Modern-Aviation

Again, check out the section on The Drone Hobby Introduction section within this site and this will go towards explaining the initial steppingstones to becoming a drone pilot. You will need to have your Flyer's ID, Operators ID, before touching a drone for use within a public place or on location. You will be required to understand the legislation and this is tested on each of the module stages in form of a multiple choice question or examination under the CAA and of course you will also need to pay an annual subscription followed by insurance and company liability costs.

The training is usually via a specialised Training Provider found online or via a conventional local college offering this speciality training.

As for the drone, a suitable drone is required and this really depends on the job requirements. Some may consider using a drones with a camera and will be a necessity if considering the commercial pathway, it may even be classified as a toy. If it does the job satisfactory then anything goes.

However, turning up to a location in the capacity of representing yourself or your business does also require you to market your business as impressions, goes a long way and one also needs to leave a 'good' long lasting impression with your client. Turning up with a toy may not present the professionalism that one should portray with your client and one will not meet your clients expectations. Each visit to your client will grow or lose reputation based on the practices and outcome of each job. A good reputation will bring in more business. I will talk about the type of drones later.

The minimum recommended requirements as to qualification can be considered is the completion of the A2CofC however this can be restricting as to the type and weight of drone used. The definition of A2CofC is 'the certificate of competency':

"The A2CofC is solely a pilot qualification. As such, it’s ideal for sole traders who are free of the complications of sharing equipment and agreeing procedures across a team".

To further summarise, with an A2 CofC you can fly legacy aircraft: 500g - 2kg MTOM - Maintain 50m separation distance from uninvolved people. With an A2 CofC you can fly C2 class aircraft down to 30m of uninvolved people, or down to 5m if the aircraft has been switched to a low-speed mode.

The next qualification is the GVC (General VLOS or Visual Line of Site Certificate) The GVC is the equivalent of the existing PfCO training and offers exactly the same permissions using any aircraft which has a maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of less than 25kg.

"The GVC, in contrast, is supported by a mandatory Operations Manual detailing company policies".

The definition allows you to operate under the Specific category. The UK CAA will accept the GVC as proof of remote pilot competence when applying for an Operational Authorisation. The GVC is required in order to conduct “commercial operations” within a specified category. The term Commercial Operations allows a broad variety of flight applications, which are mostly based around aerial photography or the operation of sensors and other data-gathering devices.
Obtaining a GVC enables you to apply for an Operational Authorisation, which is issued by the CAA. An Operational Authorisation is crucial for missions conducted within the Specific Category. Similar in scope to the former PfCO, (Permission for Commercial Operation) the Operational Authorisation is aimed mainly at enterprise/commercial drone operators, for those conducting missions with aircraft such as the heavier DJI M300 RTK, Matrice 200 Series, and Inspire 2 type aircraft. This will be discussed later...