Frequently Asked Questions

Are you licensed & insured?

Yes! Catchavista Aerial Imaging has public liability insurance and complies with regulation (EC)785/204 as required by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and holds a Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) granted by the CAA. It is illegal to perform aerial work without the permission of the CAA.

Is it Safe?

• Absolutely! It is Catchavista`s top priority.

• We have an extensive Operations manual, perform remote pre-flight assessments to gather information on the take-off and surrounding area before we even step foot on site.

• Every job is risk assessed ahead of any work carried out

• No flight will be carried out unless it is safe to do so.

  Can weather affect the flight?

The British weather is very changeable and sometimes conditions may not be suitable for flying. High winds, rain, poor visibility and freezing temperatures can pose safety issues. We monitor the weather forecast 5 days in advance of any shoot. If the signs are not good, we contact our client 48 hours before the shoot to make contingency plans. If the shoot needs to be cancelled, we would be more than happy to rearrange at the earliest opportunity.

Where can you Fly?

Anywhere we are legally permitted! We operate in accordance with UK Drone laws and our CAA issued PfCO, which clearly define where and how we can operate. The main operational conditions for a small unmanned aircraft (SUA) include:

• Maintaining a distance of 50m from people and property not in control of the pilot

• During take off and landing, maintaining a distance of 30m from people and property not in the control of the pilot

• Permission of the landowner to take off and land

• Directly overhead or within a minimum distance of 150m from an open air assembly of over 1000 people

• Maximum height of 400 feet above ground level

• Maintain visual line of sight of the SAU to a maximum distance of 500m

• Outside of controlled airspace

  The PfCO we hold allows for flight within congested areas. With the right planning, we can fly in towns, cities and villages.

  We can fly close to buildings and people when we have the consent of the owner, owners of adjacent properties and people in close proximity have been briefed and are under the control of the pilot - this allows us to do close survey work of buildings, roofs, hotels and golfcourses

Can you fly at night?

Catchavista Aerial Imaging has been signed off by the CAA to perform night time operations. We just need to assess the area during daylight hours first.

Can you fly indoors?

Yes we can fly indoors but we need space! For safety we can install propeller guards.

Can I just use anyone who owns a drone?

If you want high quality professional footage stick with Catchavista, but if you decide to go elsewhere, you need to make sure whoever you use has a PfCO license and insurance.

NB The PfCO is not to be confused with the Drone Regulation scheme which the Government launched in November 2019. Registering your Drone and completing an online competency test is a legal requirement, but it does not grant you permission to perform commercial work with a drone.

How much will it cost?

This will vary depending on the nature of the job required and the amount of post production work involved. Flying is only part of what we do - a lot of editing and post production goes into making 360° degree aerials, Virtual tours, videos and photography. We would be happy to discuss your requirements and tailor this to suit your budget.

If there`s anything we`ve missed just get in touch below and we`ll be happy to assist.