Under 250 g
DJI Flip
DJI Flip: folding, under 250 g, built-in guards. What the regulations require and what to plan for.
DJI
A guarded drone, which changes more than it seems
The Flip folds and carries its propeller guards permanently. That is not a comfort detail: it is what makes the aircraft usable where a bare drone worries people, and what limits the damage when learning goes wrong.
One caution: propeller guards do not change the flight subcategory. They reduce the risk, they do not create a right.
What the regulations require for this model
| Mass | Less than 249 g |
| Aircraft class | C0, marked by the manufacturer |
| Flight category | Open, subcategory A1 |
| Training | None mandatory. A1/A3 training remains recommended |
| Operator registration | Mandatory, the aircraft carries a camera |
| Insurance | Not mandatory for recreational use, advisable |
Deliberately flying over assemblies of people remains prohibited, guards or no guards. The rule targets the assembly, not the risk of a cut.
What it does well
- Built-in guards, with nothing to fit or remove
- Folds flat, so it genuinely travels
- Hand launch, with no clear surface needed
- Under 250 g despite the guards, which is the technical feat of this model
What to know before buying
- The guards cost flight time and wind resistance
- Registration is mandatory despite the simplicity of the aircraft
- The folding format needs a correct fold before every pack-down, or it wears
- Neither memory card nor filters are supplied
Where to find these accessories
These links open a search at a retailer. They are not paid links and we earn nothing on your purchases: they tell us which accessories actually interest you.
ND filters
What else you will need
Bags, pouches and hard casesPouch, backpack, hard case: what the weight of the aircraft changes, and the rules for carrying it by air.Drone batteriesWhat the advertised flight time is worth, how to read a battery's watt-hours, and what airlines allow in the cabin.Drone memory cardsWrite speed, V30 and V60 classes, usable capacity: how to choose a card that will not cut the recording mid-flight.Drone ND filtersWhat an ND filter does on a drone, which density to pick for the light, and why the mount is specific to each model.