TAKINGTHE TEST
W hen the new European drone laws came into force this January, making it easier and cheaper for independent filmmakers to legally fly most consumer- type camera drones, I jumped at the chance to become one of the first to give it a go. While many people wrestled with Brexit red tape, the UK signed up to the new European UAS regulations across the 27 EUMember States, as well as Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Beforehand, using a drone for any commercial use in the UK, such as professional filmmaking or photography, involved getting a formal qualification entitled Permission for Commercial Operation (PfCO) from the Civil Aviation
the A2 class is for drones under 4kg, which can fly no closer than 30mhorizontally frompeople uninvolved with the shoot, or 5m if low-speedmode is used. The A3 class is ideal for flying larger drones in areas that are clear of bystanders. That means no residential, commercial or industrial areas. The A2 class is probably the most relevant for filmmakers, including the most popular drones, like DJI or Yuneec. To fly these types of drones legally now, you need to have completed the A2 Certificate of Competency (CofC) training. The certificate lasts five years and the training, on average, costs £250 – around a quarter of the price, or less, of full commercial drone training. But it can cost less if you shop around. The A2 CofC course can be done in a classroom in one day or online – Covid restrictions have meant that online learning via Zoomhas gained in popularity. It covers theory such as the basic principles of flight, the law, operating in congested areas, how to avoid collision, battery safety and environmental factors. Following the A2 CofC training, you also have to complete practical flight training, either with a registered drone training company or under self-monitored conditions. Subsequently, there is a short multiple- choice test with 30 questions that you take online. Pass this and you gain the necessary permission to fly. There is no such thing as a drone licence, despite what the public might think.
Authority (CAA). This took a lot of training and involved passing not only a theory test, but also a flying exam and keeping records of flight time andmaintenance. I never bothered to do it as, like many fellow filmmakers, I hired in a qualified crewwhen I needed some drone shots for a paying client. I actually bought a couple of drones, but just to have a play with for my own fun and experience. Many times when the budget wouldn’t stretch to a qualified drone crew, I wanted to be able to just do a quick bit of filming for establishing shots and the like. But, obviously, I didn’t want to fall foul of the law, so the drone remained grounded. The new laws change all that. Essentially, they allow commercial operation legally without passing an expensive PfCO test, depending on weight, performance of the drone and the level of risk. It means that most typical, commercially purchased drones, like the DJI Mavic or Phantom series, are in the new ‘open’ category. This consists of aircraft under 25kg that fly no higher than 120m and remain in their operator’s line of sight at a maximumdistance of 500m. If you want to go higher or further, you need a full GVC (General Visual Line of Sight Certification). The replacement of the old PfCO, it takes a lot more time, expense and training. We focus on the A2 class here, because it’s of most use to filmmakers. Within the open category, there are sub-categories. To put it in simple terms: the A1 class is for drones under 250g and
IMAGE Consumer drones, like this DJI Phantom 4, come under the new A2 CofC licence rules, although they are classified as ‘legacy’ aircraft, but it means you are certified to fly them for commercial use like filmmaking
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