Flying in populous areas

You must not fly your drone in a populous area.

A populous area is anywhere people are living or gathered for a purpose. If your drone fails and falls, it could pose a risk to the life, safety or property of a person in the area.

Populous areas can include:

  • residential areas
  • parks
  • beaches
  • roads
  • cars
  • footpaths
  • city areas
  • festivals
  • sporting events
  • weddings.

You can't fly over people at any time – no matter how high you fly above them.

You must keep your drone at least 30 metres away from people or anywhere a person could be, such as in a house or a car.

Major public events are often policed to make sure the public are safe. Leave your drone at home – live in the moment and enjoy these live events.

Many iconic buildings and tourism sites are also located in restricted airspace, making them no-fly areas. For example, Sydney Harbour and surrounding areas.

 

Last updated:
2 Oct 2024
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//drones/drone-rules/flying-populous-areas
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