CASA loosens requirements for commercial UAVs

By on 5 April, 2016
SS CASA

Parrot AR.Drone2.0 (Halftermayer)

 

Last week Australia’s federal governing body for flight safety, CASA, released new regulatory requirements for unmanned aircraft, or as CASA officially calls them, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Despite the 1 April release date, the changes are not an April Fool’s joke, but a welcome relaxing of regulations for small scale applications of RPAS – and in effect the support of a valuable and burgeoning industry.

CASA has opted for a more risk-based process of regulation, allowing small scale operations to proceed without the existing red-tape. Commercial operators of very small remotely piloted aircraft (less than 2 kilograms) will no longer need to obtain a number of regulatory approvals, such as an operator’s certificate and a remote pilot licence. CASA claims that in addition cutting regulatory costs for operators by thousands of dollars, it also frees up a significantly growing part of the economy.

The changes to contain some new requirements, including that operators will now be required to notify the CASA that they intend to use very small remotely piloted aircraft for commercial flights according to a set of standard operating conditions. These mandatory conditions include flying only in day visual line of sight, below 120 metres, keeping more than 30 metres away from other people, flying more than 5.5 kilometres from controlled aerodromes and not operating near emergency situations.

CASA will provide an easy-to-use online notification system, and operators without Operator’s Certificates will need to notify CASA at least five business days before the first day of operation.

The other significant change covers remotely piloted aircraft also permits private landholders to carry out a range of activities on their own land without the need for approvals from CASA and without having to hold an Unmanned Aircraft Operator’s Certificate. This applies for remotely piloted aircraft up to 25 kilograms in weight where no money is paid for flights.

However for RPAS weighing between 25kg and 150kg, operators need to hold a remote pilot­ ­licence in the category of aircraft being flown.

While autonomous flight and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) remains prohibited under the amendments, there is scope for approvals by CASA on a case-by-case basis. CASA has indicated they will eventually be looking to allocate provisions for these applications.

“Remotely piloted aircraft systems are here now and we all know technology is developing at a rapid rate, which means the future of this sector of aviation is both exciting and challenging,” CASA chief executive and director of aviation safety Mark Skidmore wrote in a memo this week.

“While safety must always come first, CASA’s aim is to lighten the regulatory requirements where we can,” Mr Skidmore said.

“The amended regulations recognise the different safety risks posed by different types of remotely piloted aircraft.

“People intending to utilise the new very small category of commercial operations should understand this can only be done if the standard operating conditions are strictly followed and CASA is notified.

“Penalties can apply if these conditions are not met.”

The Regulation creates a series of new offences, including failure to comply with agreed policy and procedures, failing to notify CASA of changes in operation or circumstance, operating an unmanned aircraft in controlled airspace operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and launching or releasing autonomous aircraft without approval.

The amended remotely piloted aircraft regulations take effect from 29 September 2016.

Read CASA’s explanatory statement for further details on the changes.

 

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