New rules will give Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) the ability to provide more airworthiness certification options for large remotely piloted aircraft (RPA).
“Currently, large RPA need either a restricted or experimental certificate of airworthiness,” CASA said. “These pathways do not suit every large RPA or operation. Experimental certificates mainly support research, development and testing. They do not provide an ongoing pathway for most commercial operations. Restricted certificates only cover certain operations. The aircraft must also have restricted-category type certification.”
From 29 September, the new rules will allow any applicable kind of certificate of airworthiness, subject to meeting the relevant airworthiness standards and appropriate operating conditions. They will also allow relevant large RPA to operate without a certificate of airworthiness, subject to certain restrictions.
The changes are intended to provide more practical pathways for commercial operations using large RPA while maintaining an acceptable level of safety.
Before the new rules come into force, CASA will amend the Part 101 Manual of Standards (MOS). These amendments will set the conditions for operating a large RPA with a certificate of airworthiness as well as the requirements operators must meet when operating a large RPA without a certificate of airworthiness.
For operations without a certificate of airworthiness, the planned amendments will continue to require operators to carry out a risk assessment and hold the necessary CASA approvals.
Operators will need to show that the aircraft’s design and construction suit the proposed operation and that the operation will not adversely affect other airspace users or people on the ground or water.
CASA approval is still required for the operation of a large RPA, regardless of whether the RPA has a certificate of airworthiness. Operators must also continue to hold a remotely piloted aircraft operator’s certificate (ReOC).
Licensing, maintenance, continuing airworthiness and other operational rules, such as RPA registration, will continue to apply. CASA said it is continuing to work through other operational requirements.
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Image: CASA