Don't fly over people until you watch this video!

[@arborvitian]

I just took my first drone on my first ever flight. I logged about 2.5 seconds of flight time before causing serious injury to a human. I flew a HolyStone HS720E right into myself, and now have about 15 deep lacerations on my left hand. I was very surprised how quickly it got away from me, and how much harm it did in the process. Little whirling scalpels, these blades. This experience did more than all the strongly worded warnings in the world to open my eyes to the danger.

[@irogers858]

Good point - Ill wear my motorcycle gear first few times I fly mine

[@otero2235]

If it was a HS720E it probably flew into you all by itself. Take care with that thing it has a mind of its own.

[@thedroningjeeper4750]

@@otero2235 on the bright side, I gave it a crappy review, and the making company are pay me to not bad reviewing by send new death drone. I sold the new death drone for cash to a guy I wouldn't necessarily shed a tear for if the drone amputated one of his fingers or something, and in the meantime, I bought good drone that doesn't amputate fingers. The only downside is the scars I bear to this day. It's pretty messed up that after all the stuff I've been through in 50 years, some of my most obvious scars came from a stupid drone. Sigh.

[@TheNuke1010]

I bought that one and it was an absolute piece of shit, one evening I decided to get some footage of the sunset and it was 100 feet in the air, and while i was about to start recording, i saw the screen just start spinning and I look up and my drone is just falling out of the sky, i called customer service and told them what happened, they said they would replace the drone and i declined and said i would leave an honest review of what happened, and the drone was immediately taking off of amazon. Pretty shady, if I remember correctly i called a number that was in Germany and left a voice mail, and then i got a call at about 2am from an asian woman who barely spoke english. It was very difficult to communicate.

[@joetan4125]

Holystone drones are junk.

[@geezerpleasers_OG]

I watched this when you first posted it. I came back and watched it again today because the online course that I use to study for my Part 107 did a terrible job of explaining it in their updated materials. I appreciate this video even more now.

[@Tronzie]

Greg thank you for taking the time to digest this for us. I guess from now on, will be better flying on desert or over the ocean...😁

[@johnsalt19]

Ha youd probs still get someone there too lol

[@mandutiger3439]

Yep! Bottom line is mitigating risk. Fortunately, drones in general, have good track records with regards to minimal injuries to people, and 107 pilots are fairly conscientious people who carry a degree of responsibility and brains. Good luck everyone!

[@SteveWard151]

Well I am sure I will change that. I am a jinx…and a good one. VTI Phoenix drone #1 went airborne as I was wanting. It must have loved the fresh air cause it never came home. Should be entering the moons orbit by Christmas. VTI Phoenix #2 was at a truck stop. I kept it 5-10 feet in the air. Wanted to see how accurate the RTH function was. It went up about 15-20 feet and slammed into the pavement. Then it went crazy skimmed along the ground bumped into a truck and went airborne and I never found it. Now have VTI Phoenix #3. Put a strobe on it hoping it makes it easier to find in the dark. I realized a small dent in a propeller can easily affect its behavior. Slowly getting better. Just bought a DJI FPV it is staying in the box for now because it cost me close to $1100. But I am hooked on drones. Fun to fly. If you or anyone has any tips for a new “pilot” give them to me. I use that term “pilot” loosely.😳

[@keithstewart7514]

As a novice drone enthusiastic pilot mistakes will occur. Having about 50 hours of flight time combined with an excess of beyond 300 miles flown accounts for my mm2 flights only. A dozen uav's preceed it. Gaining experience over time provides for improvement that allows me to be a better safer pilot for public safety considerations. CLEARLY BEING A MATURE EXPERIENCED UAV PILOT COMES WITH TIME. Thank you for your contribution that makes myself become a safer pre-part 107 pilot. Great info!

[@PilotInstitute]

Wise words and great airmanship! Thank you for sharing.

[@Dupreysdronezone]

People, this isn't a controlled test with thousands of dollars to spend! Greg and the team are just helping you get some in site to the "possible" damage. Thank you Greg and team! I didn't think my air 2 would produce that much kinetic energy and was assuming it would fall under cat 2. I guess not. Thanks again!

[@PilotInstitute]

Thanks! We hope this gets more people to test and try to replicate what we did.

[@Dupreysdronezone]

@@PilotInstitute and damage their own drones?! Hahahaha. I wouldn't hold your breath!

