Drone Quals (PfCO)

[TechMonkey]

Has anyone properly looked into drones and the need for the PfCO qualification? I've had some advice that if our school were to get one and only use the footage for some fun and internal use then a permission would not be needed. The minute we publish the footage as marketing it could be construed as commercial interest and we would need it. But I have been told it is a bit of a grey area.

 

I then find on the CAA website:

Generation of self-marketing material to display an object, event or other activity. An individual or business would not usually be considered to be conducting commercial operations if the flight is provided only for their own use. Example: A charity, educational establishment, local authority or business acquires a drone which is used (and flown by its own staff) to provide aerial imagery for incorporation into its own promotional material.

To me that says we are all good as we are doing it for ourselves and the rest of the page seems, to me, to say as long as you are not contracting out or advertising drone services, you are all good. So if we hired out the school for a wedding and offered to film it with the drone, then we may run into issues without the qualification.

 

Part of me is tempted to say that the school should get someone trained if they go ahead, just for CYA and to ensure no-one does anything silly but obviously it increases the entry cost.

 

Thoughts?

[Sonic007]

I would say that statement covers you fine for filming material for school website, etc.

 

I would definitely check the school have insurance that covers drone operation. You wouldn't want to land into issues if it falls out the sky and sends a student to hospital.

[TechMonkey]

Many thanks, that was what I was thinking.

 

I would definitely check the school have insurance that covers drone operation. You wouldn't want to land into issues if it falls out the sky and sends a student to hospital.

 

Yes, insurance is part of the investigation. Although I'm sure it would depend on the student...

[Oddbod]

Get a professional licence.

 

The law was quietly changed over the Christmas break after the airport chaos… there is a long discussion about it on The Register.

 

The weight exemption has been removed… ALL drones require a license to fly now… even the tiny biscuit drones they sell in smyths toy stores.

And the airport exclusion zone has been increased from 1/2 a mile to 3 miles.

 

And it goes without saying that you should get public liability insurance to cover at least £5million in damages…

That's about £55 a year.

 

Won't stop the "ne'er do wells", from flying though…