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Watch on YouTube Here: Where to do CAA Approved commercial Drone Pilot Training in the UK
via Drone Photography Services Channel As Civil Aviation Authority approved commercial operators in the U.K, we are often asked what CAA commercial drone training do we recommend. This question has been asked by a wide range of people from hobbyists who fly drones or model aircraft, to individuals who read about the new and exciting drone industry and think it may be a business opportunity. The last time we looked at the commercial drone training market in detail was in January 2016; so we decide to take another look 6 month on to see if there have been any changes. CAA PermissionThe CAA say to get permission to carry out Aerial Work commercially, the drone pilot need to undergo an assessment process and pass a flight and theory test with one of the CAA approved National Qualified Entities (NQE’s). The NQE’s can help the candidates prepare a detailed Operations Manual, which also has to be submitted by the candidate and approved by the CAA. This is the relevant extract from the CAA website:
Once you have passed your flight and theory test and submitted you operations manual it can take the CAA up to 8 weeks to approve you and send your permission. Here is the current CAA list of NQE’s where you can do your drone pilot training.
When we looked through the various courses on offer you have to read the small print, because some NQE’s do not show all their charges in their headline price. Some NQE’S separate all of the different training elements out, and the courses on offer vary from 5 day residential including meals to distance e-learning with a 1 day course at the end. The 2-3 day non-residential courses require the candidates to do extra work pre or post the course to complete all training modules and operations manual for submission to the CAA with the relevant form. All the training course we looked at do not include the CAA submission fee of £112. Training course prices are also quoted both inclusive and exclusive of vat. So if you are not a company and cannot claim vat back, you have to add 20% to the cost of the drone pilot training. So here is out definitive price comparison:
It is still difficult to find prices from all of the NQE’s on the CAA list because some companies are approved but do no offer courses (eg Cyberhawk) and others are offering courses (Quadcopters) on behalf of approved NQE’s and are not very clear who are the actual training companies. We telephoned the fourteen companies on our list w/c 28th June posing as a potential customer. Some were really helpful, open and honest (Whispercam & Commercial Drone Training), others had little time for us and were very aloof (Resource Group & EuroUSC). Some NQE companies like Heliguy offer training but their primary business is drone sales. So you can get both advice and a discount on you drone or training, if buy both from them. CAA Drone Pilot Training Prices Fall by 20%The good news is the total prices for the full course have come down 20% from an average of over £1,500 in January to around £1,250 in July 2016. Our RecommendationsComing off the fence, our recommendation for drone training in the U.K is Commercial Drone Training, because in our opinion they offer the best price, overall course and help with the operations manual. If you are thinking of buying a DJI Drone then you may want to talk to Heliguy. They will offer a discount on their training course when you by your DJI drone off them. Happy flying. To get more information click on links to our pages about CAA safety, Approval and CAA Pilots. The post What CAA Commercial Drone Pilot Training Do We Recommend. appeared first on Drone Photography Services - CAA approved Commercial UAV Drone Pilots and Operators.
Watch on YouTube Here: Kenwick Park Leisure Quick Walkthrough
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Watch on YouTube Here: Kenwick Park Hotel, Leisure Club and Spa
via Drone Photography Services Channel Drone Racing uses FPV headset goggles (first person view) so the drone pilot only sees out of the front of the drone via the camera. The drones are small very nimble, quick rigs and the courses they fly around are becoming more spectacular. The course layouts can be both indoor and outdoor featuring a wide ever-increasing set of hazard to fly through, under or around. In the dark the drone racing courses are lit up to with spectacular lighting. The demographics of the drone pilots come from a very wide spectrum, young and old, but the future champion seem to be from a younger age group, with skills honed on the latest games consoles. Here is a video from an emerging drone club in the U.S World Drone PrixIn March 2016 Dubai was the setting for the First World Drone Prix. It was sponsored by the Crown Price of Dubai with over $1 million of prize money. With this sort of prize money it attracted drone pilots from al over the world. 80 teams took part and it was won by Luke Wolferstain-Banister, a 16 year old English teenager from Somerset, who was part of the Tornado XBlades Euorpean team. The Tornado team were sponsored by the Tornado energy drink company. Although Luke stood on the podium as the world champion and won the first prize of $250,000, the x-blades team ethos was to share any prize money amongst the whole team. Over 2,000 spectators turned up at the event. The competitors had to fly 12 laps of the 590m course. Here are two videos from the Dubai World Drone Prix. The big question is will drone racing be the next emerging sport.Well it could be. We are starting to see full time professional pilots, very big sponsors are eyeing up and circling, but the main thing the organisers need to address is the audience experience. Popular mainstream sports have adoring fans that need to be able to see first hand the action and be part of the whole race or event. The drone spectators need to get a perspective of the speed and overall layout, as well as seeing what the pilots view, as they negotiate the different hazard and obstacles. When you watch the footage from Dubai looking through the FPV goggles you will see that there is still a way to go before the audience can fully appreciate the excitement and skill. Here is a video that has had over 2 million views on YouTube of drone racing in a disused warehouse in Melbourne, Australia. You decide which is more exciting. This article was written by Roy Horton for Drone Photography Services The post Where is Drone Racing Going in the Next 12 Months appeared first on Drone Photography Services - CAA approved Commercial UAV Drone Pilots and Operators.
Ascenta’s lightweight drones built out of carbon fiber are solar powered and designed to fly at high altitude of 20,000 metres above the commercial airliners and weather. The plan is these drones will be able to remain airborne for a number of months at a time, using their solar power and are connected to a network of other drones using laser technology. The director of engineering at Facebook says they are looking at a new type of plane architecture which will deliver broadband internet signals to remote and difficult places in the world. It has been reported that they have built a prototype for Facebook with 29m wingspan which is larger that a Boeing 737 airliner. Ascenta’s owner engineer Andrew Cox has posted on their website this statement.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive has said on record to the shareholders, that they do not need to be profitable in this area. In April 2016 Google agreed to purchase Titan Aerospace manufacturer of high altitude drones for a undisclosed amount, rumored to be around $60 million. Titan Aerospace a startup company founded in 2012 and based in New Mexico, was courted by Facebook earlier this year, before Google offered to top any Facebook offer. Titan only employs 20 people and both these drone companies are on the leading edge of this unproven drone technology. Google launched Project Loon in New Zealand in 2013, which is based on high-altitude balloons that send Internet signals to remote areas around the southern hemisphere. Experts say Google have found that the balloon technology is susceptible to weather, and the balloons are large and difficult to control. Initially Titan will be working in conjunction with Project Moon. Google has a long history of entering emerging markets. Look at the first negative reactions to Google Street view cars in 2008, now people are realising how useful street views are in many applications. Why are Facebook and Google investing in this new drone technologyWell the potential is they could reach millions of new customers in the remote world. Currently only around 18% of Africa is online. They also have the potential to sell their bandwidth in these areas to other providers. It seams investing in Drone technology is the current place to be. Article written by Roy Horton – Drone Photography Services The post Facebook and Google buy into Drone Technology appeared first on Drone Photography Services - CAA approved Commercial UAV Drone Pilots and Operators. |