Using your Drone for Paid Work – Commercial Work & Selling Your Pictures & Videos
Using your Drone for Paid Work – Commercial Work & Selling Your Pictures & Videos
#commercialdronerules #2021
0:00 Intro
0:50 USA definitions
1:43 UK definitions
3:38 Rules
4:00 A2CofC
6:03 Wind Turbines & Combines
What are the rules for paid or commercial drone work in the UK or USA? Can you sell your drone pictures and video on Picfair or Shutterstock? When do you need to fly under Part 107 rules in the USA? Can you upload drone footage to a monetized YouTube channel? When do you need Commercial Insurance? When is a flight deemed commercial rather than recreational? Do you need the A2 CofC or the GVC to fly commercially? Too many questions! But all get answered under the new rules for 2021.
Go out and get paid; the World is your Oyster…. đ
USA: FAA Drone Site for Remote Pilot Certificate and part 107: https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/
More info in UK Commercial Insurance:
https://www.coverdrone.com/
https://flockcover.com/
And check out Sean @Geeksvana ‘s excellent video on Commercial Insurance:
** 5% off for UAVHub A2CofC Course: https://courses.uavhub.com/courses/a2-cofc-fast-track?ref=f8148c
All Courses: https://courses.uavhub.com/?ref=f8148c
(use code IANINLONDON for any course)
I disable mid-roll adverts on my videos to make things nicer to watch.
For anyone that wants to buy me a beer, my paypal is:
https://www.paypal.me/Ianinlondon1
**Thinking of getting the DJI Mini 2, the Mavic Air 2, the Mini or any
other DJI drone or gimbal? Help me & my channel by clicking through
to DJI or Amazon to look at their offers.
Main DJI store:
DJI: https://click.dji.com/AJxEzbzp1zm9owYUzOSh?pm=custom
DJI Mini 2: UK: https://amzn.to/2WrneCP USA: https://amzn.to/3raZW2n
DJI Mavic Mini 1: UK: https://amzn.to/3r9zOVC USA:
https://amzn.to/3oYzuqw
Sandisk 64Gb Ultra high speed write / read Micro SD:
https://amzn.to/2QRsxdg
Useful stuff on my website: www.ianinlondon.com
All my gear: https://www.ianinlondon.com/gear
And for USA viewers: https://www.amazon.com/shop/ianinlondon
Affiliate links don’t cost you any more but do give my channel a small
commission which helps me buy more stuff to test and review for you.
** The excellent Drone Scene app: https://dronescene.co.uk/
This is run by the friendliest UK-based drone forum:
https://greyarro.ws/
NATS drone-assist app by air-traffic control:
https://dronesafe.uk/safety-apps/
12 Months 3rd party liability insurance for ÂŁ19:
https://www.fpvuk.org/membership-benefits/
Music in today’s video:
Get Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Urban) by Frankie Goes To Hollywood here https://t.lickd.co/rOyjXWbR13j
License ID: YJ27VYXONqx
Get this and other songs for your next YouTube video at https://lickd.co
Happy flying everyone…. Ian
Great clear info so I can now fly from my garden any advice on that as I fly a Mavic mini many thanks chris
Hi Ian, great videos thanks đ I own a roofing company in the uk and I would love to buy a mini 2 for roof inspections and reports what do I need to do for this. I believe I still need insurance? Sorry if I sound silly haha
Thanks Luke
Nice video Ian, thanks. Just to complicate matters, do you know whether I would need commercial insurance if I am flying at the request of a charity. I am not being paid, but they might go on to use the material in any way they wish which might mean they make money, lets say selling prints as an example. Thanks
Just bought the mini 2 ! phew ! A drone-aholic friend of mine, put me onto your videos and I am very impressed. (depressed from covid!). A daft question, as you are the oracle on drones, IF i go to Thailand at the end of year (covid permitting of course) are there any specific rules if I took my drone as hand luggage on the plane? and are there any restrictions in other countries? P.S. With reference to your other videos I have taken the batteries out the charger & my mini 2, imagine it catching fire on a plane ! Claiming on the dji ‘care insurance’ would be fun ! That’s a good point is a mini 2 or any other drone covered on holiday insurance !? Food for thought……..could be worth making a video on the options !