[@pieterpretorius1014]

the blades on the dji mini and mavic are designed to dissipate energy. the 11inch prop i have on my hanger 9 cub can cause far more damage since there is no flex in it

[@OaklandflyerLLC]

This is definitely important information, not only to understand the rules for flying over people, but for the Part 107 Test. I took it last week, and 2 of the questions were about the categories.

[@MattCookOregon]

Remember the questions at all? Would love to hear any

[@MattCookOregon]

Hey I took it and passed wohooo.

[@Menelik.videos]

Great video Greg. I am almost done with my Part 107 from your academy. It is very well put together. Quick question though, is that a chicken leg? lol

[@PilotInstitute]

Pig foot :)

[@Menelik.videos]

@@PilotInstitute ohhhh haha

[@GadgetInspector]

Great video and thorough explanation. Thanks for the cheat sheet as well. I haven't found a need/reason to do sustained flight over people but transitioning rears its head frequently.

[@TahoeTime4457]

I can fly in a field and enjoy myself but if someone shows up… I have to stop flying. That’s stupid. Drone pilots already deal with enough idiots, now we’re giving them power to prevent us from flying. Awesome, FAA. Thanks.

[@duartepaintinghandymanservices]

While their big ass airplanes which if they fall can kill hundreds are ok to fly over us

[@duartepaintinghandymanservices]

While their big ass planes that can kill hundreds are ok to fly over us

[@Gordie009]

I received a hand cut from my Mini’s prop when I did a hand landing poorly. It was a pretty deep cut that bled for about ten minutes.

[@jeffsiegel9518]

Greg, as usual, your reports are very informative. I agree with many others that those of us who are 107 certified have a good level of understanding about the rules, and for the most part are conscientious and responsible pilots. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that we must be responsible for our decisions about where and how we fly. Thanks again for another good video.

[@badtuna73]

Great info, Greg! Nice to know at what stage we're in on this particular regulation. However, I have no plans to fly over people even if allowed to. I like to keep my risk low and safe. Thanks!

[@cineffect]

Me too, bought a telescopic 22 feet long fishing rod. Attach my Insta360 go 2 wrapped in foam to it, problem solved.

[@badtuna73]

@@cineffect I have the insta360 x2 with the long selfish stick as well.

[@MrSoundofmusic]

Just bought my first drone, and started doing a ton of research on what is allowed...this channel has been a HUGE help so far. I'm shocked by how many regulations there are, but at the same time...I'd rather be lawful and safe more than anything!

[@equisetuminc]

I'm taking Pilot Institute course in preparation for the Part 107 exam. The information is critical for commercial missions; especially when your company can be sued.

[@emergencynurse02]

Hi Watching your channel and considering Part 107 training. I am a drone enthusiast and fly recreationally...Can these cut flesh? Hell yes....I have photos to of my mishap two years ago. I had done something stupid, (attempted a launch during a snow storm- high winds and below zero temps) It was an attempt to see if it was possible to photograph waves crashing into a light house....Dramatic...I launched off the bed of my truck, and the drone began to fly erratic before it got to 4 feet. I started to land it... it wasn't taking commands. just at that moment a car pulled up next to me and three or four kids piled out (unexpectedly) and I had to think very fast, (kids were watching the waves and they were way too close. I reached to grab the drone from the bottom and pull it down. It tried to correct, it over corrected. several blades struck my hand, there were 12 bleeding lacerations on my ring and middle fingers. My little finger had the pad (where the fingerprints are) lopped off. I was bleeding profusely. It was so cold the blood froze as it dripped on the truck. I had no first aid gear and completely surprised my wife.... If one or more of these spinning blades hits someone in the face, there will not be just one lacerations. But many, as that blade will hit multiple times before it breaks or stops. I can send pics if your want. Lesson learned....don't hit anyone....and don't fly in inclement weather

[@PilotInstitute]

Thank you for sharing! Glad you made it out somewhat ok. Which drone was it?

[@emergencynurse02]

@@PilotInstitute Thanx it was the first Mavic. I am all healed up and flying as ever before ....

[@PilotInstitute]

@@emergencynurse02 Good to hear!

