After recently becoming a member of the Surrey Chambers of Commerce, Horizon Imaging wrote the following short article for their Chamber magazine alerting fellow members to the need to be vigilant when hiring a drone service provider for the first time.
Drones are revolutionising the way we see the world. But how do you know what to look for in a company that offers commercial services using drones?
Drones are seldom out of the newspapers these days. Over the last year they have exploded into the public’s consciousness – but unfortunately not always for the right reasons. There have already been reports of near misses with airliners and arrests of operators who have been flying drones dangerously. But is it all bad news?
The number of applications for drone technology has been rapidly increasing over the last 12 months as people have begun to appreciate their immense versatility and practicality. From aerial photography to aerial filming, search and rescue to the rapid delivery of life-saving equipment, infrastructure inspection to parcel delivery – drones are here to stay and promise to be an enormous force for good.
Now that drones are readily available, the number of people buying them and offering commercial aerial photography services has gone through the roof. Unfortunately, not all these operators are aware that there are legal regulations governing the safe use of this technology, and hence there are many operators out there without the necessary licences, insurance and competence to operate drones safely.
Horizon Imaging has been involved in the commercial drone aerial photography industry since 2007, and were one of the first companies to be granted a ‘Permission for Aerial Work’ by the Civil Aviation Authority in 2010. This ‘Permission’ requires the operator to:
- Hold adequate insurance
- Be suitably trained, and
- Have written a detailed manual describing their operating procedures, risk mitigation strategies and maintenance schedules
Before you work with any company that uses drones, always ask to see their CAA ‘Permission for Aerial Work’ first. If they cannot show it to you then they may be operating illegally and should be avoided.
For more information please visit Horizon Imaging’s website and check out the white ‘Guidelines’ link at the bottom of the homepage.
An aerial photograph of a stunning 18th Century Grade-II listed home on the edge of Lake Windermere, Cumbria. Click to enlarge.
An aerial photograph of the beautiful 13th Century barn used by the medical engineering firm Team Consulting near Cambridge. Click to enlarge