This amount covers all the classes and practical flight training you need to qualify as a commercial drone pilot.
At the end of your RePL course, UAV Training can issue your licence and you’ll be allowed to fly drones on a commercial basis!
Our RePL course includes a mixture of theoretical work and practical flight training. We provide a minimum of 5 hours of hands-on flight training, as well as coursework that covers:
- Drone law and systems
- Meteorology
- Human factors
- Mission planning
- Aviation English Language Proficiency Check
View Our Brisbane RePL Courses |
View Our Sydney RePL Courses |
When You Need a Remote Pilot Licence
You need to hold a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) if you plan to fly drones on a commercial basis. You don’t need to hold a RePL if you only fly drones for fun.
If you don’t hold a RePL, you’ll need to comply with the standard operating conditions set out by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The rules state that you must:
- Fly your drone below a maximum height of 120m
- Keep your drone 30m away from other people at all times
- Keep your drone within visual line of sight at all times
- Stay 5.5 kilometres away from controlled airports (for drones weighing more than 250g)
- Avoid creating a hazard to other people, property and aircraft (such as by flying over crowds)
- Only operate one drone at a time
- Respect the personal privacy of other people and properties
- Fly only during the day, and not through cloud or fog
You can learn more about the drone rules on CASA’s website.
Drone Excluded Categories
You almost always need a RePL to fly a drone on a commercial basis. However, to reduce licence requirements, CASA has defined several excluded categories that allow you to fly without a licence.
Pilots are permitted to fly a drone for commercial purposes if:
- The drone weighs less than 2kg
- You are flying a drone that weighs between 2kg and 25kg over your own land, provided you do not accept payment for the work
When flying without a RePL, you are expected to comply with the operating conditions outlined above.
You will need to earn your licence and operate under a Remote Operator’s Certificate (ReOC) if you want to fly outside CASA’s standard operating conditions.
Different Types of Remote Pilot Licence
There is some confusion about drone pilot licences in Australia. There is only one kind of licence: the Remote Pilot Licence.
Earning your RePL allows you to fly most types of drones for commercial purposes. If you are doing specialty work (such as flying at night or operating oversized drones), you can upgrade your licence with new endorsements.
These endorsements allow you to fly drones in conditions where other pilots would be prevented from operating.
The confusion about the different types of Remote Pilot Licence comes from the Remote Operator’s Certificate (ReOC).
A ReOC does not allow you to pilot a drone. Rather, a ReOC is held by the business entity that offers commercial drone services. If you’re working as a drone pilot for someone else’s business then you’ll only need to hold a RePL.
ReOC & RePL Licence Costs
You’ll need to earn both your RePL and ReOC if you plan to operate as a business that offers commercial drone services.
For example, if you want to provide your skills on a freelance basis, you’ll need a licence and ReOC.
It costs $2,200+GST to earn your Remote Operator’s Certificate through UAV Training Australia. While you aren’t required to work with a training organisation when applying for an ReOC, professional consultation makes the process much simpler.
To earn your ReOC, you’ll need to pay a fee, submit organisational documentation and pass an interview process.
This can be a costly exercise if your ReOC is not granted. Using a consulting service helps to speed up the process and ensures that your ReOC is granted the first time around.
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