts professionally (please no misquotes ) but alas I don't do drones as a pro....I'd be skint if I did  

 

The sub 250g drones got a pass on the regs that caused everyone else to register their drones and pass a brief theory test, but the new rules has dragged some of the lightweight drones into more or less the same category as the bigger drones ie a DJI mini 2 might be considered similarly to a DJI Air etc. If I understand it right, it comes down to whether the sub 250g drone is a toy, like some of the Hubsans etc. But the DJI Mini 2 has a camera and can shoot pretty good quality video, so it might not be considered a toy, therefore you need to register it and put your flyer id on it.

 

I spoke to a PSC cameraman about it only a couple of weeks ago and he was debating whether to get a sub 250g DJI as it was a pain flying bigger drones commercially, especially as it was something he rarely did anyway (you have to do flight plans etc and pass an extended 2 day course, where they will check your flight competence amongst other things). But as we chatted it came to light that the 250g DJI mini 2 was being treated as it's bigger brethren, so he scuppered that idea anyhoo. The test is pretty easy to pass and you get a 3 years 'Flyer ID' from it (or at least you did, don't what the current timescale is), you have to register for your Operator registration every year.

 

EDIT:

 

I found my link that the CAA sent me just before Christmas

 

https://mailchi.mp/045f37696d1f/update-on-new-uk-drone-and-model-aircraft-rules-and-registration-renewals?e=72d9004bd4

Edited 5 January, 2021 by Lady Elanore

[Lady Elanore]

If you get a teeny weeny drone I recommend one of these stuck on to it

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HN8XKHL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

It's super light and extraordinarily bright. When you fly your drone away from you it disappears from sight very very quickly and that is not allowed!! But stick the superbright flashing light on the drone and you can see it half a mile away. It's not such a problem when the drone is returning to you as it's easier to get a fix on it, or at least I find it easier to find in the sky. 

 

 

[john999boy]

57 minutes ago, Lady Elanore said:

If you get a teeny weeny drone I recommend one of these stuck on to it

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HN8XKHL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's super light and extraordinarily bright. When you fly your drone away from you it disappears from sight very very quickly and that is not allowed!! But stick the superbright flashing light on the drone and you can see it half a mile away. It's not such a problem when the drone is returning to you as it's easier to get a fix on it, or at least I find it easier to find in the sky.

That strobe looks to be a prime candidate for searching for similar items on AliExpress - hopefully at a more realistic price! I understand there are mini trackers available too which might benefit if 'losing' the drone in undergrowth?

As for seeing the drone half a mile away - I thought the permitted flying radius was 500m? 

 

I bought a Mavic Pro when they came out a few years back and doubt it's even been airborne 10 hours. I had learner 'anxiety' and was apprehensive about using it - but to get more proficient needed more practice!

This was all pre CAA shenanigans so I'd have to swot up prior to taking to the sky again.

 

One program that I used was only available on iPhones and made amazing 360° photos and was worth it just for that.

 

[Lady Elanore]

I went imperial for a moment with 1/2 mile rather than 1/2 Km. Sign of my age. 

[john999boy]

I've updated myself with the new regs and it would appear that I have to 'isolate' myself a little more if I did indeed want to take to the air again - something which I'm pondering on.

Anyway, just for @gadgetman here's a photo to give an idea of what's achievable.

 

[gadgetman]

16 hours ago, john999boy said:

I've updated myself with the new regs and it would appear that I have to 'isolate' myself a little more if I did indeed want to take to the air again - something which I'm pondering on.

Anyway, just for @gadgetman here's a photo to give an idea of what's achievable.

 

What class is yours? 

[john999boy]

21 minutes ago, gadgetman said:

What class is yours? 

Not the class you're after but the photos and videos should be similar.

[Liger1956]

I think that you will find that, normally, the cheaper the drone the worse that the videos and photos will be. John999boy's Mavic Pro has a good camera and stabilisation system. There is a lot of dubious advertising on the number of pixels that these cameras have and a lot of the cheaper offerings extrapolate the higher resolutions (usually very badly).

[john999boy]

Have you taken the plunge yet @gadgetman?

[gadgetman]

45 minutes ago, john999boy said:

Have you taken the plunge yet @gadgetman?

Not yet