Anyone else had a dubious looking email claiming to be CAA? (uav insurance title)

giumick · Apr 5, 2017

We got a email this evening claiming to be from the CAA stating alot of obvious stuff we all would know as qualified operators anyway.

It waffled on about insurance been up to EC spec sdr values and then had a attached insurance form i most certainly did not click on , apparently from...

Kate Hofstetter

Head of Technical Governance & Support

Shared Service Centre – Aviation Services

Civil Aviation Authority

UAVInsurance@caa.co.uk.

Anyone else had similar?

Blacksails · Apr 5, 2017

I had one too. From Kate Hofstetter.
Seemed legit to me, and makes sense as the CAA briefly stopped issuing PFCO's recently whilst they figured out issues with insurance.

giumick · Apr 5, 2017

Blacksails said:
I had one too. From Kate Hofstetter.
Seemed legit to me, and makes sense as the CAA briefly stopped issuing PFCO's recently whilst they figured out issues with insurance.

Well if thats legit its the worst email i have ever had from them. Written like a Nigerian scammer

The email address even seems dodgy

Blacksails · Apr 5, 2017

giumick said:
Well if thats legit its the worst email i have ever had from them. Written like a Nigerian scammer

The email address even seems dodgy

The email address is probably a new one created specifically for this issue. It follows their usual pattern, as in "Uavenquiries@caa.co.uk"

I haven't read it fully yet so can't comment on how it reads, but from a brief look over it at work the gist I got was that they weren't asking for any personal info, just notifying that the next time you renew you have to prove adequate insurance

The Editor · Apr 5, 2017

Yes it's legit but a god awful email.
It's basically because everyone in the CAA is too stupid to work out whether an insurance policy is 785/2004 compliant and want us to do their work for them.
Every question on that form can be answered by looking through a policy document or is information they already hold on you, your business or your aircraft(s).
Oh and by the way they want us to do more admin and have tripled the fee for the privilege of giving us the task.

Sounds about right.

Don't tell them you drive a diesel or they will charge more for your permission !

giumick · Apr 5, 2017

The Editor said:
Yes it's legit but a god awful email.
It's basically because everyone in the CAA is too stupid to work out whether an insurance policy is 785/2004 compliant and want us to do their work for them.
Oh and by the way they want us to do more admin and have tripled the fee for the privilege giving us the task.

Sounds about right.

Don't tell them you drive a diesel or they will charge more for your permission !

Wonderful more paperwork and thankyou for clearing this up....we better get it out the trash folder now ey cough cough

Scotflieger · Apr 6, 2017

Just received an unprompted email from John Heath/Coverdrone insurance with a completed CAA confirming full compliance with EC Reg No 785/2004. That is service.

Cyclops · Apr 6, 2017

Don't we just just love to have moan on forums!

Everyone is always complaining about how the CAA doesn't communicate with them and then when we get an email complaining about that!

I've got this silly idea that we should be sympathetic towards the CAA in their almost impossible task of regulating and controlling these pesky little DJI and other beasties. It must have been fine for them when there were only highly experienced operators flying hexacopter and octocopters.

Anyway I've just had an email from John Heath / Coverdrone who have used their initiative and sent all their customers the completed CAA insurance form. Really great customer service from them and saves me the hassle of getting in contact with them.

Blacksails · Apr 6, 2017

Scotflieger said:
Just received an unprompted email from John Heath/Coverdrone insurance with a completed CAA confirming full compliance with EC Reg No 785/2004. That is service.

Strange, I'm insured with John Heath/coverdrone and have received nothing...

giumick · Apr 6, 2017

Blacksails said:
Strange, I'm insured with John Heath/coverdrone and have received nothing...

Ive just got in and i have the coverdrone email too so yes its good to hear they have reacted

giumick · Apr 6, 2017

Cyclops said:
Don't we just just love to have moan on forums!

Everyone is always complaining about how the CAA doesn't communicate with them and then when we get an email complaining about that!

I've got this silly idea that we should be sympathetic towards the CAA in their almost impossible task of regulating and controlling these pesky little DJI and other beasties. It must have been fine for them when there were only highly experienced operators flying hexacopter and octocopters.

Anyway I've just had an email from John Heath / Coverdrone who have used their initiative and sent all their customers the completed CAA insurance form. Really great customer service from them and saves me the hassle of getting in contact with them.

I dont really agree with that at all. Its not a moan if you raise a justified point. Ive flown r/c since i was 6 years with my dads past down barnstormer so would hardly fall into the inexperienced category. Good to see people on here are still always looking to have a little dig from their high horse though.

Even my partner read it and said that looks like spam. Ultimately it should of been better written and prepared when we are talking about the CAA here. It was a mashed together poorly written email.

Yes they have alot of work to do but so do we so lets all play nicely ey and leave the sly digs out of it.

cjl147 · Apr 7, 2017

I got one too,. wondered if it was sent only to me or to all operators with PfCO!! Why not just make a rule that all UAV insurance has to be compliant with EC blah blah. Mind you, easier to create more work for us all who are just trying to do the right thing and constantly keep up. Wish they'd put the same energy into dealing with operators who flaunt the rules, especially those who operate without PfCO!

giumick · Apr 7, 2017

cjl147 said:
Wish they'd put the same energy into dealing with operators who flaunt the rules, especially those who operate without PfCO!

Totally agree on that one and now i am moaning haha,

And thats the reason coverdrone are so prominent at the moment. Alot of insurance companies have rushed onto the band wagon to cash in on aerial work and simply have not invested the time into creating suited policies.

All this aside i do appreciate the huge workload the CAA have but just feel that if we are going to be heavily legislated you have to communicate professionally. No ifs buts or maybes.

Mo Thomson · Apr 9, 2017

Blacksails said:
Strange, I'm insured with John Heath/coverdrone and have received nothing...

check your spam mail folder, that's where mine went

SimonMW · Apr 10, 2017

What I'm not clear on is whether we need to submit our insurance detail compliance now, or just when we renew (or if a new pilot on the initial application)? If we currently have a PfCO do we still need to faff around with this or can we just wait until we need to renew?

tweaker · Apr 11, 2017

The Editor said:
Yes it's legit but a god awful email.
It's basically because everyone in the CAA is too stupid to work out whether an insurance policy is 785/2004 compliant and want us to do their work for them.
Every question on that form can be answered by looking through a policy document or is information they already hold on you, your business or your aircraft(s).
Oh and by the way they want us to do more admin and have tripled the fee for the privilege of giving us the task.

Sounds about right.

Don't tell them you drive a diesel or they will charge more for your permission !

Is your post insurance specific?
Just about to get docs together for renewal.
Anything else changed since June last year in CAA neverland?
Any info greatly accepted.

The Editor · Apr 11, 2017

tweaker said:
Is your post insurance specific?
Just about to get docs together for renewal.
Anything else changed since June last year in CAA neverland?
Any info greatly accepted.

Yes, don't forget to change all references to CAP722 as the new Air Navigation Order was issued in August 2016. References will be out of date and will be rejected if your ops manual still points to the old article numbers.
Also, MORS reporting has changed and will no longer be accepted via paper submission but must be made via the online link.

Plingboot · Apr 11, 2017

I just checked on the CAA site and the CAP722 is still the 2015 version - the amendment document mentions that 722 will be updated at a later date in accordance with update cycles. CAP393 has been updated to the 5th edition.

The Editor · Apr 11, 2017

Plingboot said:
I just checked on the CAA site and the CAP722 is still the 2015 version - the amendment document mentions that 722 will be updated at a later date in accordance with update cycles. CAP393 has been updated to the 5th edition.

Correct, however all references must be updated as per.
IN-2016/073: Small Unmanned Aircraft - Air Navigation Order 2016