We're currently making changes to Part 101 of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR). The information below outlines:
- some of what is changing
- what you may need to do
- links to any relevant guidance and reference material.
These changes follow a post-implementation review (PIR) we carried out in 2021 of CASR and its manual of standards (MOS).
After the PIR, we drafted several proposed amendments to drone rules. These amends ensured they are fit for purpose. We publicly consulted on these amendments in 2022.
Learn about the consultation on the CASA Consultation Hub.
What is changing
We’re making a number of changes to Part 101 MOS.
These changes affect:
- remote pilot licence (RePL) training organisations
- remotely piloted aircraft operator's certificate (ReOC) holders.
Mandatory changes that will affect RePL training organisations include:
- moving tethering from practical to theory when teaching
- updating your RePL certificate of completion
- increasing examiner requirements
- clarification of dedicated contact time.
Optional changes that will affect ReOC holders and RePL training organisations include:
- amendments to EVLOS operations
- record keeping requirements
- removal of practical competency unit variables
- standardising student ratios
- guidance on pre-existing experience for RePL holders.
Changes affecting RePL training organisations only
You must have a CASA approved and updated operations manual and relevant training documents to continue operating after 18 October 2023.
You must submit your operations manual and relevant training documents to us by 28 June 2023. This is to make sure we approve mandatory changes before 18 October 2023.
These mandatory changes include:
Tethering operations
Tethering operations will no longer be required as a practical competency. We are asking training organisations to include it as a theory unit.
See our guidance material for more information.
Updating your RePL certificate of completion
RePL training organisations will need to give their students a detailed certificate of course completion for the relevant RePL training course.
Updated details on the certificate will need to include:
- name and ARN of the RePL training organisation and the student
- name of the RePL training course
- mode of operation used for the flight test
- date the student successfully completed the course.
See our guidance material for more information:
Standardising examiner requirements
We are providing further information and clarity on the need for training organisations to make sure examiners supervise exams.
We will also require examiners to correct any relevant knowledge deficiency reports (KDRs) with the student, if necessary.
See our guidance material for more information:
Clarification of dedicated contact time
Training organisations will need to make sure they are providing each student with a minimum of 15 hours of contact time during the theory knowledge component of the RePL course.
Time used for revision is not to be included in this dedicated contact time.
If your documents don’t meet the definition of contact time you will need to update them by 28 June 2023 and submit it to us.
See our guidance material for more information:
Changes affecting ReOC holders and RePL training organisations
RePL training organisations and ReOC holders may also benefit from implementing these optional changes into their operations now:
Amended EVLOS operations
We are amending our EVLOS requirements to clarify some operations and remove certain references.
EVLOS operations will need to ensure:
- a reliable and maintained control link performance between the remote pilot and the RPA
- maintained communication between the remote pilot and observer
- the observer is in visual line-of-sight with the RPA.
We are removing the ‘radio and telephone’ reference from the methods of communication section of the MOS for Class 2 EVLOS operations.
The revised MOS also clarifies that a RePL training organisation cannot conduct EVLOS proficiency checks.
If ReOC holders with an existing EVLOS approval would like to operate under the new EVLOS standards, they will need to:
- Update their EVLOS procedures.
- Send them to us as a significant change.
Record keeping requirements
We are providing further information and clarity on the record keeping requirements for RePL training organisations and ReOC holders.
Learn more about what records you need to keep on our record keeping webpage.
Removal of practical competency unit variables
We will remove a number of variables from practical competency units during testing. These include:
- operating at night
- in undulating terrain
- near aerodromes.
See our guidance material for more information.
Increasing student ratios
The students to instructor ratio during practical components of training has increased.
Training organisations can now have one instructor supervise up to 10 students. However, only 3 students can fly under instruction at any one time.
See our guidance material for more information.
Guidance on pre-existing experience for RePL holders
If a student already holds a RePL and they’d like to apply for any upgrade course, they no longer need to re-sit the common units of the theory and pass the exam.
See our guidance material for more information.
Significant change and non-significant changes
Operators will need to complete a Significant change approval and/or notification of non-significant changes form when submitting amended manuals to us.
We will need to approve mandatory changes and associated manuals before you implement them.
Operators will need to send optional changes and associated manuals to CASA within 21 days of implementing the changes.
Read about significant and non-significant changes.
Reference to principals of method and instruction (PMI) course
We are removing the reference to principals of method and instruction (PMI) as a qualification pathway for RePL instructors.
PMI is not designed as a stand-alone course but a teaching methodology.
By April 2024, training instructors will need to have a Certificate IV in training or assessment (or similar) to continue teaching. More information will be available in the coming months.