CASA fines now in force - up to $11,100 - Mandatory RPA registration and operator accreditation

BIRDI is consistently committed to giving our users an efficient end-to-end drone management solution. As such, we are continually monitoring updates and developments from CASA to provide a more integrated BIRDI user experience. From Thursday the 28th of January penalties were put in place for pilots flying commercially with an unregistered RPA or without an RPA operator accreditation (or remote pilot license). The fine is up to $11,100. CASA defines commercial drone use as all drones flown to provide any type of service, no matter how much the drone weighs, such as:

• Selling photos or videos taken from a drone
• Inspecting industrial equipment, construction sites or infrastructure
• Monitoring, surveillance or security services
• Research and development
• Any drone activities on behalf of your employer or business

To avoid fines and stay compliant remember to:

• Keep your individual and organisation details up to date in myCASA, this includes your personal and business contact details.
• If you have nominated an authorised representative to manage your RPA, check they have the correct role and permissions in myCASA.
• You can deregister your RPA (if you lose it, damage it beyond repair, or sell or dispose of it) in myCASA.
• We'll notify you when your registration (valid for 12-months) and accreditation (valid for 3-years) is about to expire.

You can read more about drones and CASA here. If you’re after more information please feel free to contact our UAV Operations team by emailing enquiries@birdi.com.au