Regulations Doing A2 qualification to comply with law

  • Dear Guest. We are giving away FREE premium membership to the first 50 members who will reach 500 posts on forum.(Worth $100).
Welcome to DJI Pilots! 🧑‍✈️
Join our passionate community of drone enthusiasts, pilots, and innovators! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just taking off on your drone journey, this is the place to connect, learn, and share.
Join now!
Regulations talks.
Maverick

Maverick

Pilot
Staff member
Admin
Feb 9, 2025
177
22
18
United Kingdom
iskymedia.io
This is debatable topic I guess. The government introduced this new additional requirement for people who want's to fly heaver drone, example 500+grams. And also once it's done you can fly closer to people.

Would you say doing the A2, is worth the money ? I don't think when flying your drone, someone will just come by and ask a proof of it, just because you fly closer to people or closer to building.

What do you think about it?
 
In my case, in Portugal, it was free. The test was done at the national aviation HQ near Lisbon Airport.

As for practicalities it really hasn't changed anything since nobody has ever asked me for my qualifications when out flying.

I suppose it gives me more peace of mind when flying.

There was useful info on the course and covered lots of info on proper battery usage and storage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maverick
BrutallyHonestGuy said:
In my case, in Portugal, it was free. The test was done at the national aviation HQ near Lisbon Airport.
Click to expand...

Here in UK you have to pay £140-160 for the course, which the qualification will last only couples of years. That's alright if it is for free.

BrutallyHonestGuy said:
As for practicalities it really hasn't changed anything since nobody has ever asked me for my qualifications when out flying.

I suppose it gives me more peace of mind when flying.
Click to expand...

I believe that's the case for most people flying heavier drones. But then if you do commercial jobs, you may have to provide the certificate.
BrutallyHonestGuy said:
There was useful info on the course and covered lots of info on proper battery usage and storage.
Click to expand...

Did there course covered any specific topics that cannot be found in the internet?
 
oh and stuff about the 1:1 rule, which is quite silly in practice. Stuff about estimating how high the drone is using references such as cars and electric poles.

What is the 1:1 rule?

In simple terms, for every 1 metre high your drone is you must stay 1 metre away from uninvolved people
help.uavhub.com help.uavhub.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maverick
BrutallyHonestGuy said:
oh and stuff about the 1:1 rule, which is quite silly in practice. Stuff about estimating how high the drone is using references such as cars and electric poles.

What is the 1:1 rule?

In simple terms, for every 1 metre high your drone is you must stay 1 metre away from uninvolved people
help.uavhub.com help.uavhub.com
Click to expand...

There are some common sense things.

1:1 I've never heard of it.

Then the question is, how you you meant keep VLOS if following 1:1 ? :D
 
BrutallyHonestGuy said:
It's all over-regulation nanny state stuff. Regulators trying to play catch up and failing miserably so they resort to complicating things
Click to expand...

To be honest at least it was for free there. Here in UK, it cost money, £150. Which I cannot justify spending them money on it.

I know the government are trying the best to keep everyone responsible when flying them drones, but to me, most things are common sense.
 
I know the government are trying the best to keep everyone responsible when flying them drones, but to me, most things are common sense.
Click to expand...

Exactly, it's supposed to be common sense but they fail to use real-world scenarios.

For instance, I nearly lost my drone once in Lisbon as I was playing in a maximum altitude 30 metre zone, so I set my drone to that altitude. I was flying near a park and there were probably nests around and my began to be attacked by seagulls but I couldn't go higher because I had set that stupid max altitude.

Now I just put it at 120m or even higher, I won't risk my drone over nonsense.

Also, we're technically not supposed to "fly over people" but it happens all the time when someone suddenly walks under the drone.

Then there's my frustration with asking for authorization everywhere. If I want to fly legally in Portugal I need to ask as many as 3 authorizations which is just ridiculous for such extremely low-risk activities. Rant over! :)
 
BrutallyHonestGuy said:
Exactly, it's supposed to be common sense but they fail to use real-world scenarios.

For instance, I nearly lost my drone once in Lisbon as I was playing in a maximum altitude 30 metre zone, so I set my drone to that altitude. I was flying near a park and there were probably nests around and my began to be attacked by seagulls but I couldn't go higher because I had set that stupid max altitude.

Now I just put it at 120m or even higher, I won't risk my drone over nonsense.

Also, we're technically not supposed to "fly over people" but it happens all the time when someone suddenly walks under the drone.

Then there's my frustration with asking for authorization everywhere. If I want to fly legally in Portugal I need to ask as many as 3 authorizations which is just ridiculous for such extremely low-risk activities. Rant over! :)
Click to expand...

I couldn’t agree more.

I never fly my drone too low.

I flown lots of times where there were seagulls. But I fly at 100m hight. To avoid them to attack the drone. I know some people do use some led lights. But these ca affect video or image quality:

I know what you are saying. Technically you can avoid flying over people, practically is hard. They do say that you cannot fly over people with heavier drone. Probably they don’t want any accidents, I guess if a heavier drone drops on someone, could cause serious injuries.

Here in UK you don’t need no one’s permission as long as you take off from public. Different story when taking off from private land.

I’ve seen some guy on tik tok attacking people with the drone. That’s why we have such laws and regulations.
 
Maverick said:
This is debatable topic I guess. The government introduced this new additional requirement for people who want's to fly heaver drone, example 500+grams. And also once it's done you can fly closer to people.

Would you say doing the A2, is worth the money ? I don't think when flying your drone, someone will just come by and ask a proof of it, just because you fly closer to people or closer to building.

What do you think about it?
Click to expand...
Just before the law changed I’d bought 2 drones a phantom 4pro and an inspire v1.2. As I was looking to sell photo and video, so paid 2grand to become a pilot, 3 day course all was good,
Then 6 months later all the laws change and I find out I can now sell my photos by just buying a mini 3 pro and paying ten pounds online, which I found a joke,
Then someone stole my inspire while I was filming with my phantom, long story… and I sold my phantom 4 as the photos where as good with the mini3 then the mini .4 pro, so I found no reason to own a larger drone, Evan now after 3 years the work I get I have no issues using the mini 4 pro for quality of photos or video, I don’t work in film or news , the waist of money having a license makes for me a bitter waste.
It doesn’t give me many advantages having spent all that money and frankly I wish I hadn’t….
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maverick
Ricardo’s said:
As I was looking to sell photo and video, so paid 2grand to become a pilot, 3 day course all was good,
Click to expand...

That's a hell lots of money on a course, just to comply with the law. Someone was making huge buck back then.
Ricardo’s said:
Then 6 months later all the laws change and I find out I can now sell my photos by just buying a mini 3 pro and paying ten pounds online, which I found a joke,
Then someone stole my inspire while I was filming with my phantom, long story… and I sold my phantom 4 as the photos where as good with the mini3 then the mini .4 pro, so I found no reason to own a larger drone, Evan now after 3 years the work I get I have no issues using the mini 4 pro for quality of photos or video, I don’t work in film or news , the waist of money having a license makes for me a bitter waste.
It doesn’t give me many advantages having spent all that money and frankly I wish I hadn’t….
Click to expand...
Sometimes to comply with the law, can cost more than you making back. But yes, paying £15 for annual OP ID, is fair for this hobby. It makes sense to invest more money into training, new qualifications and new bigger drones, if you making good income. But most of us, are just hobbyist who fly the drone maybe couple of times a week if the weather permits.

What drone are you flying now?
 
Top Bottom