What Can You Fly With a GVC in the UK?

A frequent question from new Specific Category pilots is simple to ask but easy to misunderstand: "What can I fly with a GVC?" The honest answer is that the General VLOS Certificate (GVC) on its own does not directly grant flying privileges. Instead, it qualifies you to apply for an Operational Authorisation from the CAA, and it is that authorisation — not the GVC itself — which defines what you can fly and how. This guide unpacks what that means in practice.

The GVC is a qualification, not a permission

It bears repeating because it is the root of most confusion: holding a GVC does not authorise any flight. The GVC demonstrates your competence. To actually operate in the Specific Category you must apply to the CAA for an Operational Authorisation, and the terms of that authorisation set out your permitted aircraft, environments and operating conditions.

The PDRA01 route

Most GVC holders apply for their authorisation against a Pre-Defined Risk Assessment known as PDRA01. The CAA has already assessed the risks of this standard operating scenario, which makes it the common route for many operations. Under PDRA01, the authorisation typically supports operating drones up to defined weight limits, within visual line of sight, at reduced minimum distances from uninvolved people compared with the Open Category.

What this enables in practice

With a GVC and a PDRA01-based Operational Authorisation, pilots commonly carry out work such as:

• Aerial photography and filming closer to people and structures than Open Category limits allow.
• Building, roof and infrastructure inspections in more demanding settings.
• Surveying and mapping for construction and land management.
• Other commercial operations that do not fit within Open Category constraints but stay within visual line of sight.

The exact aircraft and conditions you may use are defined by your authorisation and your accepted Operations Manual, so always work to those documents rather than to general assumptions.

Visual line of sight remains key

The "VLOS" in GVC stands for Visual Line of Sight. The standard GVC route is built around keeping your aircraft within your unaided sight at all times. Operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) require a different, more demanding approach and are not covered by the basic GVC and PDRA01 combination.

Weight and distance, not a free pass

It is tempting to think of the GVC as unlocking "bigger drones, anywhere." That is not how it works. Your authorisation specifies limits — including maximum take-off mass and minimum separation distances from uninvolved people — and you must operate within them. The GVC simply confirms you are competent to fly to those limits safely.

Going beyond the standard route

If your intended operations exceed what PDRA01 covers — for example heavier aircraft, BVLOS, or operations in unusually complex environments — you would need to pursue a more bespoke Operational Authorisation supported by a more detailed risk assessment. The GVC remains a foundation, but additional steps and evidence are required.

The takeaway

So, what can you fly with a GVC? Nothing, until you hold the Operational Authorisation it qualifies you to apply for. Once you do — typically via PDRA01 — you can operate suitable drones within visual line of sight, at reduced distances from people, for a wide range of commercial and complex tasks, all within the limits your authorisation and Operations Manual define.