Drones near airports

[BrendAn]

On 27/11/2025 at 4:53 PM, skippydiesel said:

If you are going to talk in Drone lingo, I suggest you do so on a drone only site😈

Don't be a dronego

[BirdDog]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would throw this in...

Not that long ago CASA made some changes to Part101 MoS (Part 101 is for RPA) and they removed the restrictions preventing anyone from flying within the airport boundary.  Yes - you read it right - they removed the restrictions.  (Non controlled of course)

 

So now, someone can legally fly a drone inside the airport boundary (not during a relevant event).  Which is when you an crewed aircraft operating within 3nm of said airport.

 

Sounds nuts??  Because it is!!  😞

Edited May 23 by BirdDog

[T510]

There is a lot of things wrong with the current drone regulations in Australia, the above is one of them

 

Hopefully there will be some significant changes in not too distant future to bring Australia's once world leading regulations up to date

[PureCaboose]

14 hours ago, BirdDog said:

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would throw this in...

Not that long ago CASA made some changes to Part101 MoS (Part 101 is for RPA) and they removed the restrictions preventing anyone from flying within the airport boundary.  Yes - you read it right - they removed the restrictions.  (Non controlled of course)

 

So now, someone can legally fly a drone inside the airport boundary (not during a relevant event).  Which is when you an crewed aircraft operating within 3nm of said airport.

 

Sounds nuts??  Because it is!!  😞

And let's not forget to desire to make VFR pilots responsible for avoiding drones which are flying under BVLOS rules.

 

I don't know about you, but on occasion I struggle to see  fellow Jabiru's when I know exactly where they are. How am I supposed to see a drone the size of a shoe, that does not have ADSB and is grey in colour?

 

Edited May 24 by PureCaboose

[red750]

I got this low for an image on Google Earth. I didn't turn off the markers..

 

[BirdDog]

I hear ya lads!

 

When I noticed this slight change to the Part101 MoS, I raised it with CASA, as I didn't think allowing anyone to fly a drone over the airfield was a good idea, but was told... No.  This change will stay.  😞 

 

Not my idea of a good time!

[skippydiesel]

Like so many issues with Gov regulators inaction/action, it may take a fatality to get change for the better.😈

[Student Pilot]

There is a bit more to it with the drone pilot having to have a radio on current frequency and talk to the aircraft, with the drone pilot being responsible for separation. I have worked a few time (low level) close to drones, the pilots were good and made their intensions clear. I have also flown in countries where there are no such rules and it was the wild west.

[onetrack]

It sounds to me like high-level property developers with huge airport development plans have been whispering in CASA's ear about how they need to fly their drones around airports so they can get fancy aerial images for glitzy marketing purposes for new developments.

 

You only have to see the real estate ads today, I don't know how we ever bought a house or property in previous times, without a hundred different drone views of it!!

 

Or perhaps it's the developers need the drones up regularly for planning purposes. Either way, they'll get their way. Hundreds of millions of dollars - nay, billions - hang on airport developments today. 

The Perth airport expansion is gob-smacking. Two new multi-story carparks, a new airport hotel, a third runway, kms and kms of new taxiways - and that's just the airport.

The commercial development around the airport that is following the airport expansion is also staggering. They've already knocked down tens of millions worth of large commercial buildings, just to make way for the third runway.

 

Edited Monday at 12:07 PM by onetrack

[BirdDog]

14 hours ago, Student Pilot said:

There is a bit more to it with the drone pilot having to have a radio on current frequency and talk to the aircraft, with the drone pilot being responsible for separation. I have worked a few time (low level) close to drones, the pilots were good and made their intensions clear. I have also flown in countries where there are no such rules and it was the wild west.

Negative.  There is no requirement for a radio anymore.  In fact, most hobby flyers won't even know what a relevant event is, let alone where to find radio frequencies (and can't without certification anyway!

[BirdDog]

For transparency - I own and operate Australia's first and longest operating RPAS training organisation - FPV Australia.  Happy to answer any questions re drones etc.