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Do I need a number plate for my drone in Australia?
- Thread starter Luis Benito
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alokbhargava
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Meta4
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No ... you don't need a number plate (whatever that is?)
Here's a site to check for the relevant rules for flying in Australia: Model aircraft and RPA | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
No. I would just put your mobile number on there with a permanent marker in case you loose it so you can be contacted.
Only if you intend to ride it on a public road, you will need a helmet also!
CASA only needs some ID of the UAV. Mobile numbers might be the way to go! Not a bad idea. I will suss this out when I meet up with them for my two-day UAV flight training this week then fill in my UOC application.
Seems like its a reasonably simple process to get an operators certificate in AUS now. Did the RTO you used produce the manuals for you?
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Our 5 day full time training course paid for the manuals and aLL. $5K AUD. CASA will come out in a few months time to asses my ability to fly a drone, answer some questions and do various manouvers. Once passed to get my UOC license to go commercial CASA will ask for the fee... $5K. So no, it's not cheap or easy to get a commercial license. One must carry PLI and the license is for life unless revoked by CASA>
5 days of trainimg and someone doing all the paperwork for you sounds like a relatively easy way to get certification. Particulatily where, from your earlier posts, it seemed most in the class had zero experience with UAV's. The cost would be greatly reduced going direct to CASA and doing your own paperwork.
Agree, but.... the paperwork is horrendous! and CASA takes a shine to those who actually go out and do CASA approved Drone training courses. The guy who runs this course is qualified pilot/trainer ~2500 flight hours in both fixed and rotary wing, and is a CASA delegate. What he has shown and taught me, opened up my eyes and mind to the aviation world of flight and I now feel more confident of the next step - being assessed by a CASA rep. who will come out to my place and test me in real flight - just like going for a driving test! . Because CASA dos not yet have a set course for Drones (this is being looked at this year by them) the course covers ALL paperwork as they do all that for you. So while it is expensive, I just want to do the right thing and get a license.
Whether it is expensive is subjective, absent of cost my point is it would seem things are a lot simpler in Australia than the USA and elsewhere. You don't need a pilots licence. It seems CASA will have comfort in the applicants competency based on the RTO ticking a box. From your earlier commentary in other threads several of the participants had difficulty understanding what the sticks did on the remote when entering flight training. It would seem demonstrated flight competency is of less importance than understanding aviation operations. CASA will provide assistance leading applicants through the process including proving assistance with the operations manual and other documents. I don't understand what the benefit in using an RTO is, it would seem you can get there without them.
Please report back with what the flight test involves.
I would also be interested to learn whether a radio operators certification is, or could be, included as part of the course, what commercial operations are permitted following certification and to what extent you have made enquiries concerning insurance coverage for any aircraft used for business operations (I would expect public liability is mandatory).
Your experience in going through the process will likely be of great interest and benefit to others here.
Cost for drone course re relevant to those who are on a fixed income (pension my case) but it was worth it. At the moment, CASA allows an operator to fly a drone under 2kg MTOW without a License, as long as it's for hobby and entertainment.
If it's for commercial use, you need a CASA issued UAV license which is only issued to those who have been assessed and approved by CASA.
This Unmanned Operators Certificate (UOC) is for life and it will only be issued to those who have a current ASIC listed registered business or company.
On that UOC, CASA will l stipulate what you can use this for based on what you tell what you want to do with the drone. If you want to fly heavier birds than 7kgs, it will entail more training and or assessment by CASA.
Those applying for a CASA UOC must also get a free ARN - Aircraft Reg.Number from same after which you can do biz with CASA online. Once you have the UOC you must by Australian law, carry Public Liability Insurance, which not many underwriters will do just now as the UAV industry is just starting to grow for commercial use.
However, if you have a biz name or company you would have PLI anyway and all you need to do is ask your Ins. company would they extend it for a Drone as part off your photo/Ag work. Some do, some don't. So ask around.
As for flight tests, it's pretty full on. Its just like going for your car, truck, fly a plane test drive!
It involves various manoeuvres like an 'Lazy Eight', Circuits, various eyelevel flights demonstrating hover, pitch, roll and yaw, with GPS on and off. Show what you would do if you loose a live video feed or loss of visual sight, GPS failure, RTH failure, and even be asked various questions about your Drone, one of which would I'd guess, what are various flashing lights mean?
You also have to show the CASA assessor what, when, how often, why and where you do Maintenance on your drone and by what means you record al this info. You must log every flight you do. be that for fun or for biz. To CASA, a flight is a flight, not what it was used for.
You even have to show them how you assemble and disassemble the Drone, and above all, show that you can fly your aircraft safely and with confidence. In other words, its the same procedure for a plane or copter. All this and more is being revised this year by CASA and no doubt there will be new regs and laws in place, as the Drone industry cranks up.
As for an Aeronautical Radio Proficiency Operator License, that was part of the course. After scoring a 100% (min is 80%) in the closed book exam, I had to go Toowoomba airport for an a Practical and English test - just to make sure I can speak and understand the 'Radio lingo' in English. I have since bought my own hand-held VHF radio.
So next week, I have two days of personal flight training after which I will have to practice every day, as CASA will come out within the next 6 months as they're heavily booked up for flight tests for all types of aircraft, including drones.
Here's CASA link for the who have questions re UAV's...Remotely piloted aircraft system frequently asked questions | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
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