Introduction
Commercial drone use is a controlled activity requiring CAA registration, permissions and insurance. This guidance provides general advice for UK aerial filming.
Contract a licensed/registered Drone Operator
All Drone Operators must be registered to the Civil Aviation Authority. For a basic flight your Drone Operator will need to have a Flyer ID and/or an Operator ID and for more complex flights will need an Operations Authorisation. The Operations Authorisation dictates what restrictions the Operator has to fly within.
Check the Operator has the correct permissions for your flight
An Operator can fly basic operations (open category) without an Operations Authorisation but are limited to flights that
- have a maximum take-off mass/flying weight of less than 25kg; and
- are operated within visual line of sight; and
- are not flown more than 400 feet (120 metres) in height from the ground.
Open category flights also have limitations on how close a drone can fly to people not involved with the shoot, dependent on the class of drone used. Those limitations are
- C0 and C1 drones can be flown over people
- C2 drones can be flown close to or far from people, but to fly close to people the pilot must have an A2 certificate of competency
- C3 and C4 drones can only be flown far from people.
All other flights require the Operator to hold an Operations Authorisation.
You're advised to obtain a copy of the Operator's registration and Authorisation to be sure they have the correct permissions to meet your needs. First Option can review these documents for you to ensure compliance.
Check the pilot has the correct training
In addition to having the correct operator authorisation, a pilot needs to have evidence of training. There are 3 levels of training
- Pilot ID that is obtained by completing a CAA online test
- A2 Certificate of Competence (CoC) for flying C2 drones close to people
- Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) Certificate for all flights not in the open category
Check that sufficient insurances are in place
The Operator must have Public/Aviation Liability cover that is compliant to CAA regulation. This is to protect from claims related to activities both on the ground and in the air. You should try to be named as additional insured on the Operator's cover - this could protect the production company from legal claims in the event of a major incident.
Plan the shoot with the Operator
Plan as much of your shoot as you can ahead of time to give the Operator an understanding of what yo're wanting to achieve; you'll get the most effective use of your time and you'll get the shots you intend. A shot list or storyboard will help significantly.
The Operator will have restrictions on the areas they can fly, proximity to people and drone height. These restrictions vary dependent on the Operator's registration or authorisation, territory, and the type of drone being flown. The Operator may need to obtain additional permissions before your shoot; they should inform you of this as soon as possible.
The Operator may need you to obtain location permissions for the flight, these could be
- Location owner permission for take-off/landing zone
- Local authority permission to fly in urban areas
- Possible road closures in urban areas.
- Police CAD for urban shoots.
It’s important that the Operator makes a site visit – this is their opportunity to survey the area for potential hazards such as electrical lines, roads, railways etc. and to find a suitable take-off and landing zone that will be away from production areas. The Operator’s visit doesn’t need to be during technical recces but this may help their understanding of the shoot taking place and the potential hazards associated with it.
From the information given, and from a site visit, the Operator will obtain the necessary permissions, create a flight plan and risk assessment. You should ask for a copy of both the flight plan and risk assessment ahead of filming.
Keep in contact with the operator regarding the weather
You should be prepared for the flight being delayed or postponed. Expect the Drone Operator to monitor the weather ahead of your shoot and on the day; they’ll confirm whether it is safe to fly. If the weather could adversely affect safety the operator will abandon, delay or postpone the flight—their decision must be final.
Put signs in place to warn the public of drone use in the area
Signage should be in place to warn the public of drone activity, especially near the take-off and landing zones.
Add drone safety information to the call sheet
Include details of the drone shoot in your call sheet so crew members are aware of what’s expected before arriving on set. This should include exclusion zones and what to do if the drone malfunctions or fails.
Ensure all production personnel receive a safety briefing
Ensure all production personnel receive a safety briefing from the operator and/or the 1st AD
Everybody working in or near the drone need to receive a safety briefing. The most competent person to deliver this is the Drone Operator. You should expect the briefing to cover
- Location of safe working zones and exclusion zones
- Who needs to wear high visibility clothing
- What to do when the drone is flying
- What to do if the drone malfunctions of fails.
Check the Drone Operator is happy with plans
Remember the pilot is ultimately responsible for the safety of the flight and it will not go ahead until they are happy.
Don’t introduce new elements to the shoot
Don't change plans at this stage, stick with what has been planned and agreed. Any changes you make may need additional permissions and as a minimum will require the drone to land and the Operator to reappraise the shoot.