Commercial UAS Services & Data Policy

Last updated: September 2026

Certified Drone Pilots Ltd provides commercial UAS, aerial imaging, photogrammetry, mapping and site-intelligence services for land, development, property, infrastructure and related projects.

This policy explains the general basis on which our services are delivered, including operational responsibilities, permissions, data handling, deliverables and technical limitations.

Project-specific quotations, scopes of work or written agreements may supplement or override the general provisions below.

1. Scope of Services

Depending on the project, CDP services may include:

• aerial photography and video
• site-context imagery
• ground-level, POV or 360° imagery
• RTK-supported aerial capture
• orthomosaic mapping
• photogrammetric 3D models
• relative elevation and surface visualisation
• repeat progress monitoring
• GIS-supported outputs
• annotated site evidence
• interactive online project delivery

The appropriate method is determined by the client requirement, site environment, operational feasibility and intended use of the information.

Not every project requires the highest-resolution or most technically complex capture method.

2. Aviation & Operational Responsibility

All UAS operations are planned and conducted by CDP in accordance with the operational and regulatory requirements applicable to the specific flight.

CDP is responsible for determining the aviation feasibility of the proposed operation, including matters such as:

• applicable airspace restrictions
• aviation permissions or notifications within CDP's scope
• aircraft suitability
• weather conditions
• operating distances
• crew requirements
• flight-risk assessment
• operational limitations
• Remote Pilot go/no-go decisions

Where required, additional aviation permissions or coordination may affect the proposed capture date or scope.

The Remote Pilot retains final authority over whether an operation can safely and legally proceed.

A client instruction or project deadline cannot override operational or regulatory requirements.

3. Site Access, Landowner Permission & TOAL

Unless expressly agreed otherwise, the client is responsible for ensuring CDP has appropriate permission to access the site and use the proposed operating location.

This may include:

• landowner permission
• site-access arrangements
• take-off and landing permission
• security access
• inductions
• parking/access permissions
• site-specific health and safety information

CDP can assist with identifying operational requirements, but legal ownership, boundary rights and permission to access private land remain matters for the client or relevant landowner unless specifically included within the agreed scope.

4. Weather & Operational Conditions

UAS operations are weather-dependent.

Wind, rain, visibility, cloud, temperature, lighting conditions or other environmental factors may make a planned operation unsuitable or reduce the quality of the required dataset.

Where conditions are unsuitable, CDP may:

• delay the operation
• change the planned capture method
• reschedule the site visit
• recommend an alternative evidence approach

Safety and data quality take priority over completing a flight under unsuitable conditions.

CDP will keep clients informed where weather or operational conditions materially affect delivery.

5. Data Capture & Accuracy

The accuracy, resolution and suitability of aerial or photogrammetric outputs depend on factors including:

• aircraft and camera
• capture altitude
• image overlap and geometry
• GNSS and RTK conditions
• control methodology
• terrain and vegetation
• lighting and weather
• photogrammetric processing
• intended use of the dataset

Where RTK-supported capture, Ground Control Points or Check Points are used, this will be agreed according to the project requirement.

Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) should not be interpreted as equivalent to independently validated absolute positional accuracy.

Where a project requires a specific accuracy standard or independently verified positional performance, this must be identified before capture so an appropriate methodology can be agreed.

6. Mapping, Elevation & Spatial Outputs

Orthomosaics, surface models, hillshade, relative elevation, contours and similar products can provide valuable spatial context for planning and site review.

They may help identify:

• relative levels
• slopes
• visible surface relationships
• development context
• site features
• areas requiring further investigation

Unless expressly commissioned under an appropriate specialist methodology, these outputs should not be relied upon as substitutes for:

• formal topographical survey
• cadastral or legal boundary survey
• flood-risk assessment
• drainage design
• geotechnical assessment
• structural assessment
• engineering certification
• professional valuation
• regulated specialist advice

CDP provides decision-support evidence rather than replacing the professional responsible for making a regulated or specialist determination.

7. Buildings, Roofs & Inspection Imagery

Aerial imagery can provide useful visual evidence of roofs, façades, structures and other areas that may be difficult to inspect from ground level.

Such imagery can show visible external conditions.

It should not by itself be interpreted as confirmation of:

• structural integrity
• hidden defects
• internal water ingress
• moisture content
• insulation condition
• material failure
• the underlying cause of visible damage

Where diagnosis is required, imagery should be reviewed by an appropriately qualified specialist.

8. Client-Provided Information

Clients are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of information supplied to CDP.

This may include:

• proposed site boundaries
• site plans
• coordinates
• ownership information
• access instructions
• drawings
• Areas of Interest
• project requirements

Unless specifically agreed otherwise, information supplied by the client is treated as reference information and is not independently verified by CDP as legally or professionally authoritative.

9. Deliverables

Project deliverables will be agreed before or during instruction and may include:

• JPG or PNG imagery
• video
• PDF reports
• GeoTIFF or other geospatial imagery
• 3D models
• orthomosaics
• annotated graphics
• GIS-compatible files
• interactive project links

File format, resolution and delivery method may vary according to the project.

Large geospatial datasets may be supplied through secure download links or hosted online platforms rather than as email attachments.

