It is not about the drone
December 29, 2021
Our Team
All of our pilots are hugely experienced, and have undertaken rigorous drone flight training. We carry £5m of public liability insurance. We are proud of our zero-accident record. No drone flown by us has ever caused any harm or damage to any person, animal or property.
We are leaders in the field of drone safety. We created the first comprehensive set of checklists for safe drone flying, which we have always made freely available to other drone pilots via our website. We are pleased to say these checklists are widely copied and used across the industry.
Alan Proto
The founder of PhantomFlightSchool was among the first people in the UK to complete his Remote Pilot Theory Certificate and Operations Manual for the CAA, and is acknowledged as an accomplished drone pilot, having secured the highest marks to date in his Flight Test with the leading NQE, RUSTA.
Prior to founding PhantomFlightSchool, for twenty years he was involved in the education sector. It is his unique perspective that has provided the inspiration for our focus on helping people learn how to fly the DJI range of drones safely and enjoyably, and on taking drones to flying sites around the world through our one-of-a-kind holidays programme.
For several years, Alan lived in the mountains in Chamonix, France, and still maintains his passion for skiing.
Join Alan on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Alan Copson
Alan is a travel photographer with 25 years’ experience, circling the globe in pursuit of the perfect image. While he has loved photography since being allowed to use his father’s camera on childhood holidays, it was while travelling around Europe as a teenager he was inspired to follow a career in travel photography.
Having initially worked as a picture researcher at a number of London picture libraries, he went freelance in 1995. His first commission was from a tour operator to photograph Bruges in Belgium. Since then, he has worked for a wide range of clients, as well as shooting personal work around the world in around 50 countries, resulting in his prized collection of front cover images on guidebooks including Lonely Planet and Rough Guides.
Always in search of that elusive new angle, Alan was drawn to drone photography, becoming professionally qualified with Phantom Flight School in 2018. Aerial photography is now part of most of his photo-shoots.
Today, Alan is keen to share his experience as he co-hosts Phantom Flight School Masterclasses and online seminars.
Join Alan on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Andy Coulson
Andy has been a photographer since he was six, and a light-aircraft pilot since he was 17. He obtained his PfCO during 2020 with Phantom Flight School. Being able to combine flying with photography, along with a love of travel, landscapes, and general tech gizmodery makes Andy very happy !
There are a number of locations Andy flies drones from east of Edinburgh. Beach and shoreline flying give wide open spaces and easy flying conditions – we are often the only people on the beach.
Join Andy on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
David Stewart
David has always had a passion for photography and lighting, studying theatre production and design and simultaneously learning Black & White photography using the college’s enormous dark room – yes, he’s old enough to have used film!
Since then he has gone on to work in stage lighting around the world, living in Italy and India, touring with Paul McCartney, Oasis, to name a few. David was also part of the Montruex Jazz Festival Broadcast team for 5 years, and the Closing Olympic Games in Barcelona 1992. For the past 14 years he has been working as business development for lighting manufacturers utilising his photography and filming skills to capture spectacular lighting on stage.
After a life changing period in 2005, David setup as a Pro-Photographer in weddings and portraits, including college balls, using his people skills to help translate client requirements. He loves his gadgets (his wife will attest to this!) and when he saw his first drone he was fascinated with the possible application in both entertainment and photography. David qualified for his PFCO CAA licence in 2016. Based in Gloucestershire where he appreciates the lush landscapes and all things West Country!
Join David Stewart on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
George Blonsky
Join George on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Paul Barker
Paul’s background is as a press photographer going back to the days when there wasn’t even any colour in the newspapers and digital cameras were a distant dream. He now works as a professional cameraman for Sky News and AFP, as well as being an independent film maker and adventure cameraman. Besides drone flying his big passions are caving and rock climbing which he also instructs and films. He is also the founder of the Yorkshire Dales Photography School which teaches all aspects of photography amidst the stunning scenery of the Yorkshire Dales. “From the ground the Dales is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. From the air it is beyond breathtaking, and it is a delight to share it with new drone pilots.”
With such a strong background in photography and video, Paul is well placed to assist pilots who want to take their aerial imaging to new levels, as well as novices taking to the skies for the first time.
Join Paul Barker on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Paul Draycott
Paul has a 37yr background in flying; both in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and commercially, initially as a Flight Engineer (FE) and then as a Pilot. He began his flying career on the Hercules C130 and then became a training engineer on the AWACS B707 aircraft after instructing ab-initio FEs at RAF Finningley for 5 years. He made the move to commercial flying by joining Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd as a FE on the B747 Classic aircraft, whilst also training as a pilot. Initially piloting the Airbus A320, he’s since flown the A321, the A330 and the A340. And now… he loves flying Drones. He’s also keen to help others learn how to fly them, using the PFS flying techniques, which are closely allied to the commercial airline world and include standard operating procedures and aircraft checklists, and put flight safety first. Paul is now very happy to be able to continue that tradition of professionalism and help others to become safe and competent UAV pilots.
Join Paul Draycott on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Nick Hanson
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.
Join Nick Hanson on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Rob Lamont
Rob has been in the Information Technology industry for over 40 years. Having gained programming and systems experience with IBM, he then went into teaching at a North Wales college as a lecturer of Programming, Networking and Multimedia. He has always had a strong interest in photography and videography and recognised the potential of digital imaging in its early days. The use of drones to capture aerial images was the next step, and Rob started flying a DJI Phantom at the end of 2015 as a hobbyist. He obtained his PfCO early in 2018 and started his own company producing aerial photography/videography in North Wales. His editing skills in digital media have been gained over many years of lecturing and practical application, and he is able to offer finished product as well as raw footage to his clients. As a teacher at heart, he loves passing on his knowledge to new ‘dronies’.
Join Rob Lamont on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Stephen Knell
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.
Join Stephen on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
Tony Jackson
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.
Join Tony on the following Drone Flying Lessons & Events
No lessons & events found
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