DJI begins issuing C1 labels for the DJI Mavic 3 and Cine

This is great News for European DJI Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine owners. After upgrading the camera drone with a newly published Firmware Update, users can obtain a C1 label as of Friday, December 9.

The DJI camera drone may then be used in Open subcategory A1. This implies that it can be flown close to humans, even in densely populated regions.

Benefits of the Open subcategory A1

The C1 label for the DJI Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine offers several advantages. European drone pilots can now fly in the Open subcategory A1 without having to complete the more difficult and costly A2 “Remote Piloting License” test.

In addition to getting the A1/A3 drone license and registering the operator, reading the user manual is sufficient.

There are additional operating options under Open subcategory A1. For example, unlike legacy drones, it is no longer required to maintain a distance of 50 meters from humans on the ground.

Flying above uninvolved people should be avoided to the greatest extent possible, although it is not technically banned.

The DJI Mavic 3 may also be operated over built-up areas, according to the C1 marking, as long as privacy standards are followed.

In some Countries there are further limitations. For example, in the Netherlands, you are not allowed to fly over train tracks, and highways.

C1 certificate

TÜV Rheinland granted the DJI Mavic 3's C1 certificate earlier this year, making it the world's first C1 accreditation for drones under the new European drone rule.

It is applicable in the European Economic Area (EEA, which includes the EU as well as Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) and applies to all DJI Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine hardware as well as C1-updated firmware.

The following are the primary differences between flying the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine with or without a C1 certificate:

Category	Operational limitations	Pilot competence
With C1 label: flying in Open subcategory A1	– Do not fly over uninvolved people (if it does occur, it should be kept to a minimum) – Do not fly over groups of people	– Read the operator's manual – Obtain an A1/A3 “Proof of Competence” basic drone certificate by taking an officially recognized theoretical online exam
Without C1 label: flying in Open subcategory A2 until December 31, 2023; then in Open subcategory A3	– Do not fly over uninvolved persons – Keep a minimum horizontal distance of 50 m from people until 31 December 2023 – After January 1, 2024, fly in areas free of people and 150 meters horizontal distance or more from buildings and roads	– Read the user manual – Obtain the A2 “Licence Piloting Remote” by taking an officially recognized theoretical online exam and declaring self-practical training.

Procedure to acquire C1 labels for the DJI Mavic 3 and Cine

Users may freely request the C1 label for the Mavic 3 as of December 9. There will be no additional costs.

You must enter your drone's serial number and confirm that it has been upgraded to the firmware necessary to bear the C1 label. After that, you will get a sticker in the mail that you must affix on your drone.

Users who get the label after changing their firmware should be advised that any future Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine firmware upgrades will include the technical improvements necessary for the C1 certification and will be irreversible. This page on the DJI website contains further information on the application procedure.

The DJI Mavic 3 Classic, which was just introduced, already has a C1 label, so this drone does not need to be updated.

Amendments

The Mavic 3 satisfies the following standards after the upgrade procedure, which cannot be reversed:

• Maximum noise level: 83db.
• When using ActiveTrack Intelligent Flight Mode to film people or things, the maximum distance to the person or object is 50m. ActiveTrack is disabled over 50m.
• The auxiliary LEDs switch on and off automatically depending on the surroundings.
• By default, the LEDs on the aircraft's front arms flash as long as the aircraft is turned on.
• The operator's operator number is broadcast by Remote ID.

These changes are automatically activated as soon as a C1-certified DJI Mavic 3 or Mavic 3 Cine is used in the European Economic Area (EEA).