Osprey Drone Training is a CAA Recognised Assessment Entity on Portland that teaches people to fly drones safely and legally. It runs the two main UK remote pilot qualifications.

The A2 Certificate of Competence is done online at your own pace, usually in about a day, with no flight test. It lets you fly UK2 or C2 class-marked drones under 4kg, or older drones under 2kg, closer to uninvolved people than the basic rules allow. The General VLOS Certificate (GVC) is for work the Open Category rules won’t cover. The theory is online, the practical flight test is taken in person, and an operations manual workshop is included. It’s the accepted remote pilot competency for Specific Category work under PDRA01. Both qualifications last five years, and Osprey handles renewals.

What I like is the straight advice. The site makes the point that being paid doesn’t decide which qualification you need, and that plenty of paid drone work fits within the A1 or A3 rules with just your Flyer and Operator IDs and the right insurance. They’d rather you get in touch and talk it through than book a course you don’t need. If you don’t pass the flight test first time, they debrief you and retest you.

Bespoke courses are available too, and the school explains what the move from the GVC to the new Remote Pilot Certificate at the end of 2027 means for you.