Recent news from DJI indicates that they have received the first C1 drone certificate ever, which enables them to fly in the new A1 Open Air Category without first needing to pass the difficult and pricey A2 Remote Piloting License exam. This C1 EU-type drone inspection certificate, issued by German research and testing organization TÜV Rheinland for the European Union Safety Agency (EASA), applies only to DJI’s Mavic 3 series.

This means that Mavic 3 owners flying in any territory or country inside the European Union won’t need to pass the challenging and pricey A2 Remote Piloting License Exam in order to fly in specific locations.

The European Union adopted a standard set of drone laws at the end of 2020 that apply to both commercial and recreational users. In order to classify which kind of drones (sub-250g to 2kg+) may be flown and where they could launch and land legally, three subcategories, A1–A3, were created.

The Mavic 3 series will automatically allow customers to operate in an A1 Open Category with a straightforward update to C1-compliant software. They now have more freedom to operate where they previously had limitations. DJI broke down the differences between operating with or without C1 certification into three categories.

The Mavic 3 series has received C1 certification and has undergone the following four required firmware updates:

• The Mavic 3 series complies with the new 83db noise reduction standard.
• The maximum distance from the subject being filmed when using the ActiveTrack Intelligent Flight Mode is 50 meters. ActiveTrack will be disabled after 50 meters.
• The auxiliary LEDs will be automatically turned on or off when in use depending on the actual surroundings, and the LEDs on the drone’s front arms will by default blink while the UAV is powered on.

Anytime a C1-certified Mavic 3 series drone is flown within the European Economic Area, these modifications take effect (EEA). According to DJI, all Mavic 3 drone owners will have access to the application for the new C1 class identification label starting in the fourth quarter of 2022. It will be available at no charge upon voluntary request from users. Owners will only need to provide their drone’s serial number and proof that they have upgraded to the firmware required for C1 certification, according to DJI.