1. UAVHub Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
  2. The GVC (General Visual Line of Sight Certificate)

What is the difference between a PfCO Course and a GVC drone course?

The PfCO is a legacy permission that is no longer available replaced by the CAA Operational Authorisation.

The CAA will no longer issue the Permission for Commercial Operation (PfCO), they only issue an Operational Authorisation if you have completed a General VLOS Certificate Drone Course to hold the GVC.

If you have completed a GVC drone course you can apply for an Operational Authorisation 9OA) or operate under someone else's OA.

 

If you wish to book onto a GVC Drone Course click here.

 

What happens if I already hold a PfCO / Standard Permissions?

Nobody now has a PfCO, there is only the Operational Authorisation.

If you held a PfCO previosuly and continued to renew it you would now be operating under an Operational Authorisation. 

Don't forget you can renew your Operational Authorisation up to 90 days before the expiry date, so be sure to put this into your diary and get it renewed early!

 

You'll need to make sure that your Operations Manual is kept up-to-date. If you'd like help with making sure that your Drone Operations Manual is always up-to-date, why not subscribe to the HUBSUB? The HUBSUB is our monthly subscription for keeping your Operations Manual always up-to-date and takes the hassle of updates out of your hands so you can focus on your drone operations. 

Click here to find out more about the HUBSUB.

If you wish to convert an NQE Recommendation over to a GVC qualification we have a PFCO (NQE) to GVC Conversion course.