Second year's PfCO granted by CAA for drone operations

Catalyst Video Services have been granted a second year’s ‘Permission for Commercial Operations’ (PfCO) by the Civil Aviation Authority this week.

What is a PfCO?

A PfCO allows flights within the UK subject to the conditions and limitations specified by the CAA. However, the greater the amount of ‘freedom of operation’ that you require (in terms of locations, procedures and the duration of the permission), then the greater the amount of information you need to provide to the CAA (in terms of demonstrating that you can operate safely).

A permission from the CAA is required to be held if you conduct commercial operations with your aircraft, or if you wish to fly your aircraft:

within 150m of either a congested area or an organised open air crowd or more than 1000 persons
within 50m of people or properties/objects that are not under your control (iaw ANO2016 article 95)

In both cases the CAA must be suitably satisfied that the operation can be conducted safely.

The PfCO enables a person to conduct commercial operations with a small unmanned aircraft (drone) and also permits drones weighing 7kg or less to be operated within a congested area. Potential operators are required to provide evidence of pilot competence and an Operations Manual which details how the flights will be conducted.

Catalyst are fully CAA approved and insured for 2018.

Looking forward to another busy and exciting year ahead in the world of commercial drones!