Drone Deregulation Dawns in Australia
3 min to read

Drone Deregulation Dawns in Australia

Date
16 October 2016

A new era of drone deregulation has dawned, reducing the red tape surround the use of smaller remotely piloted aircraft across Australia.

The Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Part 101) Regulation 2016 took effect on 29 September 2016. The Amendment clarifies Australia’s regulation of remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) (otherwise known as drones) and deregulates the use of smaller RPAs for commercial purposes.

The regulations introduce three main changes. RPAs will now be categorised based on weight; must be operated in accordance with Part 101 of the Manual of Standards; and, subject to certain exceptions, a person who operates an RPA must hold a remote pilot licence and an RPA operator’s certificate. Exceptions include the operation of very small RPAs and land holders rights to operate small RPAs.

The Civil Aviation Safety authority has released guidance on the amendments which can be found on its website.

Importantly, the Amendment now allows the operation of RPAs under 2kg without certification, provided that the RPA is operated:

  • within visual line of sight;
  • no higher than 120 m above ground level; and
  • during the day only.

In addition the lightweight RPA must not be operated any closer than 30 m from people not associated with the flight; in a prohibited or restricted area or over a populous area; in a restricted area that is classified as RA3; in a restricted area that is classified as RA2 and RA1 otherwise than in accordance with regulation 101.065; within 5.5 km of a controlled aerodrome; in the area of a public safety operation (e.g., a fire or police operation) without the approval of a person in charge of the operation; and the person operating the RPA must operate only that RPA.

Under the new regulations, owners/occupiers of land may operate their own small RPA (between 25kg) to carry out a range of flight activities relating to the management of the land without needing a licence or operator’s certificate. However, for medium RPAs (between 25kg to 150 kg), the remote pilot must be trained and licensed to fly under the ‘landholder rules. ‘The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has issued a warning to operators about making a careful distinction between commercial and non-commercial use. Some activities, such as aerial photography, could be classified as commercial use. Operators must ensure that their activities meet the definition of ‘sport or recreation’ or the ‘landholder’ rules. If an operator’s activities have a commercial basis, they must ensure their RPA fits the ‘very small classification’ (under 2kg) or the operator has an operator and remote pilot authorisation.

Commercial Activities

In addition the lightweight RPA must not be operated any closer than 30 m from people not associated with the flight; in a prohibited or restricted area or over a populous area; in a restricted area that is classified as RA3; in a restricted area that is classified as RA2 and RA1 otherwise than in accordance with regulation 101.065; within 5.5 km of a controlled aerodrome; in the area of a public safety operation (e.g., a fire or police operation) without the approval of a person in charge of the operation; and the person operating the RPA must operate only that RPA.

For further information about the changes and their implications please call Hamish Fraser, Partner, Bird & Bird on  +61 2 9226 9888 or 0402 465 829 

 

Share
Written by
Hamish Fraser
Hamish Fraser
Australia
I'm the lead partner of our Australian IT and Communications Groups in Sydney, where our clients are at the cutting edge of legal and regulatory developments in the region.
View profile
Related articles
Smart Contracts – Recognising and Addressing the Risks
4 min to read
29 December 2021
Smart Contracts – Recognising and Addressing the Risks
Smart contracts, where some or all of the contractual obligations are defined in and/or performed automatically by a computer program, are expected to have a significant impact on the way business is...
Technology Projects: Managing the Risks of Innovation and Change Part 3: Contract Reset and Dispute Resolution
Technology Projects: Managing the Risks of Innovation and Change Part 3: Contract Reset and Dispute Resolution
Customers in long-term technology projects can find that while they have been working towards their chosen solution a more advanced, cheaper, or simply more desirable technology has become available....
Digital dispute resolution rules to facilitate rapid and cost-effective resolution of disputes involving novel digital technologies
Digital dispute resolution rules to facilitate rapid and cost-effective resolution of disputes involving novel digital technologies
While some saw the development of products using blockchain technology leading to the demise of disputes, the reality is that disputes in the arena of digital technology are increasing in number. Lawtech’s...
Technology Projects: Managing the Risks of Innovation and Change Part 2: During the Life of the Project
Technology Projects: Managing the Risks of Innovation and Change Part 2: During the Life of the Project
Customers in long-term technology projects can find that while they have been working towards their chosen solution a more advanced, cheaper, or simply more desirable technology has become available....
Cookies
We use analytics cookies to help us understand if our website is working well and to learn what content is most useful to visitors. We also use some cookies which are essential to make our website work. You can accept or reject our analytic cookies (including the collection of associated data) and change your mind at any time. Find out more in our Cookie Notice.