Question 1

Are you licenced and insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Vantage has public liability insurance which complies with regulation (EC) 785/2004 as required by the CAA and holds a PfCO granted by the CAA.

Question 2

What's a PfCO?

Accepted Answer

"Permission for Commercial Operations"   It's illegal to perform aerial work without the permission of the UK Civil Aviation Authority.   Vantage holds a PfCO.   This is not to be confused with the drone registration scheme which the goverment 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.

Question 3

Is it safe?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! Safety is one of our top priorities. We have an extensive operations manual, perform remote pre-flight assessments to gather information on the take off site and surrounding area before we've even stepped foot on site.   Every job is risk assessed ahead of any work carried out. No flight will be carried out unless it has been deemed safe to do so.

Question 4

Can weather affect the flight? What if it rains?

Accepted Answer

We all know what the British weather is like; sometimes conditions may not be suitable for flying. High winds, rain or poor visibility can pose safety issues and in this instance Vantage would be happy to rearrange at the earliest opportunity.

Question 5

Can you fly in a town, or city?"

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

Where can you fly?

Accepted Answer

Anywhere we are legally permitted! Ahead of every job, we conduct a remote pre-flight site assessment which includes checking the proposed flying area for hazards or flight limitations that could impact your requirements. We'll let you know if we require any permissions to legally carry out the work. For indoor filming we may require a site visit to undertake this assessment.

Question 7

Can you fly at night?

Accepted Answer

Vantage night time operations have been signed off by the CAA - It's perfectly fine. We just need to recce the area during daylight hours first.

Question 8

How much will it cost?

Accepted Answer

This will vary depending on the job and the amount of post production needed. Flying is only one part of what we do, we also edit both video and photos, provide 360 aerials/internals, map/GIS processing and generate 3D Models too. We offer both hourly and daily rates depending on the nature of the work, so would be happy to discuss your requirements and tailor this to suit your budget.

Question 9

My friend just bought a drone...Can't I just use them?

Accepted Answer

Owning a spanner does not make you a mechanic.   If you want high quality, professional footage and data - stick to Vantage.   But if you do decide to go elsewhere, just make sure whoever you use has a PfCO licence and insurance.

FAQs

Anything we've missed? Just get in touch below if you have any further questions.

Get in touch

If you'd like any further information, or you're looking for a quote, then please don't hesitate to get in touch.