So I asked the SSC UAS Team in the CAA (UK) about the PFCO and footage and taking payment etc etc etc.. But then I threw in a few more questions about other stuff to see their reaction. Quite standard response and has opened up some more questions about it. All my notes are in
BOLD and Italic.
Anyway, my email starts off as...
Hi, SSC UAS team
Thanks for getting back to me.
I keep hearing from time to time that there are/were exceptions to this, hence why I’m asking because there is no definite answer that I could find at the time.
(FYI, this is my original post on here before I contacted the CAA about it to find out more)
So in any case,
any payment regardless of how little the payment (for example: £0.50p for a stack of photos of Port Talbot) will still require a PFco ? I was expecting some sort of margin with this, but it doesn’t seem like there is any?
I have additional questions
Will the PFco ever become a proper license like a PPL? If so, when is the timeline for this? Considering that the course seems to be run over the exact methodology of doing your PPL
When will there be a separate category in the future where hobbyist drone pilots can take general photos and sell them at their own leisure, instead of everything in one category (PFCO) where you have to do the full ground school course and basically come away with a industry commercial permission slip.
(I asked this question because of the CAP 1789 CAA regulations that came out last June/July time 2019)
How will the CAA monitor people who sells footage but does not have a PFCO?
(Just curious to see what systems they had in place already)
What are the laws flying around the coastline as well as beyond the shore line into international waters?
( I was thinking of flying coastal to get some amazing shots in)
When will the CAA implement the drone registration? And once registered, what does it do? Do we get bar codes, a serial number to apply onto the drone so we are recognised as registered?, will we get monitored via our dji app? What will we get once we register our drone?
(I wanted to know what we do get as we provide them with all our information.. what do we get from it?)
Many thanks
This is their response to my random questions (testing the waters to what they would say)
Thank you for your email.
Commercial is commercial it does not matter how much you are selling the footage for.
We have no plans for the permission ever to become a license like the PPL.
(why not?.. why isn't it a license? what is the reason?)
We are not sure if hobbyist drone pilots will be able to take general photos and sell them at their own leisure with out a PFCO.
(Very determined for them to get me to get a PFCO.. no grey area here what so ever)
The CAA take emails from various members of the public regarding people using drones illegally and selling footage when they do not have the required PFCO. This can then become a police matter.
(Really?.. ok how many has had police called on them for flying drones. Hobbyist and PFCO's.. I am very curious on the numbers and facts )
Please use the drone assist app which will enable you to see where and where not is permitted to fly your UAS on the coast. -
Safety Apps - Dronesafe International waters is beyond are remit.
(No s##t sherlock)
It will be law to have your drone registered by the end of this November. Please send your registration enquiries to
[email protected] as it is a separate team that deals with these enquiries.
Kind Regards,
SSC UAS Team
Consumers and Safety
Civil Aviation Authority
Tel: 03300221908
Follow us on Twitter: @UK_CAA
Please consider the environment. Think before printing this email. ET. | | |