As new advanced technologies and other capabilities become available, we will see changes affecting Australia’s future civil aviation operations.
We must consider a range of changes to existing conventional operations for strategic regulatory planning purposes.
We have loosely grouped this range of technologies and capabilities under the term 'evolved conventional operations'.
We expect evolved conventional operations will cover a wide range of developments. This can include:
- advanced avionics and systems
- advanced materials and aerodynamics
- automation
- simulation and modelling
- advanced operations
- other developments (for example, long haul single pilot operation).
Many of these evolved conventional operations do not have a deployment date.
We expect some of these activities will not need significant regulatory activities for us to prepare for their deployment.
Electric propulsion systems and alternative fuels
One area of evolved conventional operations is electric propulsion systems and alternative fuels.
This term covers known new propulsion and energy storage systems including:
- battery-electric
- hybrid-electric
- hydrogen-electric (fuel cells)
- hydrogen-fuelled jet-engines
- sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs)
- lead-free aviation fuels for piston-engines
- ultra-high by-pass-ration (UHBRs) jet engines
- cracked-ammonia fuelled jet-engines.
A medium term solution to decarbonising long haul air transport is dependent on developments in other high density sustainable fuel sources. This would include one, or a combination, of:
- development of SAFs as a replacement fuel for existing aircraft
- innovation in battery electric aircraft
- aircraft powered by fuels such as hydrogen.
The Australian Government ‘s Department of Industry, Science and Resources administers fuel quality standards.
Activity status in the immediate to near term
Industry and academia are developing battery electric and hydrogen fuel technologies. These technologies are in the research, development, and early testing phases.
Battery electric propulsion is evolving rapidly. This is due to significant investments of eVTOL platform developers.
We will monitor international developments to inform our regulatory preparations for these technologies. This includes both Australian and foreign products.
In the immediate term, we expect to start creating policies and standards that will support the development and deployment of these technologies.
We are watching safety regulatory developments around the deployment of SAF.
Activity status in the medium term
In the medium term, we expect to be heavily involved in regulatory assessment of locally developed technologies involving new fuel types. We will need to have policy and standards in place to support this work.
Operators are already using SAF in Australia but not at scale. Aircraft manufacturers refer to new engines being 100% SAF compliant by 2030.
We have a minimal role in regulatory oversight of fossil-based aviation fuels. Key non-safety regulatory issues impact the deployment of those technologies in the Australian aviation environment.
Engagement with key stakeholders for these issues (for example the Department of Industry, Science and Resources) is a critical part of our activities. This engagement helps us get ready for the deployment of relevant technologies and capabilities.
We expect to absorb any safety regulatory activities related to SAF into business-as-usual activities.
Activity status in the long term
In the longer term, we expect our involvement in ongoing regulation of widespread activities in aircraft using novel fuel types.
We expect this to cover both locally developed and imported technologies. We will continue to develop our standards and practices to support this work.