Skip to main content

DJI M3E drones approved for FAA Category 2 flight over people

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given the green light to the AVSS PRS-M3E, a parachute recovery system developed by Aerial Vehicle Safety Solutions (AVSS) for the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise and Mavic 3 Thermal drones. With this approval, drone operators can now legally fly these drones over people for commercial operations.

This approval falls under the FAA’s Category 2 Declaration of Compliance (DOC), which is part of the agency’s regulations that allow drones to operate over people without the need for a 107.39 waiver. This waiver previously required operators to undergo a lengthy approval process to fly drones over individuals, making the new Category 2 DOC a game-changer for the industry.

AVSS’s latest achievement follows their earlier success with the AVSS PRS-M3DT, the first Category 2 drone parachute system approved by the FAA for the DJI Dock 2. By leveraging their previously approved Means of Compliance (MOC), AVSS has demonstrated a repeatable and scalable process for obtaining FAA compliance, paving the way for more widespread adoption of drone operations over people.

Mariah Murray, VP of operations at AVSS, emphasizes the significance of this approval, stating, “With this second DOC approved by the FAA, there is a clear message to the commercial drone market that the FAA is open for business, and commercial drone operators can now fly over people without submitting a 107.39 waiver.”

This development is particularly important for commercial drone operators who rely on drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds for their operations. Category 2 and Category 3 drones, as defined by the FAA, allow these operators to fly over people without an airworthiness certificate under part 21, provided they meet specific performance-based eligibility and operational criteria.

Those interested in the FAA’s Category 2 Declaration of Compliance for the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise and Thermal drones can find more information at the following links:

Read more: Flytrex hits 100K drone delivery milestone in NC, Texas

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading DroneDJ — experts who break news about DJI and the wider drone ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow DroneDJ on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Comments

Author

Avatar for Ishveena Singh Ishveena Singh

Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. She has been named as one of the 50 Rising Stars of the geospatial industry for the year 2021 by Geospatial World magazine.


Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications