The GVC (General Visual Line of Sight Certificate) is a remote pilot competency certificate - being introduced as part of the new EASA drone regulations, starting in the UK on November 2020 - which provides a single qualification that is suitable for VLOS (Visual Line of Sight) operations within the Specific Category. 

The Specific Category hinges on an Operational Authorisation being held by the drone operator, which has been issued by the CAA, before the operation can be commenced.

The GVC is acceptable for all VLOS operations conducted under a published STS (Standard Scenario) or PDRA (Pre-Defined Risk Assessment) and, in most circumstances, it will be considered an acceptable level of remote pilot competency within an operational risk assessment for any other VLOS operation.

The Operational Authorisation – to replace the term PfCO – will be based upon a risk assessment that is completed by the UAS operator, or through a series of Pre-Defined Risk Assessments (PDRA) and/or Standard Scenarios (STS).

This means that individuals or organizations that wish to operate a drone within the Specific Category must either provide a risk assessment to the CAA (by following the OSC – Operating Safety Case – process), or adhere to the requirements of the PDRA and/ or STS.

PDRAs are still currently under development. Current holders of a PfCO will be pleased to hear that the current provisions of a Standard Permission will be converted into a PDRA.

You can obtain a GVC by sitting a two-day Ground School course with Heliguy. You can sit your A2 CofC at one of three Heliguy training venues (The Elvetham; Shrigley Hall; and The Village Hotel). Alternatively, sit the course online via Heliguy Blackbox and complete the modules remotely in your own time and at your own convenience.

The GVC course syllabus will cover topics such as airlaw/responsibilities, UAS airspace operating principles, airmanship/aviation safety, meteorology, and navigation/charts, among other things. The GVC course will culminate in a theory test. As a Recognised Assessment Entity (RAE), we now have dispensation from the CAA to allow us to invigilate the GVC theory examination remotely using your webcam to maintain virtual exam conditions within Blackbox - if you choose to sit our online drone training.

All candidates will also be required to complete a practical flight test, which will be taken on a separate date following successful completion of the Ground School course. 

Candidates with a current aviation qualification are exempt from taking the two-day course and theory test. But they must pass the practical flight test. Heliguy recommends that all candidates sit the two-day course/theory test, no matter their previous qualifications.

The GVC examination – sat in formal conditions – will comprise a minimum of 40 questions. 

There will be a minimum of five questions in each of the following subject areas:

• Air law/responsibilities;
• UAS airspace operating principles;
• Airmanship and aviation safety.

The exam questions may be in the following formats:

• Multiple-choice questions – a choice of no less than 4 answers;
• Long answer questions;
• A mixture of both multiple-choice and long answer questions.

The exam will be a closed-book format (except when questions require reference to charts, or other sources of specific aeronautical information) and the minimum overall pass mark is 75%. 

The duration of the examination can be determined by the RAE and is subject to acceptance by the CAA. Any candidate with a recognised disability or additional needs (e.g. dyslexia or dyspraxia) should be granted an extra 10% of the allocated assessment time to complete the examination.

The GVC practical flight test is designed to provide assurance that the remote pilot being examined can safely undertake a wide range of VLOS operations within the Specific Category, including those conducted under a published STS or PDRA, whilst adhering to a set of procedures contained within an operations manual.

The test will be conducted outdoors and candidates must sufficiently show competence in a range of pre-and-post-flight actions, and in-flight procedures.

All candidates must complete the practical flight test.

Heliguy will offer free resits for a period of 12 months after you have failed your first exam. Any candidates who need to resit the test/flight assessment a year after failing the first will have to pay a nominal fee and re-do the GVC course, as well as sit the exam/flight assessment.

Yes. You must successfully complete the CAA’s Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Service online training course for basic remote pilot competency and the associated competency test, and be in possession of the Flyer ID number associated with that test.

Yes, there are. The GVC can be augmented by a number of additional modules. Currently, one additional module has been developed; this is the GVC Module 1, which covers operations that involve an unmanned aircraft being flown beyond the VLOS of the remote pilot but make use of visual observers for the purpose of avoiding collisions (ie Extended VLOS operations).

These bolt-on modules will allow you to complete more complex missions with your drone, similar to what is now granted through an OSC (Operating Safety Case).

Heliguy will be releasing more information on these bolt-on modules in due course.

The GVC, along with any additional modules that are attached to it, is valid for a period of five years from the date that the examination was taken.

Holders of a PfCO valid beyond the start of the new UK drone regulations can operate under the terms of the permission, until their renewal date. 

When you renew after the new legislation begins, the PfCO will become known as an Operational Authorisation, but you will be granted the same Standard Permissions as before.

Before the new UK drone rules begin, Heliguy will be teaching a hybrid course, covering the current and upcoming drone laws. Candidates who successfully complete the GVC course before the new laws begin can apply to the CAA for Standard Permissions to operate commercially. From 31 December 2020, holders can continue to operate under the terms of their current permissions, but on renewal, these will convert to an Operational Authorisation.

No - Heliguy offer free insurance for your practical flight assessment through their partners at Coverdrone.

Once you're operating commercially of course, you'll need to have insurance in place to protect your operations and your equipment.

No. Whether you have experience or not - our drone training school helps take you from novice to commercial pilot, regardless of any existing drone experience.

Our curriculum is well-paced to ensure that those more recently entering the industry can get up to speed, while experienced pilots will still be getting value at every stage.

If you're looking for CAA approved drone training near you - check out our locations here.

The first thing is not to panic - there's a lot of information to take in and you might slip up on a difficult question or a complex flight task.

Either way - Heliguy never  charge you to resit these tests - unlike some of our competitors!

You'll have a chance to go away and brush up on your skills before re-taking the test at a time that's right for you.

Under the new EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) laws, three categories will define where drones can be flown.

These categories are:

Open: Operations that present a low (or no) risk to third parties.

Specific : 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. Holding an Operational Authorisation allows you to fly in this category.

Certified : Operations that present an equivalent risk to that of manned aviation. This category is for high-complexity missions.

The Open Category is broken down into three subcategories:

A1: Fly over people.
A2 : Fly close to people.
A3 : Fly far from people.

Each of these subcategories has more specified criteria of where/how your drone can be operated.

More Information On New UK Drone Regulations

As part of the new regulations, a new class system for drones will be introduced. Each make of drone will have its own class rating – from C0 to C4 – which will be based on certain criteria, such as weight, maximum speed and other features based around safety and geo-awareness.

Specific classes of drone can be flown in specific subcategories of the Open category.

Currently, no drones meet the current class requirements, so no C0-C4 aircraft exists.

Explore New Drone Class System

Because no drones currently meet the class requirements, a Transitional Period will run from November 2020, to July 1, 2022, to give manufacturers the chance to bring out C0-C4 drones. 

This means that you can continue to fly your current DJI drones - to become known as legacy aircraft - in accordance with the new rules.

A2 CofC vs GVC - Which Do You Need?

In the past - Heliguy were happy to assist candidates who had started their training elsewhere.

However, due to the improvement in the structure of the A2 CofC and GVC courses when compared to the PfCO, there is no longer the chance to switch midway through your training.

If you're in the position where you have completed some part of your training, please give the training team a call on 862 298 5964 to discuss what options you may have.

As of the time of writing, there is no hobbyist drone license in the UK.

Whether or not you'll need some form of qualification depends on the circumstances of your flight.

Use the button below to learn more about the "categories" of flight.

Open Category Drone Flights