Over the last year we have been rolling out the introduction of military operating areas at Defence bases across Australia. This process is now complete. Most restricted areas (RAs) outside (or near) the boundary of Australian territory are now classed as military operating areas. A small number have been amended to remain within Australian territory.
Date
This follows changes to the Australian Airspace Regulations 2007 in November 2023 and brings Australia in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements.
When seeking access to MOAs:
- Australian aircraft must request an approval from the Administering Authority listed in the AIP, and conditions of entry may be imposed.
- Foreign registered aircraft are strongly recommended to comply with the requirements of MOAs as if they were Australian aircraft; however, they can transit a MOA outside Australian territory without an approval. Within Australian territory, an approval must be requested from the Administering Authority listed in the AIP, and conditions of entry may be imposed.
Note: Air traffic services cannot be provided to foreign registered aircraft outside Australian territory that transit a MOA without an approval. A new civil clearance will be required to re-enter controlled airspace upon leaving the MOA. - Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) and model aircraft (drones) must request an approval from the Administering Authority listed in the AIP and conditions of entry may be imposed. We recommend drone operators check the advisory message in a CASA-verified drone safety app.
Crewed and uncrewed aircraft operators should update their documentation to reflect the introduction of these MOAs.
All operators and pilots must review the Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) before planning a flight.
More information is available on our Extraterritorial airspace webpage. You can also watch our webinar on special use airspace to brush up on the rules.