[Mr Bags]

As a corporate film maker, I now wish to get a small drone to add to our filming capabilities. Something like the DJI Phantom 4, which weighs under 2 kilos.

As the drone will be used for financial gain, I need to apply to the CAA for an 'Application for Operation of a small Unmanned Aircraft' licence.

I understand that I will need to pass a flight test from a qualified CAA approved organisation. I also understand that my PPL licence can be used as part of the licence application.

Being based near Guildford, can anyone recommend a suitable approved drone training organisation in the locale, or any other info that would be of help?

Many thanks in advance!
Pete Bags

[riverrock]

If it helps, there are a list of approved organisations here:
https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-indust ... cial-work/

I understand that a PPL can get you out of the theory parts of the courses - but you might need to phone around a few of them before you find one that allows this.
There is an operations manual template here: https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/Download ... 4294975606
which you'll need for your company's permission.

[DronePilot]

Hi Pete,

I have just completed my drone flight test, last week actually. I chose a course/exam with NATS.

I hold a PPL(A) so there is no need to do the regular 3 day course, instead you must complete the flight test and multiple choice exam. NATS send you a course booklet which gives you all the drone related specifics you need for the exam, as well as details of what the flight test entails.

NATS obviously have the best knowledge of airspace and safety, which is why i chose them. The exams were in Fareham (near Portsmouth).

Highly recommended and great fun. One word of warning though, you must complete the flight test in ATTI mode, therefore without GPS assist, which apparently is not possible using a Mavic drone. Phantoms are fine though.

Good luck!

[Mr Bags]

Many thanks for this info - the NATS route looks the best for me.

Pete

[Tall_Guy_In_a_PA28]

One word of warning though, you must complete the flight test in ATTI mode, therefore without GPS assist, which apparently is not possible using a Mavic drone.

That may be a NATS stipulation, but it is not a CAA one. The CAA will expect the flight training to reflect the type of flying described in the Operations Manual, so a GPS dependant UAV can be used if that is the end game. Appropriate attention should be paid in the training and Ops manual to actions in the event of GPS loss.

[AlanB]

I did it at NATS too. The test was indoors in the gym at Swanick so GPS reception wasn't a problem

Basically for a PPL, the NATS course is just 1 day. You sit the ground exam (which was a piece of p*ss) which was a NATS requirement, then do the handling test. No big deal. Before you get PFCO from the CAA, you need to write an Ops manual. NATS also help you with this though if you do their course.

There are other ways to do it without a formal course though. If you fly models, or know a friendly BMFA (model flying association) examiner who can examine you and issue you a BMFA 'A' certificate, then this is good enough for the CAA (and costs £25 or so to join the BMFA rather than £600 for the course). Being a pilot you are exempt from the TK requirement, so you just need to send them evidence of your PPL (i.e. license should do) and the A cert, as well as the Ops Manual....oh and insurance.

Before you do this though, check whether standard CAA permissions will be good enough for you (essentially, for a sub 7kg drone in a congested area you need to be 50m away from people not under your control). So if your friendly estate agent asks you to photo a house in a town, essentially you couldn't do it.

You can apply for exemptions using the Operational Safety Case (OSC) system. It is a pain in the backside though, requires 3 more manuals, more fees and in typical CAA fashion, you are looking at in excess of 7 months for them to deal with this. We applied for permission to work at up to 1000 AGL, up to 1500m extended visual line of sight and within 10m of people not under our control, mainly because the standard permissions are too restrictive.