Specific Category Operations
An operational authorisation issued by the CAA is required for any flight within the Specific category. The Specific category covers operations that present a greater risk than that of the Open category, or where one or more elements of the operation fall outside the boundaries of the Open category
Operational authorisation
The key element of the Specific category is that the UAS operator is required to hold an operational authorisation, which has been issued by the CAA. 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. The operational authorisation document sets out the privileges and limits of the operation. Given the name of the category, each operational authorisation is specific to the named UAS operator and is dependent on the risk assessment and evidence supplied to the CAA by that operator.
Risk assessment
In order to obtain an operational authorisation, unless the planned operation can be covered by a Pre-defined Risk Assessment (PDRA), the UAS operator must first conduct a risk assessment of the proposed operation and submit this as part of the application. Essentially, the aim of the risk assessment, which also includes the UAS operator’s operations manual, is to:
- outline the proposed operation (‘what’ the operator wants to do)
- describe the operational process that will be used (‘how’ the operator will do it)
- describe the technical aspects of the UAS to be used (‘what’ the operator will do it with)
- demonstrate that it can be done safely (provide a risk assessment/safety case)
OPERATIONAL SAFETY CASE – TRAINING COURSE
This is a specialist course delivered by Mr MPW (Matt Williams CEO of UAVHUB) on how to write an Operating Safety Case (OSC) and get better permissions from the CAA. Mr MPW walks you through all 3 volumes of the Operating Safety Case, using a real-life example of an OSC that allowed permissions down to 10m of uninvolved people. In addition to walking you through all 3 volumes, Mr MPW shows you the secret to the Safety Management System (SMS) using the Bowtie method of risk assessing, which is the preferred method for the UK Civil Aviation Authority because it is used in the full-size aviation world.
Who should take this course?
The OSC course is designed for people who want to operate down to reduced separation distances from uninvolved people than those granted currently with Standard Permissions (PfCO). The OSC can also be used to apply for permissions such as Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS). We would highly recommend that you already have completed a PfCO course with an NQE or a General VLOS Certificate (GVC) course with an RAE before doing this course.
Why Aviation Insider and UAVHUB?
UAVHUB has a history of applying for and receiving acceptances for their OSC’s
- UAVHUB (a registered trademark and trading name of Aerial Motion Pictures Ltd) is an NQE and the world’s first Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Recognised Assessment Entity (RAE); authorised by the CAA to provide professional drone training.
- They have trained over 3000 Remote Pilots since 2015 and have an outstanding reputation, supported by the fact that they are the UK’s Highest Rated Drone course on Trustpilot with over 1000 5***** star reviews.
- Their Instructors are either ex. RAF Helicopter Instructors or are professionals in the professional Drone Space, with years of experience – with Aviation Insider and UAVHUB, you’re in safe hands!
At one point, UAVHUB (Aerial Motion Pictures Ltd) held the UK’s first OSC that allowed permissions down to as little as 5 metres with the OSC written by Mr MPW himself. Mr MPW has consulted for a number of the UK’s top OSC operators and helped to write the framework for the OSC procedure in Bermuda which allowed himself and the team to fly the Alta 8 alongside full-sized helicopters during The America’s Cup in 2018.
The Online Training Course includes templates for all 3 volumes of the OSC to help kickstart your own OSC. These go above and beyond the guidance laid out already in the CAP 722A. In addition to the course, Mr MPW is available for one-to-one consulting on your own OSC document.*
*this is not included with this course and will incur an additional hourly fee
*there is no guarantee that the CAA will grant you special permissions with your OSC. This course is designed to educate and inform you about how to write one and give you a VERY GOOD starting base to write your own.
