The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (the CASA) has released its Review of Aviation Safety Regulation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (Report) following consultation on a discussion paper run in late 2017. The discussion paper and the Report both respond to safety concerns relating to the use of drones (also referred to as remotely piloted aircrafts (RPAs)) raised by various stakeholders following the implementation of the new Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (Cth) (CASR).
The Report was prepared at the request of the Commonwealth Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, which is currently examining regulations on safe operation of drones, and will be used to inform any future regulation in this area. The Report flags new safety regulations and implementation of technological safety solutions for commercial and recreational drone users. It also lays the groundwork for greater coordination and management of drone traffic and airspace in the future as drone use continues to grow. Importantly, the Report seeks to balance the safety of commercial and recreational drones while facilitating growth and innovation in the use of drones in Australia.
Scope of the Report
The Report considers the relative safety benefits and cost effectiveness of proposed safety measures relating to drones including:
- Introducing mandatory registration, education and training for all drone operators
- Deploying geo-fencing capabilities for drones.
The Report also considers the effectiveness of the CASA’s operating model with respect to the regulation of drones, with the objective of testing it to ensure that it takes account of:
- Technology growth of the drone community
- Operational growth of the drone community
- Related developments in the International Civil Aviation Organisation and other international aviation safety agencies.
Recommendations of the Report
The Report recommends various safety initiatives including:
Recommendation |
Description |
---|---|
Mandatory registration of drones |
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Development of an online training course |
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Maintenance of current training and education requirements |
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Deployment of geo-fencing |
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Participation in international sphere |
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Working with Airservices Australia |
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Drone roadmap |
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What’s next?
In Australia, the use of drones is growing rapidly. Drones are being used successfully in many industries including mining, infrastructure assessment, search and rescue, police and fire operations and agriculture. In the Report, the CASA notes that benefits like reduced costs, improved workplace safety and increased productivity must be balanced with ensuring that other airspace users remain unaffected and privacy, national security and safety of the community is not adversely affected.
The CASA will likely continue to follow developments in drone technology and the international response to drones. Additionally, the CASA will be considering the outcome of a separate senate inquiry into drone safety before making its final decisions on regulatory change. It plans to complete its roadmap by the end of 2018.