Before hiring a drone operator for your next project, there are some
things you should be aware of
Drone laws in the UK are complicated and hard to understand at the best of times, with many grey areas and conditional regulations to consider When you hire a drone pilot, it is as much your responsibility to make sure you are not using a pilot that is flying illegally or irresponsibly
What Should You Know Before Hiring A Drone Pilot?
In accordance with the regulations enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), there is a number of things you need to know when sourcing the perfect people for the job. It is important to ensure the operators you hire are flying within the legislations and requirements, and not just someone you know who has a drone on a hobbyist level - although they may not charge much or anything at all for the job, if something were to go wrong, there is no backstop to protect you or the pilot, and the operator may be liable to prosecution or a hefty repair bill depending on the incident
Insurance As enforced by the CAA, any operators who provide commercial services (for payment or as a service to the public) MUST hold valid Commercial Insurance & Public Liability Insurance in line with the EC regulation 785/2004 this insurance usually starts at a minimum of £1,000,000 (One Million GBP) As a client hiring a drone operator, you have the right to request proof of this insurance - but most pilots will show you as a matter of principle CAA Permissions In December 2020, a new set of regulations were introduced by the CAA As opposed to the old set of regulations, post-Dec 2020, there is no set divide between those who fly UAV's (drones) for hobbyist purposes and those who fly commercially. This makes it much harder for you (the client) to determine who is a trustworthy service provider, and who is just a hobbyist flyer. Now, legally, there is nothing stopping anyone with a drone providing commercial services, as long as they hold the relevant insurances and that they are registered with the CAA with a "flyer" & "operator" ID - which anyone can sign up for - but that doesn't mean that they are proficient enough to provide these services safely and effectively Any pilot providing commercial work, MUST hold Commercial & Public Liability Insurance, and be registered with the CAA and hold a Flyer & Operator ID CAA Certifications A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) - Operations within the Open & Specific categories General Visual Line of Sight Certification (GVC) - Operations within the Certified category (+ sub-categories) These certifications allow pilots in any category to fly safely in locations/distances/subcategories that were previously prohibited
Why Should You Hire Commercial Operators?
Hiring an operator/business that operates safely and within the CAA regulations is paramount in ensuring you are getting the most professional experience, but also, ensuring that every possible basis is covered to help reduce accidents and keep the operation as safe as possible It is the responsibility of the operator to maintain strict safety standards and remain within the law at ALL TIMES, but it is also your responsibility to make sure that you are not hiring illegally operating pilots You are well within your rights as a client to ask for proof of certification, registration and insurance from your pilot before commencing with a commercial drone job
To find out more about the laws of drone operation in the UK
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