Thanks for the informative video once again.
I have a question regarding the Mini 2 battery.
Am i correct in thinking that if the battery is inside the drone or charging case then they DONT automatically discharge and can thus damage battery?
Great video Ian. You mention that a DJI Mini 2 can be used to sell pictures without commercial insurance but I canât find this in written form anywhere. Can you advise where I can find it in case someone questions me? Thanks
Thanks for sharing Ian đ
hi ian can you please tell me were i can download printable CAA rules so i can keep in bag [just incase ]thanks glyn
In terms of using larger drones (like for eg: Mavic 2pro, or the new Mavic Air 2S) to get into commercial photography in Ireland (both in the UK in Northern Ireland, and in the EU in the Republic of Ireland), do both of the certifications apply there too, namely the A2 CofC, and the CVC? Or are these certifications only applicable to the UK do you happen to know? Would I have to apply for the certifications above to fly commercially in Northern Ireland, and then (an)other certification(s) to fly commercially in the Republic?
I suppose I can ask the same question about commercial insurance while I’m here. Would insurance apply across both jurisdictions, or again would I need to get insured in both jurisdictions separately?
So Is it okay to fly in your land with no crowds as a hobby not to making money….?
Good clear explanation and some superb aerials.
What about if you fly and take photos of landscapes or cliffs and the like away from people and then you sell those photos as prints, is that classed as commercial?
The general public are to blame for all these regulations.
Could you recommend an insurance company for using a mini 2 please, so informative đđŒ
So if I posted photos from recreational flights on social media and people bought them then I don’t need commercial insurance but I do need it if they ask me to fly?
Thanks Ian – I am going to stick with the mini 2, at least for now…..
So hopefully some useful info for selling yourself and making money. And hands up who remembers this track?
Cheers everyone!
Thanks for the clarity Ian đ
Effectively they have made it easier to make money from drone work. However I still think people will ignore the rules anyway and continue using drones for commercial use without licenses
thanks lan
Sorry Ian ,
I would be fly the DJI AIR 2S
Over "crowds". 2 people could be a crowd according to CAA rules I’ve been told. The ability to escape (or not) defines the word "crowd".
Amazing thanks for the clarification. Also have you found it hard to fly downtown London. I have a mini 2 and getting approval from NTAS for restricted zones has actually be simple and straight forward. Iâm struggling to find a suitable place to take off from. Any suggestions?
Love your work. I’m hoping to find some wind turbines soon to shoot with my mini 1! So it’s just the insurance that’s required bfor All drones including the mini, to fly for reward, just making sure I got the jist of the video correct.
So just to clarify if I wanted to fly my mini 2 for work purposes all I need is insurance and don’t have to inform the CAA for authorisation and don’t have to inform them of a flight plan?
Hi Ian have you any indication on how the new drone laws have affected drone flyers in the UK? I’m based in the Channel Islands and we have yet to change our laws inline with EASA guidelines?
Thanks Ian !! đ
Once again Ian, clear and precise information, thank you again.
Amazing to know. I was looking at doing my GVC so I could use my mini 2 commercially so this has saved me a tonne of money. Thanks Ian, love your videos. Very informative
Hi Ian,
On the commercial insuranceâŠif i have my own drone business and have real estate agents onboard in the uk and i am taking
Videos and pictures for them and lets just say there property is out in the country do i still need commercial insurance or do i
Just need commercial insurance full stop whether Iâm in the country or not . Plus if i am in towns and cities but there are no people
Or traffic do i still need my A2CFC.
Great info thanks ian, just bought mini 2 drone today awesome tips
Thanks Ian, that’s very useful for everyone who finds themselves on the blurred lines.
Would it be possible to include Canada in future videos? I believe Canada rules resemble UK rules.
Good video cheers
Had this happen yesterday at Swanage where I was flying for my own pleasure when I was asked to get some footage of a shop on the pier, so as I understand it, I can buy a short term (one day) commercial insurance.
