Drones Under 250 Grams: Every Model by Weight, and What Sub-250 g Does and Does Not Exempt
Under 250 g frees you from registration in the US and Canada for recreational flying, but not in the EU, and in the UK the threshold is now 100 g. Here is every sub-250 g drone in our database with its takeoff weight, battery and sensor, plus the accessories that push a drone over the line.
Under 250 g is a real advantage in the US and Canada, where recreational flyers do not have to register a drone below that weight. It is not a free pass everywhere: the EU requires operator registration for any drone with a camera, and the UK has used a 100 g threshold for the Flyer ID and Operator ID since 1 January 2026. And some sub-250 g drones are only sub-250 g with the standard battery and nothing attached.
Rules change. Check the aviation authority's own page before you fly.
Sub-250 g drones by takeoff weight
| Drone | Takeoff weight | Battery | Sensor | Max flight time (lab) | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJI Neo | 135 g | 10.5 Wh | 1/2-inch | about 18 min | 22 GB built in, no card slot |
| DJI Neo 2 | 151 g (160 g with the Digital Transceiver) | 11.5 Wh | 1/2-inch | about 19 min | 49 GB built in, no card slot |
| DJI Mini 3 | 248 g | 18.1 Wh | 1/1.3-inch | 38 min | microSD |
| DJI Mini 2 | 249 g | 17.32 Wh | 1/2.3-inch | 31 min | microSD |
| DJI Mini 3 Pro | 249 g | 18.1 Wh | not published here | not published here | microSD |
| DJI Mini 4K | 249 g | 17.32 Wh | not published here | not published here | microSD |
| DJI Mini 4 Pro | 249 g | 18.96 Wh | 1/1.3-inch | 34 min | 2 GB built in, microSD |
| DJI Flip | 249 g | 22.3 Wh | 1/1.3-inch | 31 min | 2 GB built in, microSD |
| DJI Mini 5 Pro | 249.9 g, plus or minus 4 g | 19.52 Wh | 1-inch | 36 min | 42 GB built in, microSD |
Specs from the makers' published data, checked October 2026. Where DJI lists "under 249 g" we show 249 g as the ceiling.
Our database covers DJI's drones only so far. Other makers sell sub-250 g camera drones too; we add them once we can source their specs from the maker.
What makes a drone go over 250 g
The Plus battery
DJI's spec pages say the Mini 3, Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro are over 249 g with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus. The Plus battery gives longer flights, but the drone is then a 250 g-plus drone for every rule in this article. DJI also says the Plus battery for the Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro is not sold in Europe.
The tolerance
DJI lists the Mini 5 Pro at about 249.9 g, plus or minus 4 g, and tells owners to check local laws on registration. An individual unit can be over 250 g with the standard battery. If the threshold matters where you fly, weigh your own drone.
Accessories
Transport Canada says the operating weight of a microdrone includes anything attached to it, such as optional cameras or safety cages, though not the controller. Propeller guards, lights, strobes and stickers all count in principle. DJI lists the Neo's flight time with propeller guards separately, which tells you the guards are a real addition. For the Neo 2, DJI gives 151 g without the Digital Transceiver and 160 g with it.
What under 250 g exempts, by country
| Authority | Under 250 g, flying for fun | What still applies |
|---|---|---|
| FAA (United States) | No registration needed | TRUST test for all recreational flyers; airspace rules; Part 107 registration if flying for work |
| Transport Canada | No registration, no pilot certificate | A special certificate to fly at an advertised event |
| EASA (European Union) | Operator registration still needed if the drone has a camera and is not a toy | Open category rules: subcategory A1 for C0 drones, 120 m maximum height, never over assemblies of people |
| UK CAA | From 100 g: Flyer ID, plus Operator ID if the drone has a camera | The Drone Code; UK class marks on new models from 2026 |
United States
The FAA says drones that weigh less than 250 grams and are flown under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations do not need registering. Every recreational flyer must still pass the free TRUST test and carry proof of it. If you fly for business, Part 107 applies and the drone must be registered whatever it weighs.
Canada
Transport Canada calls drones under 250 g microdrones. Pilots do not need to register them or get a pilot certificate. Visiting pilots do not need Transport Canada's foreign special flight operations certificate for drones under 250 g, except to fly at an advertised event.
European Union
EASA's rule is about the camera, not the weight: the operator of a drone with a camera must register with the national aviation authority, unless the drone is a toy. Every drone in our table needs it. The registration is for you as an operator, covers all your drones, and the number goes on each drone. Drones sold with a C0 label, including the Neo, Neo 2, Flip, Mini 3, Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro according to DJI's spec pages, fly in subcategory A1. EASA allows older unlabelled drones under 250 g, such as the Mini 2, to keep flying in A1.
United Kingdom
The CAA moved the line from 250 g to 100 g on 1 January 2026. A drone of 100 g to under 250 g needs a Flyer ID, from a free online theory test, and an Operator ID if it has a camera. Every drone in our table, including the 135 g Neo, needs both.
What sub-250 g never exempts
Weight-based exemptions are about paperwork. Airspace restrictions near airports, temporary flight restrictions, national park and city bans, privacy law and the basic rules about keeping the drone in sight apply to a 135 g drone the same as to a 1 kg one. Use the official airspace app or map for the country you are in before every flight.
Choosing among them for travel
- Smallest kit, short clips, selfies: DJI Neo or Neo 2. They are far lighter, but flight times are about half those of the Minis and the sensors are smaller.
- Largest sensor under 250 g: DJI Mini 5 Pro, with the 1-inch sensor, if you accept the weight tolerance and register where in doubt.
- A clear sub-249 g listing with all-round sensing: DJI Mini 4 Pro.
- Already own one: a Mini 2 or Mini 3 remains a sub-250 g drone with the standard battery.
For a closer comparison of three Mini generations, see DJI Mini 2 vs Mini 4 Pro vs Mini 5 Pro. For airports and batteries, see drone batteries on planes.