Remotely Piloted Aircraft (Drones)

You must obtain a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Aviation Reference Number (ARN). This number is unique to you & is your customer number with CASA. It must be aquired before a Remote Pilots Licence (RePL) & Aeronautical Radio Operators Licence (AROC) can be applied for. IE every RPA pilot must have an ARN before any training can commence.

Note - in order to obtain a ARN you will have to provide CASA with 100 points of identification. Details of which documents are acceptable & make up the 100 points can be found on the CASA - Aviation Reference Number web page

Once you have obtained your Aviation Reference Number (ARN) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) the next step is to undertake approperate training that will lead to obtaining your Remote Pilots Licence (RePL). All training is carried out by the University's Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) who is certified by CASA as a RePL training provider. This training involves both a theory & practical component.

To request training please email maintenance@une.edu.au & someone from Estates & Built Environment (EBE) will contact you regarding your request & explain what is required to become a UNE remote pilot.

For those people who already have aviation experience & who have completed the theory component of any Part 61 flight crew licence you only have to undertake & pass the practical component of your training.

This training includes but not limited to :

• maintaining a remote pilot log book
• completing pre & post flight checklists
• recording flight times
• reporting defects & maintenance for the Chief Remote Pilot / Maintenance Controller to Investigate
• accessing & lodge flight plans in the AVCRM software used by UNE

On successful completion of your training you can then apply, with assistance from the Chief Remote Pilot, for both your Remote Pilots Licence (RePL) and your Aeronautical Radio Operators Licence (AROC)

Please note that the UNE Chief Remote Pilot has to provide the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) with evidence that you have completed & passed both the theory as well as the practical flight component of the CASA training course.

On successful completion of the training course our Chief Remote Pilot will assist you with applying for your RePL & AROC Licenses with CASA.

Once you have obtained your RePL & AROC licenses your name will be added to the UNE Register of approved RPA (Drone) Pilots.

If you wish to obtain your Remote Pilots Licence (RePL) & as part of your duties, have a genuine requirement to fly, then you should contact Estate & Built Environment by email. The address to send this request is maintenance@une.edu.au. A staff member from Estate & Built Environment will then contact you regarding your request & go through what is required to become a UNE pilot.

Please Note - If you don’t already have a Remote Pilots Licence (RPL) & /or your not listed on the UNE Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC) as an authorised pilot, then you must not fly.

For pilots that are already have their RePL & approved to fly with UNE there are 2 steps to follow before taking to the air. These steps are:

Step 1 – Lodge your flight plan in the AVCRM.

Step 2 – The Chief Remote Pilot then assesses your flight plan & ensures it’s compliant with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations. If approved, you will receive confirmation back via the AVCRM that the flight plan has been approved. If it's not, then the Chief Pilot will contact you to let you know what information is missing or what additional requirement needs to be addressed in order to fly.

Yes - All University drone pilots need to be licensed as all University operations are considered commercial by both CASA & UNE.

Contractors are permitted to fly Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA) over UNE controlled space however must do so under thier own Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC) or another parties. UNE will not permit a contractor to fly under our ReOC.

Contractors who plan to fly over UNE controlled space must inform the University’s Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) prior to any flight, so that UNE is aware of the flight & can manage any issues accordingly.

All staff & students need to be trained by the University's Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) in order to meet CASA requirements to fly under the UNE ReOC. The licensing process assures CASA (and the University) that pilots have the technical capability and awareness to fly an RPA & are aware of the risks and responsibilities that go with using RPA’s in shared airspace. Appropriate licensing for the size & type of drone is also a requirement under the University’s ReOC.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) only issues Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificates (ReOC) to individuals & organisations that have systems in place which have the ability to apply & enforce CASA's stringent technical and safety standards.

The University is one of those organisations that has successfully applied for & been granted a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC). What this means is that the University's Chief Remote Pilot, approved by CASA, acts as CASA's representative to oversee all Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operations carried out by the University.

The University uses CASA approved flight plan software to lodge, approve, monitor and record RPA operations. This software is called AVCRM.

What happens under the UNE ReOC

• The University appoints the Chief Remote Pilot.
• The Chief Remote pilot is responsible for training pilots that fly under the the University ReOC
• The Chief Pilot is responsible for the ongoing monitoring of a pilots ability to fly & compliance with both CASA regulations & University policy.
• The Chief Remote Pilot approves all flight plans.
• The Chief Remote Pilot oversee's all flight operations including the type of RPA that can be flown.
• The Chief Remote Pilot can assign conditions to flight plans.
• The Chief Remote Pilot is authorised to ground a pilot if unsafe practices are observed or reported

Any changes to the University's ReOC must be approval by CASA.

The ReOC is issued on the basis that UNE maintains appropriate systems to ensure the safe operation of all RPA activity.

As such, UNE must ensure:

• All pilots are appropriately licensed.
• There is effective management of all operations.
• Suitably trained personnel are appointed to the positions of Chief Remote Pilot and Maintenance Controller.
• Maintenance of all equipment is regularly conducted.
• Flight activity is conducted according to an operations manual approved by CASA.
• Records are maintained in a form approved by CASA and available for review or audit by CASA.

The University's ReOC provides assurance to the UNE community that flying is conducted with the safety of staff, students & the general public, and all other users of airspace, in mind.

