SPECIFIC-CATEGORY FOR FLYING DRONES

If the risk profile of the flight falls outside the framework of the Open category, the flight falls within the Specific-category. An operational authorisation issued by the CAA is required for any flight within the Specific-category. This operational authorisation will be based on the CAA’s evaluation of a safety risk assessment that has been produced by the UAS operator or, in some circumstances, has been ‘pre-defined’ and published by the CAA. There are four types of the operational authorisation:

• Submitting a planned operation according to a Standard Scenario (STS)

• Obtaining a permit for a certain type of flight by submitting a Pre-Defined Risk Assessment (PDRA)

• Obtaining a permit for a certain type of flight by submitting a Specific Operations Risk Analysis (SORA)

• Obtaining a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC)

These four options apply to the operators. The pilot must be in possession of the GVC. The GVC is a remote pilot competency certificate which has been introduced as a simple qualification that satisfies the remote pilot competency requirements for VLOS operations within the Specific-category. The GVC satisfies the competency requirements of any published PDRA that involves VLOS flight.