Are you droning it right?

The use of drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s), is on the increase across a range of applications including Real Estate agents, surveyors and of course television productions. As a marketing tool there is possibly no better way to show off your golf club than with high definition video and with the use of a UAV your club will be shown at its best, from angles never before seen.

There are however many things to consider before employing such activities at your club. Of utmost importance is the accreditation, licencing and insurance coverage of the UAV operator. Further considerations must also be made with regards to your club’s airspace and whether it is in a controlled or restricted zone. Without correctly addressing these issues your club could face heavy penalties and fines.

In Australia, CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) regulates the use of UAV’s and the licencing of their operators. The use of UAV’s for all commercial work requires the operator to obtain a CASA UAV Controllers Certificate and an Unmanned Operators Certificate. The process for obtaining these licences is stringent, expensive and time consuming, therefore the door is open for a large number of rogue operators. A licenced UAV operator has all the relevant information at hand with access to the regulatory body should any special permissions be needed.

The potential marketing opportunities for golf clubs using drones is very attractive but don’t take chances, ensure that any operator has the relevant licences and insurances. To assist with UAV related enquires at Golf NSW we have enlisted the services of Australian Network Productions and its arm Australian Aerial HD. As qualified and licenced operators, they have worked closely with golf projects across Australia including the Australian Open and Australian PGA.