Start With the Right Information
Feeling Confused?
Check out our FAQs below and clear up some confusion.
We have put the answers to a lot of common questions below. Have a look and you would like further information, reach out! We are always happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
RPAS stands for Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems and refers to any aircraft that is controlled by remote control, or some other means of automation. Some examples of commercially available RPAS Aircraft are the DJI Phantom, DJI Inspire, DJI M300 and DJI M600 Pro.
A Model Aircraft is flown only for hobby or sport. Basically any sort of recreational activity.
An RPAS Aircraft is flown for commercial purposes, either as a charged fee or reward, or for your own commercial gain. Using an RPAS to promote your own business is considered a commercial gain.
Recently CASA released new laws that allow you to fly certain aircraft without the need for a licence, and only under strict operating conditions. These aircraft will need to be UNDER 2kgs in total weight. This is commonly referred to as “Sub2kg” and known as the Excluded Category – Some of those conditions are;
- You must only fly in the day – NO NIGHT FLIGHT!.
- You must not fly closer than 30m to people – Including whom you are filming.
- You must not fly within 3nm (5.5km) of a Towered/Controlled Airport.
- You must fly only as far as you can visually orientate the aircraft.
You also can’t fly in Restricted Airspace such as Sydney Harbour etc. And remember, insurance is VERY important
If you want to fly a machine that is heavier than 2kg for a commercial gain, you will need to obtain RPAS Certification.
Sub2kg is what the Excluded Category laws are commonly referred to as. It’s what allows you to fly a smaller machine without licensing – with restrictions.
All you need to do is register on the CASA website and follow the instructions.
www.casa.gov.au
In Australia, RPAS Certification is issued by the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority (CASA). It can only be obtained by completing a CASA approved RPAS Training course with a CASA approved training organisation. FPV Australia is a CASA Approved Training Organisation.
There are 2 parts. The Pilot – He/She gets a Remote Pilot’s Licence
Then there is the Remote Operators Certificate, which is issued to the individual or the business wanting to run the drone operations.
A Remote Operator’s Certificate is given to the company or individual that wants to operate RPAS Aircraft. Consider it like an airline. For example;
QANTAS is the Certified Operator and the pilot is the Certified Pilot.
If you want to fly commercially you will need to obtain both RPAS Pilot’s Licence (RePL), and a Remote Operator’s Certificate (ReOC) – both issued by CASA. Unless you want to fly for someone else whom already has an Operator’s Certificate – in this case, you only need Remote Pilot’s Licence.
Once you have obtained your Remote Pilot’s Licence, you then simply apply to CASA for an Operator’s Certificate – We will help you with all the paperwork you need.
To obtain your full remote pilot’s certification you will need to obtain a Radio Operator’s Certificate. This use to be known as the Radio Operator’s Certificate of Proficiency or AROCP. This is now redundant. You will now need an Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC) FPV Australia is approved to offer AROC Certification, and does so on all of it’s RPAS Certification courses at no extra charge.
No! You can only get RPAS Certification from a CASA Approved RPAS Training Organisation. FPV Australia is a CASA Approved RPAS Training Organisation.
Our RPAS Certificate course runs for 5 days and consists of both theory and practical study. Currently we are still running theory in our Virtual Classroom, and then you will need to visit one of our practical sessions to complete practical competencies. You will be required to pass an exam, and demonstrate your ability to fly a drone. You will be given practical flight training which will give you the necessary skills in order to pass the assessments.
If you wish to fly anything heavier than 2kg (Bigger than say a Phantom) for commercial gain, then you must obtain RPAS certification. It is against the law to fly commercially without it.
That said, it will allow you to gain insurance – EVEN if you want to fly Sub2kg. Some insurance companies will give you insurance, if you have passed the RePL and obtained your Remote Pilot’s Licence.
Yes, of course you can. CASA have now released procedures that will let you fly at night. There is no extra course for this, it’s now part of a standard Remote Operator’s Certificate (ReOC)
Well, yes you can, but under strict conditions, and only if you are fully certified. There is no extra training course for this, it’s now part of a standard ReOC.
Yes and No. We now run our theory components online in our Virtual Classroom. This is in real time with our instructors. Once that is complete, you will need to join us, in person to complete practical competencies and assessments etc.
We do not offer a self study, online course, for 2 reasons. Firstly CASA don’t allow it. Under the new Part 101 Manual of Standards there are mandated minimum contact hours. 15 in fact.
Secondly, the subject matter in this course is not something you would want to study online without guidance. In fact, we deliver way more than the standard 15 hours, as there is just too much to cover.
We have employed some of the country’s most highly decorated RPAS and crewed helicopter and fixed wing instructors. We honestly believe that the best way to get through RPAS Certification properly, is with the face to face guidance of a serious instructor.
Don’t pay good money for a company to just send you the courseware. Get in a classroom and get the most out of the training. It will give you 200% more skill and knowledge than reading a web page.
Yes and No. The new system is now all under one certification to fly, but is broken down into weight classes. When you complete your RPAS certification, you will be issued with a licence to fly up to 7kg. If you want to fly a larger machine, you can do so easily by upgrading your licence. It’s simply a system that CASA has put in place to categorise pilots.
No. 7Kg is just the starting weight category. There is nothing stopping you from moving to higher weight classes by upgrading your licence, and the process is pretty simple.
Easy – We are the most comprehensive course available. We not only have what we believe is the best RPAS Certification program in the country, but we have the most qualified instructors in the country. We worked hard in conjunction with Australia’s best aviation educators to bring you the best RPAS certification course you will find. Don’t just take our word for it. Have a look at the calibre of our customer base, and it’s easy to see why you should choose FPV Australia as your training provider.
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