[@john2510]

I fully support the prohibition on flying over people (though it's certainly a bit vague), and practicing drone safety, but I think it's noteworthy how few significant injuries have been suffered as drones have proliferated. I haven't updated my research but, the last time I checked, no American had ever been seriously injured by a hobby drone. Lots of superficial lacerations, but nothing that would be considered "serious" from a medical standpoint. That's especially significant when you compare the data to something like personal watercraft (another hobby vehicle) which kill many people every year.

[@F22loader]

Excellent information, Greg! I honestly believe that the FAA should have you do videos for them whenever they put out major changes such as these. Now, you need to do one on night flying and how the rules apply to Recreational and Part 107 pilots. It's extremely difficult to get good, solid, reliable information on which rules apply to each category. Thanks for all that you do for us!

[@PilotInstitute]

Here's one on Night flying: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKOygH2GfbyZiqM As far as hobbyist vs 107, here's one we published a while back but the info is still current. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHvNfpd-p6aejtk If you need more info, let me know and I'm happy to answer any questions.

[@Pepesplants]

@pilotinstitute Thanks for all the great information. Do you have a link to those light weight DJI batteries? Have tried to find them and no luck.

[@scottpaulk]

Great video Greg! Thanks for the info and thank you for keeping the info up to date. I think this did clear up some of the questions

[@RupesF]

This video is great. I passed my 107 knowledge test today - 95%. The three questions I got wrong related to these new Categories, and Remote ID. The course I used briefly touched on the categories - I.e. I knew the weight and foot pound limits, but not enough to get the questions right. I feel that I would have got a perfect score had I watched this first.

[@itsthehumidityyall8303]

The regs are a big reason I’m not rushing out to upgrade. I have no plans to fly over people until I can do it inside the regs and not have the liability. Weddings can still be filmed from a short distance away from the crowd. I’ll be the one with no work because I don’t bend or break the rules.

[@mlneale1959]

I'm just getting into drone photography and I'm taking a different approach. As a portrait and wedding photographer, I have seen the industry destroyed for the mid level professional because of all the hobbyists who watch a video, take a dslr kit and call themselves a professional photographer. I can legally get great drone footage and the bride can just enjoy her day. After this video I have a clearer understanding of what I can do now legally and what to watch for in the future. The cheap option, the bride can get cousin Billy and if he screws up, crashes his drone and hurts someone, the bride gets to deal with the lawsuit. Also, they get to talk to the FAA for flying in controlled airspace without clearance. (In Springfield IL, there is a popular golf course for weddings that is less than a mile from the airport in class C from the surface to over 1000 feet.)

[@badpaw]

These rules do not apply indoors, the FAA doeant own the air we breathe yet.. so an indoor race track, ball field or indoor stadium is game on :) what about a stadium with a retractable roof, do the rules apply only when the roof is open? lol

[@PilotInstitute]

@@badpaw Only when the roof is open. While the FAA doesn't control what happens inside a building, remember that liability is still present and you should carry insurance to protect yourself, and that insurance may not cover you without a part 107.

[@kylebeck1845]

Your correct. Not worth the risk.

[@scottcol23]

@@badpaw It should only cover the air above the highest part of the building, So if I were to fly the drone inside a stadium I should be able to fly up to or about the height of the lights right... Nope probably not.

[@YourReviewChannel]

Great Information great job. Wow thank you so much for this information n

[@triceburgess1890]

Great comprehensive video. Thanks for putting this out for people to see and understand what is involved with these new regs. Safe flying!

[@sutv6754]

I get it now Greg. Has anything chanced since this video. Is there an updated version of this. Excellent. Thank You.

[@jimg3640]

As always Greg, very well done & thorough. Thank you!

[@harrisongould9460]

I have a Mini and a Mini 2. I once was messing around and had my drone about 40' away from me. It was in sport mode and it was facing me and I floored it. It comes right at me, I let go of the sticks when it was about 5' out and BAMM...right into me(and it still flew). I got cut. I felt a sting and was not expecting blood but I was wrong. A good 1" slice, not that deep, but I bled. I am a Part 107 pilot and a Private Pilot(not current for many years). I listened to more of your video and in my opinion the FAA is making it rough on drone manufacturers. They need to give them a chance to make something safe to fly sustained over people. I'm thinking 300 grams including the prop guards.I''m looking to fly my drone for wedding coverage since I am a wedding photographer for many many years.This video is excellent for me. I subscribed.

[@PilotInstitute]

Wow, thanks for sharing, Harrison. Glad you were ok!

