The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has released a discussion paper that sets out Australian and international aviation safety regulatory arrangements in regards to drones.
The paper is part of CASA’s review of drone regulations and calls for industry and community input on the potential future regulatory approaches to cover the emerging and increased application of drone technology.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester, welcomed the release of a discussion paper focusing on the regulation of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) – or drone – operations and air safety.
Mr Chester said the CASA paper would give the wider community, as well as government agencies and industry, the opportunity to have input into consideration of future safety regulation of drones.
“Drones are a rapidly growing part of the aviation sector, and we must get the balance right between ensuring the safety and security of the public, and avoiding unnecessary red tape,” Mr Chester said.
“As the paper indicates, aviation safety regulators around the world are facing challenges in maintaining high levels of safety without unnecessarily impeding opportunities to use drones for industry and recreational applications.”
The discussion paper seeks comment on five key aviation safety issues:
- Drone registration
- Training and education of drone operators
- Geo-fencing
- Counter drone technology
- Future approaches to drone aviation safety regulation.
Mr Chester said the review would take into account technological and operational growth of the RPA community, and developments in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other international aviation safety agencies.
