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Training

Agricultural drone training providers

UK-relevant training routes for people entering agricultural drone work. Confirm current course content, certification, costs and suitability directly with each provider.

What you actually need

Most commercial agricultural drone work starts with the General VLOS Certificate (GVC), which lets you apply for a CAA Operational Authorisation. The heavy spray and spread drones used on farms weigh more than 25 kg in use, so they fall outside the standard permission and need a bespoke authorisation built on a Specific Operations Risk Assessment. Spraying pesticides also requires Health and Safety Executive approval, because it counts as aerial spraying. In other words, a course is one piece of the picture: plan your qualifications around the services you actually intend to offer.

COPTRZ Academy

COPTRZ Academy is a large CAA-approved provider running the GVC at OFQUAL Level 4, online or as a three-day classroom course with flight assessments at six UK venues. It is a mainstream route to the baseline commercial qualification before you move on to agricultural and aircraft-specific training. The GVC is valid for five years, and the CAA Operational Authorisation fee is paid separately.

What it covers

  • Online or three-day classroom GVC
  • 40-question theory exam at a 75 percent pass mark
  • Practical flight assessment at a UK venue
  • Operations manual template and review
Course: GVC drone training course (OFQUAL Level 4)
Mode: Online or 3-day classroom
Duration: Self-paced online, or 3 days classroom
Indicative cost: From around £719 inc VAT online; CAA fee separate
Certification: GVC (OFQUAL Level 4)
UK
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heliguy / Drone Ag

A multi-day DJI Agras spraying course delivered with agricultural specialists Drone Ag at their farm in Northumberland. heliguy is a CAA Recognised Assessment Entity, so the course pairs the GVC with hands-on Agras training. After it you still need a UK SORA-based Operational Authorisation to fly the larger Agras aircraft, and HSE approval to spread regulated substances. heliguy offers SORA consultancy to help.

What it covers

  • GVC: flight safety, UK law, theory and practical flying
  • Chemical mixing, handling, licensing and disposal
  • DJI Agras kit, spray tank and spreading module
  • Manual practice flight with a DJI Agras
  • Setting up the D-RTK 2 base station
Course: DJI Agras drone spraying course
Mode: In person
Duration: Multi-day
Indicative cost: Price on request
Certification: GVC plus DJI Agras training
UK
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Lantra Approved Providers

Lantra is a land-based awarding body. Its approved training routes matter for operators who handle plant protection products, where recognised application and product-handling qualifications are expected alongside your drone training. Use Lantra to find approved providers for the product side of application work.

What it covers

  • Plant protection product handling and application
  • Recognised land-based qualifications
  • Delivered through a network of approved providers
Course: Land-based and plant protection training routes
Mode: Varies by provider
Duration: Varies by provider
Indicative cost: Varies by provider
Certification: Lantra-approved qualifications
UK
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QuadRotor Services Training

Wirral-based operational training focused on XAG agricultural drones, including the P100 Pro, R100 and R200. This is aircraft-specific training for operators who plan to run XAG equipment, covering setup, planning and safe operation. As with all heavy application drones, you will also need the relevant CAA authorisation and, for pesticide work, HSE approval.

What it covers

  • XAG aircraft setup and operation
  • Mission planning and field workflow
  • Hands-on operational training on XAG platforms
Course: XAG operational training
Mode: In person
Duration: See provider
Indicative cost: See provider
Certification: XAG operational training
UK
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SRUC

Scotland's Rural College runs an introduction to drones for forestry and farmland. It is an education-led short course covering practical drone use in agricultural and forestry settings, including topics such as multispectral imaging and thermography. A good grounding for people in Scotland who want agricultural context rather than only a flight qualification.

What it covers

  • Practical drone use for farmland and forestry
  • Multispectral imaging and thermography topics
  • Education-led short course with CPD value
Course: An introduction to drones for forestry and farmland
Mode: See provider
Duration: Short course
Indicative cost: See provider
Certification: Short course (CPD)
ScotlandUK enquiries
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UAVHUB

UAVHUB runs a widely used online General VLOS Certificate (GVC) course, the qualification you need before applying for a CAA Operational Authorisation. It is self-paced e-learning followed by a practical flight assessment, which suits people starting out who want the baseline commercial qualification before moving on to agricultural and aircraft-specific training.

What it covers

  • GVC theory delivered online at your own pace
  • Practical flight assessment to complete the certificate
  • Operations manual support for your CAA application
Course: GVC online drone course
Mode: Online, self-paced
Duration: Self-paced
Indicative cost: See provider
Certification: GVC
UK
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