If you fly a DJI Mini drone (such as the Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro or Mini 5 Pro) for landscape work in the UK, you may have noticed a frustrating change that came into effect on January 1st 2026. Shots that were previously possible along cliffs, ridgelines, or steep terrain are now impossible to get due to a hard altitude limit, even though the law for drone pilots still talks about 120 meters above ground.
This article explains what actually changed on 1 January 2026, why DJI Mini drones are now capped at 120 meters above the take-off point, and how that differs from the legal altitude rule drone pilots are expected to follow. It also explains why this especially matters specifically for landscape photographers, and why this behaviour is not a bug, a mistake, or a sudden change in UK drone law. After reading this blog, you should have a clear understanding of what your Mini can and cannot do, why it behaves this way, and how to plan your flights accordingly. Let’s dive in!
DJI Mini drones are a wildly popular choice among aspiring and beginner drone pilots but in recent years, they have become the victim of stricter regulations in many areas around the world – presumably due to their popularity.
The Altitude Rule Itself Has Not Changed
Let’s get one thing out of the way first: under UK Open Category rules, the altitude limit for drone pilots is still defined as no higher than 120 meters from the closest point of the Earth’s surface. In practice, this is what most drone pilots refer to as 120 meters above ground level (AGL). This wording matters a lot because it allows flight along slopes, cliffs, valleys, and uneven terrain, as long as the aircraft never exceeds 120 meters from the ground beneath it. That principle remains unchanged and is still how the rule is described by the Civil Aviation Authority.
So What Has Changed?
In the new regulations, there is a discrepancy between the regulations for drone manufacturer’s and drone pilots.
The UK regulations for drone pilots speak about altitude from the closest point of the surface (Above Ground Level or AGL), which gives pilots the ability to follow terrain in a controlled and predictable way. However, the new UK regulations for drone manufacturers impose a limitation specifically to Mini drones that forces them to cap the maximum altitude above take-off point to 120 meters. This means it does not adapt to cliffs, slopes, or sudden changes in elevation beneath the drone. The result is that a drone pilot can be flying well within the legal altitude limit, within visual line of sight, and in safe conditions, yet still be prevented from continuing the flight because the drone has reached an altitude limit tied to where it launched, not to the ground below it.
That mismatch between how the law is written for drone pilots and drone manufacturers is the core of the confusion, and the reason this change feels so disruptive to many Mini drone pilots.
DJI Mini 5 Pro is an incredible drone in a super small form-factor, which is what it makes it so popular but that popularity may now be over.
These UK classification labels will become more familiar.
Why DJI Mini Drones Specifically Stop At 120 Meters Above The Take-Off Point
From 1 January 2026, the UK fully implemented its class marking system, recognizable by the UK0 through UK6 labels. At the same time, EU C-class drones such as C0 and C1 are recognised as equivalent.
For Mini drones, this classification as a UK0/C0 drone matters. Under this classification, drone manufacturers are obligated to apply a fixed altitude ceiling relative to the take-off point. This approach is far easier to enforce reliably than attempting to calculate terrain and the closest point of the surface in real time.
As a result, even though the law still places responsibility on the pilot to remain within 120 meters of the surface, all UK0 or C0 drones are now obligated to be more restrictive than the legal limit for drone pilots. That is why a DJI Mini may not be able to performed a flight that would still be legal when done with a drone with a different classification.
If you fly a lot in mountainous terrain like I do, the limitations to the C0/UK0 drones can be too restrictive.
This Is Nothing New: It Is Already The Case In The EU!
If this situation feels familiar, that is because these rules and regulations on C0 drones have already applied in the EU for the last two years. When the EASA drone rules were first applied there, many pilots assumed the altitude behavior was a firmware issue or a policy choice by DJI. In reality, it was class-based compliance catching up with how Mini drones were being used in practice. I wrote about this in detail at the time, explaining why C0 drones were limited this way and how that conflicted with the regulations drone pilots have to abide by. What we are seeing now in the UK is essentially the same process, just on a delayed timeline.
The EU drone classification labels have been around for over two years now.
Why This Change Feels Sudden
Another reason this has caught so many drone pilots off guard is the way DJI implements restrictions. Altitude behaviour can change through firmware updates, app updates, or FlySafe database updates. Especially in the case of FlySafe database updates, nothing obvious appears to change from the pilot’s perspective as it all happens in the background, yet the drone may suddenly behave differently. That is why many pilots feel as if the restriction appeared overnight. The law did not change, but enforcement at the drone level became consistent with the class requirements.
