Drone Surveying Inspections and Filming
Drone Surveying Inspections and Filming
Policy for Unmanned Aerial Solutions
Effective Date: 24/08/2024
1. Definitions
In these terms and conditions, the following words shall have the following meaning:
“Unmanned Aerial Solutions”, “Company”, “Us”, “We”, “Our”, or variations thereof shall mean Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd.
“The Customer”, “You”, “Your”, or variations thereof shall mean the person, firm or Company with whom Unmanned Aerial Solutions contracts.
“Goods” means the articles, things, or services which are the subject matter of the Contract.
2. Quotations & Project Pricing
2.1 Every project is unique and quoted on a case-by-case basis. Our pricing depends on factors such as shoot location, weather risks, time of year, operational complexity, and any special permissions or site visits required.
2.2 We offer a wide range of drone services — from simple aerial photography to full-scale productions involving ground filming, music licensing, and post-production.
2.3 Formal quotations are valid for 30 days from the date issued and will include a reference number. Quotes are subject to revision if the project scope changes after the booking has been made.
3. Booking & Deposits
3.1 To confirm a booking, we require written acceptance of our quote (email or message is sufficient) and a 35% deposit, unless otherwise agreed in writing. This secures the date and allows us to commence pre-flight checks, logistics, and planning.
3.2 Pencilled-in dates are provisional only and may be offered to other clients unless a deposit is received. However, we’ll always offer first refusal to the original client where possible.
4. Payment Terms
4.1 Non-existing customers must make a 35% deposit of the agreed quotation figure at booking confirmation. Until such payment is received, bookings will not have a CONFIRMED status, and other work may be booked in and take preference.
4.2 Payment terms for existing Clients are as per the stated payment terms on the quotation, invoice or agreement. All bookings by existing customers have confirmed status after accepting a quotation, either verbally or in writing.
4.3 Our standard payment terms are due upon receipt of the invoice. Our preferred methods of payment are bank transfer or card payments.
4.4 We reserve the right to pursue late payment fees, including an administrative charge of £50 and interest at the current rate of 10% per 7 Days
4.5 We reserve the right to require full payment upfront for repeat late payments or at our discretion.
5. Travel & Accommodation
5.1 Travel is billed at 45p per mile from our base of operations and will be included in any quotation unless agreed prior. With prior client approval, accommodation costs will be charged where overnight stays are required.
6. Postponements & Weather Conditions
6.1 Drone flights are subject to weather and operational safety. We cannot operate in high winds (over 23mph), rain, or restricted visibility.
6.1.1 If we must postpone due to weather or safety, we will reschedule at no extra cost.
6.1.2The deposit will be transferred to the new shoot date.
6.1.3 We are not liable for any third-party costs (e.g., actors, locations) affected by rescheduling.
6.2 Client-requested postponements must be received at least 7 days in advance. Where preparatory work has been completed, we may charge an admin fee.
6.3 Weather-related postponements initiated by the client will only be accepted if we agree that conditions are unsuitable.
7. Site Survey
7.1 If a site survey is needed prior to the quotation, the cost will be agreed and invoiced in advance (unless agreed otherwise). The Client must confirm in writing that it has permission to access the ground that will be used to take off and land. If a client cancels our services after accepting a written quotation, the Risk assessment pre-flight admin fee will still be valid and chargeable to the client due to work that has been undertaken before any flights or filming/photography being performed by Unmanned Aerial Solution Ltd on behalf of the client.
8. Permission to conduct drone flights
8.1 Flight permission is generally granted within a day or so; however, with UAS photography, permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), local Police, other authorities and relevant landowners, when needed, can take several weeks (CAA may require up to 28 days written notice of intention to fly). This is usually granted, but certain height and/or other conditions may be applied. All work is subject to obtaining permitted and legal access from which to safely operate the UAS equipment.
9. Cancellations
9.1 If the Client cancels:
9.2 If Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd cancels (e.g., due to weather or legal restrictions), no fees will be charged, and we’ll aim to reschedule where possible. We do not accept liability for third-party costs.
10. Copyright & Usage
10.1 Unless explicitly agreed in writing, Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd retains full copyright over all footage and photographs captured.
10.2 Clients are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the media for the purpose expected or intended purpose outlined in the brief. We do not permit resale or third-party use of footage and images without written agreement.
10.3 The Client is permitted to use and share the media with third parties when it is within the agreed scope of the project. Sharing with third parties should be related to and necessary for the project’s objectives.
10.4 The Client agrees to indemnify and hold Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd harmless from any claims, costs, or liabilities arising from their use of the media.