The University’s Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) has the necessary experience and qualifications as assessed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to oversee all of UNE’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operations.

The CRP has autonomy to perform the role as required by CASA and is directly answerable to CASA for the University’s management of its RPA fleet. The CRP has full authority and can and will refuse permission to any operation that does not meet CASA requirements, industry best practice or risk and insurance requirements of the University.

The CRP is responsible for:

• Ensuring the University Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operations comply with government legislation and regulations.
• Maintaining records of the qualifications of all RPA pilots, drones and operations.
• Monitoring operational standards and training.
• Liaise with UNE stakeholders.
• Manage UNE RPA stakeholders
• Ensure pilots have access to the University’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC) reference library.

CASA must be advised and approve any changes to the appointment of the Chief Remote Pilot and the Maintenance Controller.

A drone is a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). RPAs range in size from 1g to 150kg.

RPA’s fall generally into 4 x size categories

1. Micro                    1g to 250g
2. Very Small           251g to 2kg
3. Small                     2.1kg to 25kg
4. Medium               25.1kg – 150kg

The University has a fleet of RPA's at its disposal. They range in size from Micro to Small.

Pilots need to be aware that only RPA's which appear on UNE's Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC) can be flown. If for any reason you need to fly an RPA that is not listed on UNE's ReOC, please contact the Chief Remote Pilot.

If the Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) determines that a RPA should be added, then a request by the CRP will be submitted to the Civil Aviation safety Authority (CASA) asking for an amendment to be made to the Operators Certificate.

Depending on the type and model of the RPA, the amendment could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It depends on whether CASA has previously assessed, tested & approved the type & model of RPA for flying prior to this request or not.

Once approved by CASA, & added to the UNE ReOC a regular maintenance scheduled for this new RPA will be established by the University’s Maintenance Controller.

There are many types and sizes of RPAs available and their cost varies significantly.

If you purchase an RPA then you need to contact the Chief Remote Pilot (CRP). The CRP will then arrange with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to have this RPA added to the University’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC).

Depending on the type and model of RPA, this could take from a few days to several weeks for CASA to process. This is because CASA must ensure that the drone is approved to fly in Australian air space & that pilots on the UNE ReOC and the Chief Remote Pilot are appropriately trained.

Once approved, a regular maintenance scheduled for the RPA will be established in consultation with the University’s Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) & Maintenance Controller (MC).

If you are thinking about purchasing a RPA, please contact the University’s Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) before doing so. The CRP will be able to recommend brands & types of RPA’s for various applications. The CRP may also be in a position to suggest where to obtain the best deals.

If you don’t have a drone but require one for a project, please contact the Chief Remote Pilot & he/she will be able to put you in contact with a UNE pilot who has access to an RPA that may be in a position to assist you.

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) define what types of flight activities can be conducted, who can conduct them and where and how they can occur. Part 101 of the CASR governs the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA’s).

A Manual of Standards for unmanned aircraft & rockets has been published by the Australian Government & sits on the Federal Register of Legislation web site. This legislation spells out the framework for flying RPA’s & covers everything from pilot training, operating in controlled airspace, operating beyond Visual Line of Sight (VLOS), record keeping & registration of RPA’s just to name a few.

CASA also has a process for the general public to report unsafe drone flights. These reports are investigated where there is sufficient evidence to follow up on.

The University has obtained is own Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operators Certificate (ReOC) that allows us to operate RPA's under the supervision of our Chief Remote Pilot (CRP).

Details about the CASA's regulations can be obtained from their Drone web page or the University’s Chief Remote Pilot (CRP). Contact details are at the bottom of this web page.

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) are made under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and are administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). CASA is responsible for ensuring the safety of all users of airspace as well as people on the ground.

The regulations set controls on the operators and activities of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA’s) to minimise any foreseeable risks to the public and other aircraft. Because of the potential risks from inappropriate use of RPA’s, fines apply to people and organisations that do not comply with the CASR.

The University provides insurance cover for approved flights. These flights can be anywhere that falls under Australian jurisdiction. The activities associated with Flying under the UNE Remote Operators Cirtificate (ReOC)  must also be approved under University Policies and procedures.

The Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) holds Professional Indemnity Insurance as the person responsible for authorising & approving flights in line with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations.

For full details about the insurance coverage visit the University's Insurance web page or phone UNE Insurance on 6773 4413.

The regulations governing the use of drones are intended to support the safe operations of all aircraft being used in airspace. The regulations provide a framework where the rules are well understood and information about known risks is shared.

The success of the framework relies on the operators of drones understanding the rules that apply to airspace, anticipating and reducing any potential risks and having the skills and awareness to determine the best response to a range of possible incidents.

The regulations are complex because the potential risks are complex and potentially disastrous when it does go wrong.

The University uses Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approved flight software called AVCRM to manage our operational Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA) risks.

Information about the RPA risk assessment process can be obtained from the Chief Remote Pilot.

Anyone using a drone should consider & comply with the University’s Privacy Management Plan.

The same features that makes drones potentially useful in conducting a range of activities also makes them potentially intrusive when they are used without consideration of other people.

Any proposed projects using drones must meet any research ethics requirements if applicable.

University’s Chief Remote Pilot: John Fleming

Email:             jflemi35@une.edu.au

Business Compliance is managed by Estate & Built Environment

Contact person         Mark Creagan

Email:                         mcreaga2@une.edu.au