What's the Cx label for drones?
What's the Cx label?
In Europe, all electronic products have a CE quality mark. This quality mark indicates that the products meet the European laws and regulations. Drones also have a Cx label. From 1 January 2024, this is required for all new drones that become available for purchase. The drones in the A1 to A3 open categories will be classified into C0 to C4. There are different rules for your drone flight in every category.
Overview DJI drones with open category and Cx label
| Cx label | Open category | Minimum distance to people and buildings | Drone course | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJI Mini | C0 | A1 | 50m | None |
| DJI Air 2S | No Cx label | A3 | 150m | Basic light |
| DJI Air 3 | C1 | A1 | 50m | Basic light |
| DJI Mavic 3 Classic | C1 | A1 | 50m | Basic light |
| DJI Mavic 3 Pro | C2 | A2 | 50m | Basic |
| DJI Avata and FPV | No Cx label | A3 | 150m | Basic light |
Similarities Cx labels
The goal of Cx labels is to keep the airspace safe. That's why the European Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) introduced a maximum speed and flight altitude for drones. These apply to all drones with a Cx label. The maximum speed is 19m/s, which is 68.4km/h. The maximum flight altitude is 120m.
C0 label
The drones in the C0 range weigh less than 250g, including battery and camera. You're allowed to fly over people with this drone, but not above crowds. You don't need a drone certification as a drone pilot, but you do have to read the manual of your drone at least once before you take off. Does your drone have a camera? You need to request an operator registration number.
C1 label
The weight class of the A1 category is being expanded with the introduction of the C1 label. These drones have a maximum weight of 900g. You can't fly over people or crowds with this drone. You also have to take a drone course, and you need an operator registration number before you start flying.
C2 label
The C2 label offers manufacturers room to develop a new type of drone that's suitable for use in the A2 category. This label applies to drones up to 4kg. With these drones, you can fly at 50m distance of people and crowds. If your drone has a low speed mode, you can even fly at 5m distance. You have to complete a drone course before you start flying too with this label. The operator registration number is required as well
C3 and C4 label
Drones with a maximum weight of 25kg get the C3 or C4 label, and you use them in the A3 category. This means that you have to keep a distance of at least 150m from buildings, people, and industrial areas. You need a drone certification for these drones. The operator registration number is only required for C3 drones. The drones with a C4 label fall into a separate range, because they don't have an automatic flight mode.