[@djl523]

Thank you Greg! Another great video. This was an especially confusing topic and you made it easy to understand as is all of the material you present in your part 107 course!

[@Mauisol]

Thanks, this was helpful. I will be shooting footage of beaches in my area while people are present. My plan is to only transit over people and restrict flightpath to over water and shoot to the side and down. Ditto with any boats, surfboards etc that may be present.

[@Ridgeback65]

I can say first-hand that a Mini can lacerate the skin. I was flying mine when I first got it and I was returning to "home" too fast from a low angle. With the momentum and trajectory it was going to hit my car so I instinctively held out my hand to block it (like most people uninvolved with the drone would) and it cut my finger like a razor. No stitches or anything but a good clean cut.

[@Matanumi]

I never cut my hands with mini props and I banged them a few times

[@dondupuis5524]

the cheat sheets you publish are great, nice job on the DJI battery lights too. Great video, see you soon for part 107

[@joryodom4923]

Thank you for keeping everyone updated. I passed my exam on the 12th of April after finishing your course and this is the area I really wanted clarification on. Great job and keep the videos coming!

[@DWCessna4130]

So basically a waiver is needed regardless for my MAVIC 2 Enterprise Advanced because it is not set to a certain classification? That clarifies it. I took your course but was confused once we got this drone as we did t know what we would purchase.

[@michaelo6003]

Perfect, Greg! This is just what I needed to help clear up a lot of the confusion! I was actually wondering what "over people" really means. You've cleared it up. I've been asked to film a private party in someone's backyard in the summer. So now I know that as long as I don't hover directly over anyone in that party, I'm good to go. I can film the party from outside the perimeter of the yard (assuming there's no one under the drone). Thank you!

[@MainlightDrone]

Very glad I watched this. You guys put a lot of work into this and it was easy to understand and follow.

[@liveevents9191]

Hopefully with your connections, you and eventually come up with a source for the 1100 mah battery for the mini 2.

[@jasonnelson7874]

Thank you, great information. I'm a beginner. Haven't even tried my drone yet. Greatly appreciate the heads up.

[@mlneale1959]

I am guessing that two things will happen pretty quickly. First DJI will make their lighter weight battery available in the US for the Mini2, the second is that they will be doing extensive testing very quickly on the Mini 2 and the Air 2S. This is a huge opportunity for them, I can't imagine they won't take advantage of it. There are already issues with the batteries for the Mini 2, they can solve both problems at the same time.

[@curtisbme]

year later and they have released a heavier battery for the mini 3, not a lighter one... Doh!

[@dennisfield109]

So, if you wanted to photograph, say, an open air concert: Find an empty parking lot a block away, hover straight up, zoom in the best you can, then hover straight back down? What would be the recommended horizontal distance to stay away from people, vehicles, etc?

[@delray2599]

Phantom 3 cut my sisters arm 3 inches long 1 inch deep while she was trying to catch the drone, be careful around people

[@thisisrandall2359]

Coming from someone who has seen a drone injury. These little drones can cause a lot of damage. I was flying my DJI Mini 2 and somehow the drone disconnected from the controller and I lost all control. The drone ended up flying full speed towards my friend and sliced his arm open. We drove to the hospital because it was a very deep cut and he got 27 stitches. These kinds of drones are not "toys" and even when piloted by an experienced droner, they can become dangerous very fast. Don't fear getting hurt because this does not happen very often but just remember it is a possibility.

[@DaleF-tv6om]

Any drone be it "big or little" can do lots of damage to people or things, this is true. But for my personal experience, I have lost all signal to my drone (Mini 3) and the only thing that happened is that the automatic RTH (Return To Home) function activated and my drone landed safe and sound exactly where it was supposed to with no damage to anything or any one. Admittedly when I first lost signal , I was sweating bullets. But the drone did exactly what it's program was set to do The moral is simple here, Know all the functions of your drone and how to set and apply them properly before you fly.

[@quinndemand]

Oh my God dude, get to the point. Then you can elaborate.

[@JacobyIan]

Ikr lolol

[@yolo525]

No

[@t.ticklesfpv]

Yesss

[@Mainbusfail]

I just thought I was going effin nuts over the same damn thing. Jezuuus tits.

