Good morning, I’ve been a professional pilot since the 1980’s so fully understand the rules associated with flying. However, I’ve only started flying drones around 10 years ago, as we’ve all found the rules leading regarding flying were sketchy. Fortunately now things are a lot clearer.
I currently am up to date with all of my qualifications and my Phantom 4 Pro is also registered with the CAA. Whenever I fly, even if I’m just outside a TMA I always call up MATS to notify when, where and what tim I will finish, I have always been thanked for doing so…
Now here is the thing, I wanted to film a before and after shot, in West London, the North end of Harrods, I all ready knew that I was inside London,s TMA, as well as the London control for the heliport. After telephoning them, I was shocked to be told that would have to pay a registration fee of £30 plus £140 to get permission to fly some 50 feet for 20 minutes to video a roof.
I was now we’re near any helicopter routes and would not be at any hight to interfere with flights.
So here is my question, is being changed this amount of money correct? And do I have to pay, even if I get permission from MATZ?
Airspace Access Charging
The establishment of an airspace restriction means that the sponsor is responsible for
managing it, and not that the sponsor ‘owns’ it; airspace is a State asset. There should be
no reason for a Sponsor to charge for access to airspace for UAS. Whilst some burden of
work may exist in processing applications for UAS access to airspace, it is envisaged that
this will not require an undue burden on the Sponsor and should incur negligible time or
cost.
Any such cost should not be passed on to UAS operators, or manned aviation operators -
in the case of a UAS Geographical Zones which facilitates UAS flight by restricting
manned aviation.
Hi Steve, yes thanks for the confirmation. I read the same thing in CAP722 and came to the same conclusion, maybe I should have spoken to the ‘engine driver’ and not the, well you know the rest.
It just shows you you shouldn’t take what your told without checking with the official body.