I am doing my C2 CofC training with UAVHub and I have a question regarding aircraft weight/separation distances. In the training, it said that if you are flying a UK0 aircraft (such as my Mini 5 Pro, under 250g) and add modifications like strobe lights or prop guards, this would push it into the A3 category (far from people).
Is there any reason why the aircraft could not be flown with A2 regulations? If the drone is now, let’s say, 275g, would this not fall into the A2 legacy bracket and require 50m horizontal separation?
The DJI Mini 5 Pro is rarely 249g; most are slightly over. I fly a Mini 4 Pro at night with a green-flashing strobe light, which is now required by law for night flying. It’s all about enforcement. I often have police encounters, and they have never had a problem with it. Technically, it’s above UK0, but in reality, no one is bothered. I even asked the CAA to clarify, but they don’t know the solution either.
The requirement to display a green flashing light at night is an operational requirement for Open Category night flights.
The associated guidance in GM1 UAS.OPEN.060(2) (g) explains how different aircraft types may meet this requirement in practice. However, this GM is guidance only and does not introduce new product design obligations beyond those defined in 945.
In this context, a C0 aircraft that is fitted with a green flashing light remains compliant, even if the behaviour of that light varies in certain operating modes (for example, during video recording).
There is currently no regulatory requirement specifying brightness, range, flash cycle etc of the green light for C0/UK0 aircraft, nor is there a basis to withdraw recognition of a valid class mark on that ground alone.
It seems safe to assume that the same logic will apply to Mini 4 Pro.
I watched an interesting video from Geeksvanna on the green flashing light increasing the weight of a C0 drone. Being a mini 4 pro flyer who’s never flown at night yet its something i hadn’t looked into.