[@ogdenphotographics]

Maybe do your own vid to your liking? Just saying…its free, move on if not for you. Everyone’s a critic these days. OY

[@williamschwartz9283]

Fantastic video! For what it's worth: the mini-2 definitely can cause lacerations. I learned that the hard way practicing hand landings... and I have the video to prove it.

[@miguelsemidei7619]

Been flying drones for years. Very hard to see a scenario where you plow your drone into a person , now dropping out of the sky on somebody’s head. Now that’s another story . All in all , just forget about flying your drone anywhere people see you .

[@SecretAgentBond]

Hi, it would be interesting to do an updated video of this information taking into consideration FAA regulation changes and also putting the DJI Neo (which definitely is a Cat-1) into the mix. Btw, you mention flying the Japanese version of the Mini w/pro-guards) over people but how could you (at the time you made this) if the kinetic energy exceeded 25?

[@BobCaseyAerial]

A very well Explained, Thought out, Informative Video Greg. Thanks.

[@alvinmerida1017]

I appreciate your time taken on this video Greg thank you.

[@Xterron]

Excellent straight-forward video on the most difficult part of the Part 107 exam! Good job! Unfortunately, not good news for Mavic Pro or Phantom pilots.

[@ShermanKenB]

There are quite a few cinewhoops available today that are under 250g that are capable of 4k video. Cinewhoops are ducted quads, and the ducts perform as prop guards. Flight time are usually in the 4 to 6 minutes and all it takes is time on the sticks to learn to fly fpv.

[@Troy-Echo]

Great video. For testing, ascending at the time of impact will cause the rotors to spin faster for a stronger impact. The Mini 3 Pro has rubberized tips on the standard rotors which "may" reduce the chance of lacerations since it is a slightly larger impact area which would be a blunt impact versus the thinner tipped rotors used in the testing. Of course when this video was recorded the M3P wasn't available. I can confirm the Mavic Pro 1 can cause bleeding lacerations at maybe 5-7 MPH. I "thought" I had pulled the stick down enough to do the automatic landing, but I had not. When I pulled the sticks in and down to turn off the rotors, the drone moved forward and to the side which caused it to hit me across the stomach, hip and thigh as it fell. No damage to the drone at all, but I had 7 rotor strikes hard enough to leave marks and blood blisters, and 3 of those strikes drew blood where I put Neosporin and band-aids on them. One of those that bled was a strike THROUGH my shirt. Kinetic energy is basically weight x speed squared. So a 1 kilogram object moving at 10 meters per second would have 50 units of J or Joules for the physics term. A 2 kilogram object moving at 5 meters per second would have 25% energy rating of Joules, so speed is the bigger factor.

[@TrailBreaker]

Great info! Do I need to include any info in my own KZbin video descriptions concerning my Part 107 certification (which I do have)? I know some creators get reported to the FAA by well-intentioned viewers and would like to avoid that. Thanks!

[@PilotInstitute]

Not a bad idea to do so.

[@AERIALRECONLLC]

Most folks will be out of category - therefore, apply for the waiver. FAA Drone Zone waiver process is quite good at suggesting what exceptions that you can apply for.

[@MattCookOregon]

All your videos are so helpful thank you.

[@paul7503]

Very interesting and thought provoking. Where can I learn more about your course and the cost associated with training?

[@ricochet1851]

Thank you for taking the time to better explain the FAA regulations. It always helps to have the best understanding of sometime and not have to guess.

[@bunnykiller]

now there needs to be a difinative description of laceration, how deep does it have to go to be considered a deep scratch or a laceration. A cut on the forehead only has to go about 1/5th of an inch to show bone but several inches to see bone on the upper leg...

[@mordakoAT]

Thank you for making the cheat sheet not just available, but also available in Dropbox. I just downloaded the file straight to my folder. :)

[@alexfaylona4007]

I just passed my parr 107 last tuesday after taking your course and got 90% and still wating for the tshirt.🎈⭐️🏆During your first test that was inconclusive, is there an available prop in the market that is not sharp that wont lacerated people?

[@alexiscaban5425]

Greetings! Congratulations for your excellent channel, please I need to know where to get the lighter batteries for the mini 2 and thus comply with the weight for category 1 and in my projects I often fly over people. Thank you!

[@lyzer2585]

From experience after flying the DJI Mini SE into my hand, it draws blood and I got 4 paralell cuts. Bled a little, it wasnt just a scratch. But it didn't cut deep or anything.

