How to apply
Anyone who wants to fly a drone for commercial work (often also referred to as aerial work) needs a Permission from the CAA (take careful note that this is not a licence).
To get this Permission, you will need to:
- Remote Pilot Competence
- Demonstrate a sufficient understanding of aviation theory (airmanship, airspace, aviation law and good flying practice).
- Pass a practical flight assessment (flight test).
- Develop basic procedures for conducting the type of flights you want to do and set these out in an Operations Manual.
- If your intended operation requires an approval with greater privileges than in a Standard Permission, you will also need to provide us with an Operating Safety Case to demonstrate that the intended operation is appropriately safe.
Details are available in our
guidance document CAP 722, including the requirements for remote pilot competence.
The CAA does not organise or run assessment courses but we approve commercial organisations, known as National Qualified Entities (NQEs) to do this assessment on out behalf.
Anyone interested in getting a CAA Permission should first contact one of the NQEs shown on our
guidance for operators page in order to obtain the required proof of remote pilot competence. The NQE will generally help you develop an operations manual and will offer advice on completing the additional paperwork.
Some concessions from the full remote pilot competence requirements are available if you already have suitable aviation (piloting) qualifications such as previous model aircraft flying qualifications or a licence or certificate that allows you to fly in non-segregated UK airspace (PPL, gliding certificate, etc). At the present time suitable British Model Flying Association (BMFA) certificates are accepted and although not listed, equivalents from the Scottish Model Association and Large Model Association will also be accepted. Previous military flying experience may also be accepted, the general requirement being that the pilot already has qualifications or experience in flying an aircraft in non-segregated UK airspace (i.e. not limited to flying only within military ranges, training areas or on active military service overseas).
The full range of available concessions (acceptable alternative evidence of pilot competency) is set out in more detail in
CAP722.
Once you have met the requirements, please follow the
guidance on how to apply and submit your application.
Renewals and variations
Permissions and exemptions are issued for a fixed period of time, which can be for up to 12 months in duration. They can be extended for further periods (renewed) or amended (varied) during the validity period. When making an application, the meaning of the terms ‘renewal’ and ‘variation’ on the application form are treated as follows:
‘Renewal’ means an application to extend the validity of an existing Permission, Exemption or other operational authorisation, where there is no change being requested for the class of UAS being used, the operational conditions, or the terms of the current approval.
‘Variation’ means a request to change the conditions within an already granted Permission, Exemption or other operational authorisation (Eg. a change of, or addition to, the class of UAS being used, a change to the operational parameters that are permitted, or a change to the terms within the current approval).
A variation to a Permission or Exemption is different to a renewal and so must be applied for separately. Please note that a ‘Standard’ Permission cannot be ‘varied’ to become a ‘Non-Standard’ Permission or Exemption due to the additional workload involved; such changes must be regarded as a new ‘Non-standard’ application.
‘Lapsed Renewal’ means an application to
update the validity of a Permission, Exemption or other operational
authorisation which has now expired. Please note a lapsed renewal will be
treated as an initial issue and will therefore be charged the equivalent
initial fee as per our scheme of charges.
‘Renewal and Variation’ means an application
to extend the validity of an existing Permission, Exemption or other
operational authorisation, where conditions have changed (Eg. a change of, or
addition to, the class of UAS being used, a change to the operational
parameters that are permitted, or a change to the terms within the current
approval).
Insurance
- It is
each applicant’s/operator’s responsibility to ensure they have appropriate
insurance coverage and this is a condition of each Permission, Exemption
or any other form of operational authorisation.
Regulation (EC) 785/2004
requires air carriers and aircraft operators (which includes UAS operators) to “…ensure that insurance cover exists for each and every
flight…”. - An
operator must have appropriate insurance in place at the time of exercising the
privileges of the Permission, Exemption or authorisation, i.e. for each and
every flight undertaken.
Note: Insurance
for “each and every flight” could be a per flight/daily/weekly/monthly or
annual policy so long as it satisfies the requirements of the EC Regulation for
the duration of the flight.
If an operator
with a Permission, Exemption or authorisation conducts a flight without valid
insurance, then that Permission, Exemption or authorisation would not be valid,
and therefore the operation be in breach of the ANO as well as EC785/2004.
The insurance
must be in the name of the applicant, not just the name of the pilot (unless
the pilot is the applicant ) or the trading name. I.E. for
companies the insurance must include the full name of the company including Ltd
/ Limited / PLC as appropriate.
Insurance must be
EC Regulation 785/2004 compliant. If you have any concerns your insurance
policy might not comply with EC Regulation 785/2004, then please check directly
with your broker.
Article 2(b) of
EC 785/2004 states that the regulation does not apply to ‘model aircraft with
an MTOM of less than 20kg’. In the absence of any definition of ‘model
aircraft’ within the regulation, the United Kingdom has interpreted ‘model
aircraft’ to mean “Any small unmanned aircraft which is being used for
sport or recreational purposes only”. Therefore, for all other types
of small unmanned aircraft flight, whether commercial or non-commercial,
appropriate cover that meets the requirements of EC 785/2004 is required.
Our charges
The price for Permission depends on the mass of the aircraft.
Details of our charges can be found in the
General Aviation Scheme of Charges at paragraph 3.11.
There is no limit on a maximum number of unmanned aircraft.
The renewal cost is reduced for subsequent years.
Note that the current turn-around time for a standard permission is 28 Working Days, this time scale applies when the CAA has received all required documentation and payment.