Registration requirements

You must register any drone used for business purposes or as part of your job, no matter how much it weighs.

This applies to all drones used for any type of service, including:

  • selling aerial photos or videos
  • inspecting industrial equipment, construction sites or infrastructure
  • providing monitoring, surveillance or security services
  • conducting research and development
  • any activities that are not for sport or recreation.

In some cases, you don’t need to register your drone, such as when:

  • you don’t intend to fly it
  • you’re only flying for sport or recreation, including at CASA-approved model airfields
  • you're a commercial drone repairer or manufacturer, but you still need to keep records.

You can easily register your drone online in just a few minutes, and the registration is valid for 12 months. To register a drone, you must be at least 16 years old.

If you use your drone for business or as part of your job, you must also get:

Registration levy

You may need to pay a registration levy for drones used for business or used as part of your job.

If your drone weighs:

  • 500 g or less, registration is free
  • more than 500 g, a $40 registration levy applies to each drone.

In exceptional cases, you may be eligible to apply for a refund of the registration levy.

Penalties for flying an unregistered drone

Drone registration is mandatory.

If you fly an unregistered drone for business or your job, you could face a fine of up to $16,500.

You may need to show your certificate of registration to:

  • an authorised CASA representative
  • a member of the Australian Federal Police or state and territory police services.
Last updated:
11 Oct 2024
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//index.php/drones/drone-registration/registration-requirements
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