[@tcarlsness]

Should I install Pop Guard on my DJ I air 3.S to make it safer, I know you still can't fly over people but to make it safer.

[@Manderoo911]

Though I'm new to drone flying, I do hold a Private Pilot (VFR) Cetificate - not sure that that relates to the current discussion, but it is part of who I am. At any rate, while watching your video reporting your test of the ability of the blades (on the DJI Mini) to cause lacerations, it occurred to me that the type of blades on the drone will make a difference in the outcome of a collision with a person. For example I installed quick change 3-bladed props on my Mini drones (Mini 2 and Mini SE). These blades come off pretty readily - I don't know if the ease of removal is designed-in feature or if it's just a matter of the manufacturer getting lucky (as it is said, sometimes its better to be lucky than good). However it would make the drone somewhat less likely to cause a laceration - SOMETIMES. I add the emphasis on sometimes because it also dawned on me that the impact that mighty not cause a cut on, for instance, a 15-year old male might cause a considerable cut on a child or on a senior citizen, not to mention the possibility of infection and with that the length of time to heal. It gets quite involved but all of these factors will certainly come into play...and on their tail will come the injury attorney. Need I say more?

[@jimscott4539]

All great info and test. But, would love to see any stats of people being hurt from drones. Especially death or serious injury? The ratio of drones vs injuries would be more impactful.

[@StogieSaguaros]

I am thinking about getting a drone. Thanks for the info though it’s now 2023 this video is still very informative thank you guys!

[@Adoogin]

Great information, thanks for the in depth and informative information. I was curious though about flying "over" and you explained it at the end. But that image you put up with the boat towing the water skier 20:06 was a legal shot regardless of the category of drone correct? Both the boat and the skier were shot at an angle. Perhaps the drone was over the skier but from that height and angle it seems safe.

[@mayormike]

I was recently testing my DJI mini (the origianal) and it had a nick on the blade that I did not see before flying. It caused the drone to fly sideways. I was testing it indoors and instinctively put out my foot to prevent it from hitting anything. I was wearing shorts and it gave me 2 significant lacerations. Dumb, yes. But I can assure you this little drone can do some damage. I have am ambulance company and had to go to my supplies for some 4x4s and tape to stop the bleeding. No stiches needed. But close.

[@johnpaulbamba6979]

Awesome video. Where can I buy that Japanese Version?

[@rivercityrhythmrva6089]

Regarding lacerations, These props can do serious damage. On one of my first flights I had to stick my hand out to prevent being hit in the head with my MA2 because of my inexperience. Three Quick, Clean and at least 1/8" deep slices in my right pinky that bled like mad. A compression wrap stopped the Bleeding and with a tight bandage healed with very fine scars, although some nerve damage lingers. I cringe thinking about what would happen if one would strike someones face or eye.

[@Matanumi]

I never had this issue and I hit the spinning props a few times

[@pmh1nic]

I picked up my Mavic Pro after flying my Tello and it was pretty obvious that I would not want to chance flying over people with the MP. It's a brick. The Tello with full prop guards weights about 110 grams so if I'm understanding the definitions you provided it would qualify as a category 1 drone.

[@gcarmichael]

There is a Category 4, this is most of the drones on the market today. So it looks like a Mavic 3 cannot transition over a few people lets say walking on the beach in the winter or in park even though it is not an open air assembly. Am I reading this correct?

[@DavidRMalloy]

Thanks you for this very informative video. This is a very confusing subject for many Part 107 operators and you presented this material in a very clear and concise manner. Keep up the great work that you do.

[@jpdronography1]

Hello from the Untied Kingdom ! Great Video. Here in the UK we have adopted the European regulations, and fortunately for us, for now at least, we can fly a mavic mini over people but not assemblies of people without a prop guard. We too have MTOM categories. Above 250g we have to stay 50metres away from people, and we can't overfly. However, a new relaxing regulation has just come in called 'Article 16'. If you are a member of a major model flying club like BFMA or FPVUK for example, and sign up to Article 16 on their websites, there is surprisingly NO separation distance and can fly over people for 250g or less drones. We can fly heavier drones up to 7.5Kg over people at a distance of just 30metres: So basically there's more emphasis on competence, here and we also have a new permission called the A2 CofC which involves some study at an approved flight school but is not overly expensive nor difficult which allows for heavier drones to be flown in recreational areas, Industrial Estates, etc within the A2 flying category (near to people). That's a little over tall tree height which seems a bit crazy, and we sincerely hope that people here won't abuse this privilege. It applies at all suitable flying locations in the UK not just within the confines of registered flying clubs either. Our max altitude is 400ft above the terrain you're flying over, higher without permission if conducting an inspection of say a transmission tower as long as you're very close to it. (within 50m I think). These privileges were unexpected, and in our opinion have been well thought through. We can't go through all the nuts and bolts here, so if you're thinking about flying in the UK please refer to the CAA website first. You will need to register your drone here (All weights, except toys without cameras). We had grey areas too but most of these have now been clarified by the CAA. But it does seem to us that the FAA have really made 'a dog's dinner' of it all, which coupled with the confusion, will no doubt lead to unintended breaches. 😒

