Better regulatory support for Australia's remotely piloted aircraft operations

Australia's air safety regulator has set up a project to review the rules currently covering the operations of remotely piloted aircraft (what we used to call unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs) and to develop a package of new guidance material.

CASA says that six advisory circulars will be published to guide both the aviation industry and CASA in managing the safety of RPAs.

They will cover remotely piloted aircraft systems in general, training and licensing, operations, manufacturing and initial airworthiness, maintenance and continuing airworthiness and safety management.

Once the advisory material has been developed there will be a review of the relevant regulations, which are set out in Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations.

Critically, the project will also look at the long term integration of RPA operations into normal aviation operations in all classes of airspace.

The rules covering remotely piloted aircraft systems were first drafted nearly 10 years ago in anticipation of such operations.

At the time there was little civilian RPA operational experience to draw on from around the world, resulting in the current rules not containing great detail in areas such as pilot qualifications, risk management and airworthiness.

The current rules provide a basis for CASA's oversight of the sector, with minimal guidance to the aviation industry.

At present each application for a remotely piloted aircraft systems operation is a standalone exercise and requires significant education of applicants.

With a rapid increase in activity in this sector there is a risk that unsafe decisions could be made without comprehensive guidance material being available.