Useful and to the point as usual – thank you Ian. Can you do a video about the commercial insurance providers, available in the UK? I tried to find insurance for filming weddings and didnât find much choice.
Great video Ian
Under the Open Category rules, it specifically mentions flight over people in the A1 category but then shifts to only referring to horizontal distance from uninvolved people. Does this mean you can fly over people in an A2 flight or are we to respect the rule that horizontal and vertical distance scale evenly?
Also, are you able to personally treat a flight as C2, for example, if you meet the mass/speed limits, on a drone that hasn’t yet been certified or is it solely for new and officially certified drones?
Many thanks.
Yes, this how open category drone rules in EU should be after December 31, 2020. But sadly, they are not, as different EU member state still managing their drone regulations partially or completely disregarding universal easa rules/directive (in excuse of local geographical zones etc), which should be same within whole eu/easa region.
For ex. here in Slovenia, you are not obligated to have insurance in open category for drones under 20kg (but it is "recommended" for commercial work), but on the other hand, all drones over 500g are banned in urban (that includes every road or pavement etc) areas, and only max 50m AGL, no night flights and special permission of land owner is required for drones under 500g. No matter if you are A2 certificate holder or not (which i am), so no sense having it here. In Croatia, they actually have some implementation of older legalisation, which bans you fly or better to say take footage in the sky as non commercial user, so they’re basically shot down the hobby for users in open category. Also, as far as I know, countries like Poland etc the actually didn’t implemented easa directive yet, also as i was looking, in Germany for ex. i think it’s actually forbidden to fly over buildings etc in open category etc. There are some speculations, that drone certifications, that you obtain in one EU state, is not truly accepted in other etc, universal EU archive of drone pilot certifications (as this was one of the biggest mantras of that easa representations) is not running yet and probably never be.
So, all things considered so far, this easa thing looks more as a joke to me and it is still far away from what it should be. An i don’t’ think this is not attentional, there is clearly agenda put "hobby" drones to the ground. As in EU, as in States and the rest of "western" hemisphere. Which i don’t think would happen, if DJI was a company, coming from that regions. Simple as that..
Question – What about if you’re purely doing some work for a business that is entirely unpaid or rewardless? So you will fly for them to be able to use some footage either on their website, or social media, and I may post the footage on my own instagram too? Is this still commerical, or can I fly just under recreational use? I’m using a Mini 2.
Thanks matey
Brilliant information and has cleared up some questions for me !! I have a Mini 2 and use my drone to get footage over amusement parks here in the U.K. and I am constantly told what I can and canât do from the typical âdrone policeâ that havenât got a clue
Great information look forward to more mini 2 tips
The FPV club third party liability insurance in the description (19 quid per year) is that only for recreational flights or commercial as well (it doesn’t say anything about commercial insurance on the website)
Once again Ian, your slant on Drone flying and the rules is very useful! Thanks matey and from Lake Balaton in Hungary, nagyszerƱ, Ă©s köszönöm szĂ©pen! Oh yea & egĂ©szsĂ©gedre! đŠđđ·đ
Thanks Ian! Are you thinking of doing another video for the 2022 rules?
So I own a mini 2, does that mean like I donât need anything to fly commercial, confused here
Very helpful video. In the past, you were able to shoot promotional footage for your own company without insurance, or at least classifying it as commercial material if I remember rightly (I did the first part of the PfCo)? I have two companies – one video production and one drinks. Am I able to shoot promotional material for both without need for commercial insurance please, especially as it will be registered in my personal name and producing images for both of my one person limited companies? Thanks.
Thanks as always for keeping it simple. For once, it looks like a rule change is an improvement!
Love that track it is a pleasure đ
What about the Mavic mini? Can you still use this to post videos on YouTube? I renewed my Operator ID and it said insurer not sure what it is, as it wasn’t there last year?
All i want to know is can i monetize my video with drone videos in it? and can i use my Mavic mini anywhere as its under the 250g? I vaguely remember one of your video few months back saying you can use it even in your garden? Not that i will but do these rules still apply?