Waiting for CAA UAS Approval?

My Ops Manual has just been sent to the CAA. According to the CAA website, and my contact at EuroUSC, it takes approximately 28 days for it to be passed off and ‘permisson to fly’ to be granted. I’ve sketched the 26th May, into my mind, including weekends, so it might be longer.

So what do you do while your waiting. Or more appropriately, what can you do?

I have been toying with the idea of approaching a few local businesses, telling them about what i do, and what i can offer them. I decided on monday this week, that i would do just that.

Today i visited my first client, a prestigious Golf Course in my local Town. At 1pm this afternoon they gave me the keys to a Golf Buggy and gave to free run of the Grounds.

This is the only image of the Course, the Club’s website currently has…..

I have offered my Aerial Photography services free of charge. Why? Well, until i have received ‘Permission for Aerial Work – PFAW. Secondly, there are lots of Golf Courses in my area. Golf Courses have money and their members are generally wealthy. Its not about getting my grubby mitts on their cash, its about Networking, building a client base.

Filming a Golf Course will help improve my portfolio, i’ve tended to fly over fields and rivers of late. I spent over 4 hours on location today, this allowed me to conduct a thorough ‘pre’ on-site assessment. Using GoogleMaps on my Ipad i was able to spot local hazards. My Regional VFR Map to identified the Course is within Regional Class D Air Space, so i will need to contact my local ATC.

I cannot wait to get started in ernest. I plan on visiting the site again later this week, and the Course Manager has asked that i look to film in a few weeks, allowing the foliage to fully bloom, and the course to look its best. This gives me time to plan my shots and angles. Because i was given a Buggy, i was able to drive around the entire location, so i already have an idea of the shots i want to get.

An additional Camera Operator is going to be essential to get the best shots. Luckily the Course Pro is a UAS fan, he had already pitched the idea to the Board! He knows the shots he wants, so i will be taking some of my ‘direction’ from him.

I will post more when more happens!

Drone, UAS, UAV – Terminology

Telling people i’m training to be a UAS Pilot, always draws a blank look.

Then i say ‘Drone’, and they understand and get excited. At least two of my friends asked if i’m going to “blow stuff up”?

I then have to burst their bubble, and tell them i’m only armed with a 4K camera, not Hellfire Missiles (ok that is a cool name).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-114_Hellfire

Thats my issue with the using the term, Drone. People know what a Drone is because of the US and UK Drone bombing campaigns in Afghanistan, Pakistan and against ISIS of late.

I feel people have a negative association with the term. Whenever the media discuss consumer UAS incidents, like Phantoms landing on the White House Lawn, or Near Misses at Heathrow, they too refer to them as Drones. Put Drone into Google Images, first picture; DJI Phantom (then lots of US Military platforms)

So, am i actually a Drone Pilot? Or a UAS Pilot, or a UAV/RPAS Pilot?  EuroUSC refer to their students as UAS or Unmanned Aerial Systems Pilots. Maybe the qualification you have, results in what you call yourself. Put UAS into Google Images, first picture is a Quadcopter! Yay. Put UAV into Google Images, Military.

I have been somewhat confused about the whole thing since i become so engaged in the industry. I certainly will continue to refer to myself as a UAS Pilot, useful as my company is named after it!

As per, there are people who have been thinking thoughts like these for longer than i have, and know more than i do, here is another great site for newbies to the UAS industry.

You have probably come across these guys before: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association. A great site for information, legal and insurance advice and general news.  They have written a in depth description on their take of UAV vs UAS. Its defiantly worth a read….

https://www.uavs.org/index.php?page=what_is

http://eurousc.com/services/pilot-qualifications/

TU!

New CAA UAS Regulations

Just a quick post and link to the latest CAA CAP 722 Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations in UK Airspace – Guidance

http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=415

Have a read and fly safe.

TU

More stupidness from ‘Over The Water’ – The FAA

The FAA has written to a Hobbyist warning him that he faces potential persecution for posting his videos on YouTube, because, wait for it, there are adverts on YouTube!!!!!!!!!!

You can find the whole story on Motherboard

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-faa-says-you-cant-post-drone-videos-on-youtube

I am grateful the CAA are a little more relaxed and considerate than their American counterparts. Europe is defiantly the place to be for UAV enthusiasts over the next few years.

Here is a transcript of the actual letter the FAA sent this poor guy.

TU