[@DocColVideo]

Was goin to state UK use CAA Regs but you said it all and I also wasn't aware of Article 16 either so will check it out pronto! Cheers.

[@calx66]

Fascinating information Greg, thank you. Do you have a link for us to find the lightweight batteries?

[@15PSI]

Hi Greg - O'Neal here. That has got to be one of funniest videos I have seen from your company. Your 'skin crash dummy' looks like an amputated arm with a knit hat. And that Mini is an indestructible beast!!

[@PilotInstitute]

Since it was actual meat, we had to cover the ends so it didn't look too creepy. haha

[@johnsanders3454]

Question: Even with a parachute, wouldn't you have to be flying at some certain altitude in order for it to deploy and slow down enough to reduce the kinetic energy enough? Thanks for the video!

[@PilotInstitute]

Correct. Most parachutes have minimum altitudes so it is likely that cat 2 and 3 drones will have a minimum altitude requirement.

[@checkeredflagfilms]

Is there a Japanese Battery for the Mini 3 pro that with prop guards allows it to pass Cat 1 requirements?

[@PilotInstitute]

No, not at the moment.

[@irancivil]

Thanks Greg for the video, it is very informative. So the remote ID will not be required till Sep. 2023 and you can do sustained flight over open air assembly if other requirements are satisfied for Cat 1. operation, is that correct?

[@PilotInstitute]

As far as operations over people, you need remote ID for sustained flights over open air assembly, even starting today. While Remote ID is not required to fly everywhere until Sept 2023, this is a case of early required compliance. Problem is, no solutions exist at the moment, so we will have to wait to do sustain flights over open air assembly.

[@TheRobBrennanLive]

This was great!! Thank you for clearing up the confusion I had...and right out the gate pointing out that my drone doesn't qualify anyway (the Mini 2). ...and of course, even if IT did, I still wouldn't as a recreational flyer =)

[@DougPetersenInspire]

Thanks Greg. Flying over people sounds like a no-go for me. I have the new Mini 3 and based on your analysis, this will be a Cat 2 if DJI ever gets it cleared with the FAA. I'm not holding my breath on that happening.

[@99zxk]

My grandfather used to work for a pharmaceutical company. If the FAA is like the FDA, the testing and approval process is very expensive and takes tons of time.

[@emmanuelcooper8645]

hello im watching this video 2 years from when it was posted and was wondering if they ever added any cat 2 or 3 drones and what they did to reduce the kinetic energy because I dont think any of the drones I can think of have any parachutes?

[@PilotInstitute]

Not really. There’s only one category 3 drone approved and no category 2.

[@vonheise]

Our town square was covered in Christmas with a large Christmas tree near the center. There were families out walking and viewing the lights. I flew a large semicircle around the entire thing and was mostly over the building across the street from the square. I used the zoom to get a closeup of the tree. I can't swear that I was never over a person positively, however that was never my intention so I assume that I was within the rules.

[@harmandeepsingh6598]

Awesome Content. Thanks a lot for putting info.

[@billbishop8915]

Greg - Sometime back I asked if you would do the testing on the line of sight for the various types of drones from mini to spire to identify the distances when you loose sight of the drone.

[@PilotInstitute]

Bill it's on our list of Drone Busters episode. Summer is here, I'm hoping we can get a bunch of those out very soon!

[@freewillyk]

I learned a lot with this video. Very detailed and thoughtful. Good training for a newbie like me.

[@welzoliver6639]

Thanks Greg this video really cleared things up for me ..I would think you will put this video in your part 107 course so that they will be very clear on this new reg..Gre8 Video Love it !!!

