The DJI Air 2S is quickly becoming one of the most popular drones due to its versatility, portability and amazing lowlight photos. All the legislation around flying a drone can be confusing, especially when you are new to the drone flying world. To determine the type of flyer you are, you must first understand the type of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) you are flying.
The DJI Air 2S is a multirotor UAS type drone governed by Part 107 (Small UAS Rule). If you are flying for purely recreational reasons, a limited statutory exception provides a basic set of requirements for your flight so that you do not have to pass the Part 107 test.
However, if you are flying for recreational reasons, you must take the drone safety test known as The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST).
What license do I need to fly a DJI Air 2S? Part 107 vs TRUST
If you are flying your DJI Air 2S for recreational purposes you can now sit a simple test that allows flying drones for recreational purposes in certain conditions without complying with Part 107. However, for business purposes, you will still need to comply with Part 107.
In the United States of America, the weight of the drone and how you will use it determines the level of certification you need for flying in public areas.
If you are unsure if part 107 rules apply to your drone and use case, you can check out the FAA’s user identification tool for further guidance.
The user identification tool will ask a series of questions to help you determine the rules that apply to you and the steps you need to take to fly legally.
If you are flying for purely recreational purposes, there is an exception (49 USC § 44809) that now allows flying drones for recreational purposes in certain conditions without complying with part 107.
You still need to take an exam called TRUST which will give you a printable certificate to carry with you to present to law enforcement officers if required.
For every other drone under 55 lbs and flown for anything other than recreational purposes and education or research purposes, you’ll need to satisfy part 107 laws.
Part 107 is the primary law for flying small drones for work or business, education, or Public Safety missions.
What type of flyer are you?
The first thing to determine the sorts of rules or certifications you need is to determine what type of flyer you are according to the FAA.
Four major types of flyers determine what type of legislation you need to adhere to. These are recreational pilots, certified remote pilots, Public Safety or government user, or educational users.
Here is a quick summary of each one of them below.
Recreational flyer
The rule for operating an unmanned aircraft system or drone that weighs under 55 lbs in the national airspace in the United States is governed by part 107 (often referred to as the small UAS rule).
If you are being financially compensated for your drone flight, you may need to apply for a commercial license. The financial compensation ultimately determines whether or not you are flying for fun or business.
If you are flying purely for fun, you can fly without passing the part 107 exam but must take the TRUST test and carry the certification with you at all times while flying.
Nonrecreational purposes include things like:
- taking photos to sell a property
- roof inspections
- taking photos for a website
In these instances, you need to become a certified remote pilot.
Certified Remote Pilot
If you have a small drone that weighs less than 55 lbs you can fly for work or business following the part 107 guidelines.
There are three main steps that you must satisfy:
- Learn the part 107 rules
- Pass an FAA-certified drone test
- Register your drone with the FAA
Once you have satisfied these requirements you can considered a certified remote drone pilot.
Public Safety or Government user
This section of the drone laws applies to public safety agencies such as law enforcement. This classification is for drone pilots who are out to catch other drone enthusiasts doing the wrong thing.
There are different rules, and it is unlikely that a drone pilot of the Air 2S will fall under this category.
Educational User
Drones offer a wide range of educational opportunities, and the FAA offers an exception allowing flying drones for recreational purposes that can also encompass educational users, thanks to a recent change in the statutory provision.
Besides the use of drones by different uses there are also different classes of unmanned aerial systems that you need to be aware of.
Here is everything you need to know about the different classes of unmanned aerial systems and which one applies to the DJI Air 2S.
How many classes of UAS are there?
There are four main classes of UAS including fixed wing, multirotor, single rotor, and hybrid drones.
Here is a quick rundown of each different type of drone.
Fixed wing
Fixed wing drones look like an aeroplane and create lift by continuously moving through the air and passing air over the wings to create a low pressure system on top of the wing to fly like a conventional aircraft.
They cannot stay stationary as they would quickly fall out of the air and move forward continuously through a set series of predetermined waypoints or are controlled manually by a fixed wing drone pilot.
Multirotor
The DJI air 2S is a multirotor drone
This type of drone is the most commonly used by professionals and hobbyists. The great thing about multirotor drones is that they can take off like a helicopter and are very stable and manoeuvrable.
The artificial intelligence software used to control the drone is getting better and better, which means even the most inexperienced pilots can get flying and confident in the air within a matter of minutes.
Typically there are four rotors but they can have up to 8 depending on the stability and payload that the drone is carrying.
Single rotor
Helicopter and single rotor drones have one main rotor and look very much like helicopters.
Having a single rotor on top is much more efficient than a multirotor drone because of the turbulence they create. These drones have significantly higher flight times and are more efficient with their energy.
Hybrid vertical takeoff and landing drone (VTOL)
There are also hybrid-type drones with the benefits of a fixed-wing model but the stability and manoeuvrability of other motor-based models. They can take off vertically like a multirotor drone but have the efficiency of a fixed-wing drone.
These are the least common types of drone available, and different types of control sensors required are becoming more efficient and inexpensive.
Typically, this type of drone is suitable for specific applications and very expensive because of the customised features that these sorts of drones typically have.
Summary
In summary, the DJI Air 2S is a multirotor drone under 55 lbs that requires the recreational flyer to pass a TRUST test to ensure that they fly safely or, the commercial pilot to pass the Part 107 exam.
If you are interested in flying recreationally but do not want to deal with a load of red tape, you can look at flying and purchasing a drone that weighs under 250 g. At this weight, there are some shortcuts to the registration requirements that many new drone pilots find attractive and less of a burden.
