FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes – We abide by all rules and laws set by CASA. How high you can fly, restricted zones, prohibited areas, controlled airspace etc. Certain areas require written permission or permits from CASA before flying. Before any flight, a full JSA (Job Safety Analysis) and risk assessment are completed. If your location or requirements is unsafe, the flight will not proceed.

Parks Victoria has banned all recreational drones including 2KG and under from flying and filming in all Parks Victoria managed land. Any park managed by Parks Victoria taking off and landing from the land owner is now prohibited. Read more here. However, commercial RPAS/ReOC holders such as us can apply for a permit. Additional costs apply and please allow 14 – 21 days to process your request.

ReOC is a Remote Operator Certificate. In Australia to operate drones commercially, you will need a ReOC certificate. Businesses such as Bendigo Aerial will follow an internal Operations Manual and Operational Procedures Library for all commercial jobs. This Operations Manual provides procedures to comply with the requirements in Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR Part 101). This provides a safe and documented workflow for all drone/UAV operations. Bendigo Aerial ReOC number is 1108.

To work commercially, drone pilots need a RePL – Remote Pilot License which can be learned over a 5 day period and a short test. Costs can vary around the $2K – $3K for the certification. Training providers will teach you regulations, safety, air law and operating your drone safely. This includes practical flying experience as well. The second part of the certification is that the drone pilot then needs to work for a company that holds a ReOC – Remote Operator Certificate. This is an optional additional certification for businesses and companies.

Drones are not just for taking photos and videos. They are used in various industries such as emergency services, farming, agriculture and construction. Drones are used for a variety of tasks including  3D mapping, surveying, search and rescue, shark spotting, thermal imaging and crop monitoring. With the right software and hardware vendors, we can use drones or UAVs for your existing projects.

The official term used by CASA is RPA which stands for Remotely Piloted Aircraft. RPAS is used for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. This is the official term for Drones/UAV and indicates that a person on the ground (human) is always controlling the aircraft and its behaviour.