10.5 We reserve the right to use any captured material for self-promotion, editorial news, stock footage, not limited to showreels, website content, or internal marketing, unless the client explicitly requests confidentiality in advance by use of a non-disclosure agreement.
10.6 Clients are Prohibited from selling, licensing, or otherwise commercialising the media without prior written consent from Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd. No media is to be used in a manner that is illegal, defamatory, or that could lead to harm of Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd’s reputation. Clients are not to release any media to the press or any media outlets for the purpose of news and current affairs without prior written consent from Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd.
11. Intellectual Property Rights, Proprietary Rights and Publicity
11.1 The Equipment, all Intellectual Property Rights in the Equipment, and all Intellectual Property Rights associated with the Services shall ensure to and always remain the sole property of Unmanned Aerial Solutions. The Client shall have no right, title or interest in such proprietary rights, except those explicitly granted by Unmanned Aerial Solutions in this Agreement.
11.2 Each Party may publicise the customer-supplier relationship between the Parties. In doing so, reasonable use may be made of the other Party’s name and trademarks, provided that the goodwill in the associated Intellectual Property Rights is not prejudiced.
12. Confidentiality
12.1 All client briefs, correspondence, project information and any proprietary or confidential information will be handled in strict confidence. We shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure that such information is stored securely and disclosed only to authorised personnel within Unmanned Aerial Solutions. We will not share your information or content without prior written consent, except for internal operational needs or promotional purposes as outlined above.
12.2 Non-Disclosure Agreements: While Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd welcomes the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to bolster mutual confidence in the confidentiality of shared information, the enactment of such an agreement is not a mandatory requirement for engagement with our services.
13. Health & Safety, Regulations & Compliance
13.1 All operations are conducted per the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations and our permissions for commercial operations (GVC/Operational Manual). Specific regulations regarding Unmanned Aircraft Operations in UK Airspace apply to all flights undertaken.
13.2 Safety is our top priority, and on behalf of Unmanned Aerial Solutions, the pilot in command is solely in charge. If, at any point, they believe a flight is unsafe or non-compliant with regulations or the law, we reserve the right to postpone, adjust or cancel without liability for costs incurred by the client.
13.3 Unmanned Aerial Solutions will ensure that all reasonable risks are mitigated through its Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) process. Not all risks can be known until on-site before performing the services. Some risks are not presented until the services have started, such as birds flying in close proximity to the drone or sudden adverse weather events.
14. Data Storage
14.1 Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd accepts no responsibility nor liability for maintaining archive copies of images and video material after the work has been delivered to and accepted by the Client.
14.2 Unmanned Aerial Solutions keeps backup copies of images and video after the end of the flight. We perform backups on all data to ensure that critical files are not lost. However, we are not responsible for lost data, time, income or any other resource due to faulty or non-existent backup. Please always back up your data for redundancy. The data is backed up on a separate hard drive, and while we cannot ensure 100% recovery, we will do our best to recover everything we can.
15. General Conditions
15.1 No failure or delay on the part of us to exercise our rights under the Contract shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right exclude any other or further exercise thereof. Any waiver of a breach of any provision of the Contract shall not affect our rights in the event of any further or additional breach or breaches.
15.2 Notwithstanding termination of the Contract, these Conditions shall continue in full force and effect for so long as is necessary after such termination to give full effect to the provisions contained in these Conditions
15.3 The Contract shall be construed in accordance with English law, which shall be the proper law of the Contract, and the English Court shall have sole jurisdiction in relation to the provisions contained in these Conditions.
15.4 The clause headings in these Conditions are for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation hereof in any way whatever.
15.5 Each and every obligation contained in the clause or sub-clause of these Conditions shall be treated as a separate obligation and shall be severally enforceable as such, and the non-enforceability at any time of the clause or sub-clause of these Conditions shall not prejudice the enforceability of the remainder.
15.6 These conditions are stipulated by Us on Our own behalf and on behalf of all agents and apply for the protection of all its agents as for Us. The Customer undertakes not to sue or make any claim whatever against any of us or agents of Us in respect of any alleged negligence or other default of ours or agent in relation to the carrying out, failure to carry out or breach of any contract.
15.7 The Customer acknowledges and agrees by placing orders with Us that:
17.7.1 This is a transaction into which both parties are freely entering.
15.7.2 There are clauses contained in these Conditions which exclude, limit or modify the liability of Us and Our agents
15.7.3 All charges are subject to these Terms and Conditions
15.8 The Customer acknowledges that the Customer has read this Agreement, and both understands and agrees with Us regarding all of the Terms and Conditions
16. Privacy Policy
16.1 A detailed privacy policy can be made available on request or found on our website. In short, Unmanned Aerial Solutions Ltd abides by the Data Protection Act 2018 – GDPR.