The Real Impact Is For Drone Pilots Who Fly In Uneven Landscapes & Terrain
This is where Mini drones are affected most. If you launch from the bottom of a cliff, or at the lowest point of any elevated terrain, you may now reach the altitude ceiling long before exceeding 120 meters from the ground below the aircraft. In other words, you can be fully legal and still physically unable to fly the shot you want. For landscape photographers and filmmakers, this can often be the most frustrating part. It does not feel unsafe and it does not feel illegal, yet the drone simply refuses to climb further. That limitation is now inherent to flying a UK0 or C0 class drone such as the Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro.
Within mountainous areas in the UK, like this area in the Lake District, it may be impossible to actually fly above mountains unless you walk all the way on top of them.
Are There Any Ways Around It?
This is presumably why you are reading this article: are there any ways around this limitation? There are options, but none of them are perfect.
- The most obvious one is that you, as a drone pilot, can choose to accept the limitation and adjust how you plan flights. That may mean choosing take-off points more carefully or launching from a higher take-off point when filming steep drops or cliffs.
- It is also possible to reclassify a drone from C0/UK0 to C1/UK1, which will remove the strict altitude limit tied to the take-off point. I have done this for example with my DJI Mini 5 Pro. The reclassification may depend on the specific model, is generally irreversible, and usually comes with trade-offs (having to abide by other regulations). Once reclassified, you lose some of the privileges that make Mini drones attractive in the first place.For example, for DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Mini 5 Pro, you can follow the reclassification steps from the drone controller by pressing the “Request Higher Altitude Limit” in the Safety menu.
For pilots who regularly work in mountainous or dramatic terrain, the truth is that Mini drones may no longer be the ideal choice under current class rules. However, it should be noted that if you are primarily using a Mini drone for its compact size and light weight, nothing changes of course.
The Key Takeaways From This
Nothing in UK drone law suddenly became stricter on altitude when it comes to drone pilot regulations. What changed on 1 January 2026 is that the UK drone classifications became fully active. This means UK0 drones are now treated the same as C0 drones, and manufacturers such as DJI are now forced to apply a maximum altitude limit to UK0/C0 drones.
If your DJI Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro, or Mini 5 Pro now refuses to climb beyond 120 meters from your take-off point, that is not a bug and it is not a misunderstanding of the rules. It is simply the point where regulations for drone manufactures and drone pilots do not line up.
DJI Mini 5 Pro is still a great drone but it may be worth considering reclassifying it as a C1/UK1 drone.
Frequently Asked Questions
To wrap up this blog, I have collected a few frequently asked questions.
Is The UK Altitude Limit Now 120 Meters Above The Take-Off Point?
In short: no. UK regulations still define the limit as 120 meters from the closest point of the Earth’s surface. The restriction you are seeing comes from the drone’s class-based enforcement, not from a change in the regulations for drone pilots.
Why Is My Drone More Restricted Than The Regulations For Drone Pilots?
Drone manufacturers are obligated to impose technical limits that are stricter than the legal maximum for drone pilots. For C0 and UK0 drones, a fixed limit relative to the take-off point is now imposed and set at 120 meters.
Did This Change Happen Because Of New UK Rules?
Yes, but indirectly. The introduction of UK class marks on 1 January 2026 aligned UK enforcement with how C0 drones are already handled elsewhere (for example in the EU). The law itself did not change.
Can DJI Change This Again In The Future?
Possibly. DJI can alter altitude behaviour through firmware updates or FlySafe database updates. As long as Mini drones remain in the UK0 or C0 class, this behaviour is unlikely to disappear.
Can Reclassifying My Drone To C1 Remove The Limit?
In some cases, yes. However, reclassification depends on the model, may be irreversible, and comes with operational trade-offs. Always check official DJI documentation before making that decision. For DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Mini 5 Pro, you can follow the reclassification steps from the drone controller by pressing the “Request Higher Altitude Limit” in the Safety menu.
Is A DJI Mini Drone Still Suitable For Flying Around Mountainous Terrain?
It can be, but with limitations. If your work relies heavily on terrain-following shots in steep environments, a Mini drone may no longer be the best tool under current class rules.
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Hello from France.
I don’t know if it’s different in UK, but here in France, since mid-november 2025, it is no longer possible to change the category of a Mini drone from C0 to C1 category by the “Request Higher Altitude Limit” process.
When you click on “Request Higher Altitude Limit” you just have a message saying that to comply with the european rules, DJI no longer offers this possibility.
Roland
That’s very odd. I am not aware of any changes in regulations that wouldn’t allow you to do that. I reclassified my Mini 5 Pro to a C1 drone at the end of November without issues. The menu option to do this is also still present in the latest firmware updates. Perhaps this is very local to the France market or there is some kind of misunderstanding.