10. Online & Interactive Platforms

Some projects may be delivered through third-party platforms providing interactive mapping, 3D models, 360° imagery or project portals.

Availability of these services may depend on the relevant third-party provider, licence or hosting arrangement.

Where long-term hosting is required, this should be agreed separately.

CDP cannot guarantee the permanent availability of a third-party platform outside its reasonable control.

Clients should download or retain any project files they require for permanent records.

11. Intellectual Property & Client Use

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, CDP retains copyright and intellectual property rights in imagery, video, graphics, reports, models and other materials it creates.

Once agreed fees have been paid, the client is granted permission to use the commissioned deliverables for the intended project, business and internal purposes described within the instruction.

Where clients require:

• exclusive copyright transfer
• unrestricted third-party licensing
• resale rights
• publication rights outside the original project
• raw dataset ownership

these requirements should be agreed separately.

12. Confidentiality

CDP recognises that land acquisition, development, infrastructure and commercial site projects may contain sensitive information.

Where confidentiality has been agreed, CDP will not knowingly publish identifiable project information without appropriate permission.

Where projects are shown within CDP case studies, portfolios or technical examples, information may be:

• anonymised
• generalised
• redacted
• geographically obscured
• used only with client permission

Clients should identify particularly sensitive information at the start of an instruction.

13. Portfolio & Marketing Use

CDP may request permission to use selected project imagery or outputs within its website, portfolio, presentations or marketing.

For commercially sensitive, confidential or restricted projects, material will not be intentionally published where CDP has agreed that it should remain private.

Where explicit confidentiality has not been discussed, clients who require complete restriction on portfolio use should inform CDP in writing.

CDP does not automatically provide client datasets to stock-image libraries or unrelated third parties.

14. Personal Data & Privacy

Where a project captures identifiable individuals, vehicle registrations or other personal information incidentally, CDP will take reasonable steps to handle that information appropriately according to the nature and purpose of the project.

Site imagery is normally focused on land, buildings, infrastructure and project features rather than identifiable individuals.

Where a project requires systematic capture of personal information, additional privacy and data-protection requirements may need to be agreed.

Personal information supplied directly to CDP for enquiries, quotations or project administration is used for legitimate business purposes connected with providing the requested service.

15. Data Storage & Retention

CDP may retain working files and project outputs for a reasonable period following completion to support:

• client queries
• repeat projects
• re-delivery
• comparison with later datasets
• business records

Large raw datasets may not be retained indefinitely.

Clients requiring guaranteed long-term storage should agree this before project completion and maintain their own copies of final deliverables.

CDP may remove hosted or archived project data where storage is no longer reasonably required.

16. Third-Party Sharing

Project information may need to be shared with trusted third parties where reasonably necessary for delivery, for example:

• authorised pilots or crew
• GIS or processing specialists
• software or hosting providers
• professional advisers
• aviation authorities or airspace stakeholders where operational coordination requires it

Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose should be shared.

Where specialist subcontractors are required, this will normally be incorporated into the agreed project workflow.

17. Timescales

Indicative turnaround times may be provided at quotation or instruction stage.

Delivery time can be affected by:

• weather
• airspace approvals
• access
• site size
• dataset volume
• processing requirements
• requested revisions
• third-party dependencies

Urgent delivery requirements should be identified before instruction.

18. Fees, Deposits & Payment

Pricing depends on factors including:

• site location
• travel
• site size
• aircraft and sensor requirements
• crew requirements
• capture complexity
• permissions
• processing
• reporting
• hosting
• turnaround time

The applicable price and payment terms will be stated within the quotation or written instruction.

Additional work outside the agreed scope may require additional charges.

19. Cancellation & Rescheduling

Where a client cancels or materially changes an instruction after CDP has incurred costs, completed planning work, travelled or allocated resources, reasonable associated costs may remain chargeable.

Weather-related or operational rescheduling is normally treated differently from client cancellation and will be handled according to the circumstances of the project.

Any project-specific cancellation terms provided within the quotation take precedence over this general policy.

20. Research & Development

CDP also undertakes research and development relating to aerial site intelligence, Earth Observation and evidence-selection methodologies.

R&D concepts, prototypes and experimental outputs will be clearly distinguished from established commercial services where appropriate.

One current R&D initiative is CDP ORBIT VERIFY, exploring how Earth Observation and targeted local evidence may support more systematic decisions about the minimum evidence required for a particular site question.

[Explore Innovation & R&D →]

Research-stage products should not be interpreted as replacing formal survey, engineering or regulated professional assessment.

21. Professional Boundaries

CDP's role is primarily to capture, organise and present evidence.

The interpretation or approval of that evidence may remain the responsibility of the relevant:

• surveyor
• architect
• engineer
• planner
• roofing specialist
• environmental consultant
• land professional
• client decision-maker

Where a question falls outside CDP's professional competence, we may recommend that specialist advice is obtained rather than making a conclusion outside our scope.

22. Contact

Questions about this policy or a particular project can be directed to:

Certified Drone Pilots Ltd

Leicester, United Kingdom

E: info@certifieddronepilots.co.uk

T: 0116 271 9993

W: www.certifieddronepilots.co.uk