[@PilotInstitute]

We have a flurry of other videos in the course that discussing flying over people, with actually more information that in this video. Cheers!

[@natalieandgabriel]

As always, great video and explanation! Thank you so much!

[@mostlywildlife]

Your explanation is the best. And thanks for the demo in the field.

[@QuadDoc]

Rude remarks. 😂 Great job with this episode Greg!! 👍🏼🙏🏼Thank you for your thorough research and your very helpful Testing! The drone industry owes you a debt of gratitude! We need someone like you on the DAC!!

[@welzoliver6639]

Is there a parashot that will fit on the Mavic Pro ?? Not for me to fly over people but to just be extra safe out there plus would save my drone if something went wrong with it in the air....I had a friend that on his mavic pro 2 had a prop break about 150 ft in the air and well He had to go buy new drone due to his drone blowing apart when it hit the ground .and just incase I don't wont that to ever happen to me and I think the investment would be worth it and I have a inspire pro 1 that would be nice to have one for to be extra safe for anyone that might be in the area and to save the drone if ever fail's in the air ..Thanks again Greg for another Awsome Video

[@tommills177]

I fly in swamps and woods but have filmed people. Excellent video my friend.

[@Fish-please]

So what your saying is I need a parachute for my Mini 2...?

[@PilotInstitute]

No. The parachute is not a method of compliance for category 1. You just can't fly it over people at the moment unless you have a Japanese battery that makes it 249g with prop guards.

[@be4902]

Why can't you get a waiver to fly a Cat 1 drone with prop guards since the problem is the spinning props causing the injury not the weight of the drone in this category? Does that make too much sense?

[@amigatommy7]

Looking at the EVO 2 6k. Gonna take a while to figure this one out. Thanks for the help.

[@sutv6754]

One has to wonder why a co. would not get in the light weight battery biz. If there as a battery available I'd buy a mini 3 or 2 tomorrow. Have these batteries become more available?

[@orangecountydroner4498]

Hi Greg,thanks for the time you took to make this very informative video,always doing a great work when it comes to share important information to the drone Comunity, I have a quick question.if my son wants me to record him on his skateboard doing some of his tricks not over him but along his side,and circle him,will this follow in one of the 3 categories?I know you mentioned that #4 is for bigger drones,thanks Greg.

[@PilotInstitute]

If you're never over him, no need for a category drone, that just falls under Normal operations! Record away!

[@orangecountydroner4498]

@@PilotInstitute thanks Greg for your quick response to my question,always appreciate your professionalism.

[@bpatterson4735]

Thanks Greg - great information that is easily understood. I appreciate the time and effort put into researching and making this for those of us that don't have the time to do so. Any insights on good parachute systems would be helpful. Seems like there are a lot of options, but given the liability involved, would appreciate any of your insights.

[@PilotInstitute]

At the moment, because the entire system still needs approval, we will need to wait for the FAA and the manufacturers to tell us what they want us to use.

[@alainhoule3344]

Any update about the parachutes? Thank you Greg for the videos.

[@dougjohnston2298]

With all these calculations in terms of weight and kinetic energy, is there an easy way to find out if my DJI air 2S is Cat 2 or Cat 3? Or, a list of ALL drones by manufacturer and model as to which Cat they fall in?

[@PilotInstitute]

It’s not. It would need a parachute at a bare minimum and of course FAA approval. There’s only one cat 3 and no cat 2 currently approved.

[@liveevents9191]

You did a GREAT job of clearing this up. Thanks VERY much!!!

[@Iceking007]

So this is assuming that only CAT I,II,II,IV are the only sUAVs allowed to fly over people/ vehicles. So if you're not flying over people then move off this matters. Is that correct? Same goes for both sustained and transitioning fight.

[@ogdenphotographics]

Hey thanks…So maybe a dumb question re ‘transitioning’ over people or cars. Is that ok even tho I haven’t meet the requirements of Cat 1,2 or 3. I’m a Mavic 3 pilot. Or do those req’s ONLY apply to “sustained flight’ over assemblies and traffic. Short question..is it ok to transition over people or vehicles as is, as this date and time. FAA told me no when I emailed them with same question. Still confused. Just passed my 107 recurring @ 100%

[@chrisedecker]

Once again, EXCELLENT video full of knowledge. Expertly presented and explained. Thank you for all your work!