Do I need to start from scratch? (UK)

Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Age
39
Hi all -

Back at the end of 2019 I completed a GVC course and got my license and pfco here in the UK. However - a long story made a short - covid hit soon after and my freelancing business took a huge hit and I'm only now starting to get back onto it and getting work through. As my attention was forced elsewhere I'm only now catching up with all the changes in requirements and I'm worried I've let things run far too long.

My GVC has an expiry of 2025, but from what I can understand my PFCO which was issued in October 2020 would have long since run out and now to reapply for it I need to sit a completely new GVC exam/flight test. Is that correct?

In terms of the new categories from what I can understand i can now fly my drone (mavic 2) in the open category without this, but if I want to get close to people or property (with permission and risk assessment of course) then I'd need the GVC.

Thank you for bearing with my daft questions - I have a lot of catching up to do and I'm finding all the official documentation extremely confusing.
 
you will need to pass the A2CoC test at around £99 along with an operator ID on the drone if you want to fly close to properties and people, this isnt needed with the MIni 1 and 2 at the moment

When you were PFCO you were able to charge for work, under the new rules this can now be done by any quad pilot, which is why the mini 1 and 2 are very popular.

Should you choose to do any kind of work then people recommend getting the relevant insurance, which can be done on a daily basis.
 
you will need to pass the A2CoC test at around £99 along with an operator ID on the drone if you want to fly close to properties and people, this isnt needed with the MIni 1 and 2 at the moment

When you were PFCO you were able to charge for work, under the new rules this can now be done by any quad pilot, which is why the mini 1 and 2 are very popular.

Should you choose to do any kind of work then people recommend getting the relevant insurance, which can be done on a daily basis.

Thanks for the reply! I didn't know the weight category affected flying distances in that way. That seems really odd that if I buy a mini 2 for example I can fly right up to people and their properties - is that right? Sounds a huge step back in terms of safety to me; if I'm not mistaken the rotor speed of those are even faster and could still cause some serious damage!
 
Thanks for the reply! I didn't know the weight category affected flying distances in that way. That seems really odd that if I buy a mini 2 for example I can fly right up to people and their properties - is that right? Sounds a huge step back in terms of safety to me; if I'm not mistaken the rotor speed of those are even faster and could still cause some serious damage!
yes that is correct, there are no limits on distance from people with the mini, ive flown the mini into myself twice when doing dolly shots, its not that dangerous, as the props are quite bendable, but thats just my opinion.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,054
Messages
1,467,297
Members
104,919
Latest member
BobDan