The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority has opened up a forum for comments on proposed fees for drone services.
From January 28, 2021, commercial drone pilots and people who operate drones for work will be required to register them with CASA and obtain accreditation; this includes the currently-excluded sub-2 kg and “flying over your own land” categories. Holders of remote pilot’s licences will not need accreditation, but will still have to register their drones.
All non-recreational drones regardless of size or weight will need to be registered, with registrations opening September 30; recreational drones weighing more than 250 grams and flown outdoors will need to be registered by 30 May 2022, with registration opening in March 2022.
Anyone seeking to register their drone will need to be at least 16 years old with a myCASA account; proof of identification; a free Aviation Reference Number (ARN); and details including the make, model, serial number, weight and type of drone to be registered.
Registration and operator accreditation for drone, or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), flown for commercial or business use (any operation other than sport or recreation) will:
- open on 30 September 2020
- be required by 28 January 2021.
We’ve published details of the proposed charges, including:
- an initial fee-free registration period
- introduction of a simplified fee structure for other regulatory services – providing greater certainty for our operators.
To have your say on the proposed charges:
- visit the CASA Consultation Hub
- submissions close on 13 September 2020.
This consultation does not include:
- drones or model aircraft that are flown for fun (sport or recreation)
- model aircraft being flown at CASA-approved model airfields
- the registration and accreditation laws (or the standard operating conditions).
In July 2019, the Australian Government passed legislation to introduce mandatory registration and accreditation requirements. This is in addition to existing certification, licensing, flight authorisations and record keeping requirements.
For more information, go to Drone registration.
Source: Press Release