Do you need a license or registration to fly the DJI Mini 3?

For recreational flying, you don't need a license or FAA registration for the DJI Mini 3 with its standard battery, because it weighs under 250 g. You do need to pass the FAA's free TRUST test and carry the certificate. If you fit the Battery Plus (about 290 g) you must register it, and if you fly for any business purpose you need a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and must register the drone regardless of weight.

Hobby flying with the standard battery

• TRUST certificate: free online test from an FAA-approved provider. Carry proof when you fly. See TRUST test.
• Registration: not required. DJI lists the Mini 3 at 248 g with the standard battery, propellers and a microSD card.
• Remote ID: not required, because the drone doesn't need registering.
• Rules still apply: stay at or below 400 ft in uncontrolled airspace, get LAANC or DroneZone authorization in controlled airspace, keep it in sight, don't fly over people or moving vehicles, and follow a community-based organization's safety guidelines.

Being under 250 g doesn't exempt you from airspace rules, TFRs or no-fly zones. See drones under 250 g rules.

Hobby flying with the Battery Plus

The Battery Plus raises the Mini 3 to about 290 g, over the 250 g line. Register it at FAADroneZone ($5, valid 3 years), mark the registration number on the outside of the drone, and add its serial for Remote ID. DJI's manual says the Mini 3's built-in Remote ID only activates with the Battery Plus, which is exactly when you need it. See Mini 3 Battery Plus.

Flying for business: Part 107

Any flight that supports a business, such as real estate photos, paid video or social content for a company, falls under Part 107:

1. Remote Pilot Certificate: pass the FAA knowledge test at an approved test center (minimum age 16). Recurrent online training every 24 months is free. See Part 107.
2. Register the drone under Part 107, whatever it weighs.
3. Remote ID: a Part 107 drone must broadcast. With the standard battery, the Mini 3 doesn't broadcast, so fly it with the Battery Plus fitted (which turns on its Standard Remote ID) or add a broadcast module. See Mini 3 Remote ID.
4. Operating rules: 400 ft, 100 mph, line of sight, yield to manned aircraft, and the over-people categories.

Not sure which side you're on? Read Part 107 vs recreational.

Age

There's no minimum age for the TRUST test, though young children should fly with an adult. Part 107 requires you to be at least 16. See how old do you have to be to fly a drone.

State and local rules

Some states and cities add rules on privacy, critical infrastructure and parks, even for small drones. National parks ban drone launches without a special permit. Check before you fly: drone laws by state.

Flying abroad

Other countries set their own rules. In the EU, the Mini 3 with its standard battery is a C0 drone. Many countries still require operator registration even for small drones. See traveling with a drone.

Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Ready to fly? Get the DJI Mini 3, take the TRUST test, and read the Mini 3 quick start.

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