CASA: Drone safety review
15-Jun-2017 We have released the Terms of Reference for our review of aviation safety regulation of remotely piloted aircraft systems, commonly known as drones.
A discussion paper for public comment on the range of safety issues to be examined during the review will be released soon.
Terms of reference
To review the approaches undertaken by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to the regulation of RPA operations which are consistent with the primacy of air safety, and with particular reference to:
- The relative safety benefits and cost effectiveness of:
- introducing mandatory registration, education and training for all RPAS operators;
- the deployment of geofencing capabilities for RPAS; and
- any other mechanisms to enhance aviation safety associated with RPAS operations in Australian airspace and managing the relevant risks.
- The effectiveness of CASA's operating model with respect to the regulation of RPAs to ensure it takes into account:
- technology growth of the RPAS community;
- operational growth of the RPAS community; and
- developments in ICAO and other international aviation safety agencies.
This review will be informed by looking at the operation of the most recent CASR Part 101 amendments and take into account recommendations developed by the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Standards subcommittee.
The outcome of the assessment will provide CASA with a firm basis on which to articulate and implement future aviation safety regulatory policy and the further development of regulations applying to RPAs.