Is it necessary to employ a licensed operator?
Yes. It is necessary to employ a licensed operator for commercial work in the UK and abroad. Survey Drone operators are registered pilots with CAA ‘permission for aerial work’. All of our operators must complete training at the Rheinmetall Unmanned Systems Training Academy and have a thorough knowledge of UK and international regulations before they are able to pilot our systems.
Do you carry insurance for your operations?
Yes. Survey Drone carry professional indemnity insurance of £50,000 and Public Liability Insurance of £5,000,000 in order to comply with regulations governing professional services in film and survey. We are able to supply evidence of cover prior to commencement of services.
Are you able to film in any location?
No. Some areas of the UK, such as airports or military installations are off limits. Others such as Central London require special permission which has to be requested in advance of filming. It is always necessary to obtain permission from the landowner before overflying private property.
What is the flight time of the aircraft?
Our multi-rotor aircraft can fly for up to 20 minutes in good conditions (warm temperatures and light winds).
What is the range of the aircraft?
The range of the aircraft is technically limited only by the flight time. Operators must fly within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the aircraft, generally considered to be 500m from the pilot. In addition to this they must not fly over 400ft above the take-off position.
Are you able to fly indoors?
Yes. Survey Drone have been involved in a number of commissions that involve indoor flying. Our aircraft systems provide stable indoor flight and are not subject to CAA regulations. Please see our showreel for examples.
Can we be with you when you are flying?
Absolutely. One of the best parts about our dual control systems is that we can even hand you independent control of the camera to set up and take the shots yourself. Alternatively, we can provide a professional camera operator to capture those hard to get or difficult shots. Just let us know your requirements.
Is the use of drones safe?
Yes. As with any motorised vehicle things can go wrong. However, our equipment is fitted with multiple failsafe systems, including battery monitoring and automatic return to home functions in the event of signal loss. Our pilots are trained how to handle emergencies and we carry out a thorough risk assessment and site survey before lift-off to ensure that all foreseeable risks have been reduced. We will not fly if we consider that any member of the public or the crew is in danger.
Do you operate outside of the UK?
Yes. Survey Drone have already completed work in other European countries and as far afield as Africa and China. When operating outside the UK we are bound by the regulations of those authorities and we require a greater lead in time to complete all necessary documentation to fly legally.
Are you able to provide post production and film editing?
Yes. In fact we can provide you with a whole package including film direction, cameramen, pilots and a world class post-production team. Talk to us about our experience in both location and studio filming.
