Roadmap activities

The roadmap focusses on 6 regulatory areas over 4 time horizons. Explore more detail for each of the:

Below is a summary of all roadmap activities and their progression over time.

Overview of activities

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for piloted AAM.
Review applicable maintenance policies for AAM.
Review international frameworks, standards and methods for certification and assurance of RPAS. This includes consideration of adoption of FAA durability and reliability method for low risk RPAS.
Review applicable maintenance policies for RPAS.
Publish guidance on the evidence requirements from the original equipment manufacturer verse the operator for RPAS operational approvals.

Airspace and traffic management

Through the AFAF, develop a transparent, consistent, and scalable method to administer Australian airspace that supports remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) integration.
Research how existing separation standards may apply to RPAS and AAM and identify future changes required including conspicuity and equipage considerations.
Review existing flight rules against the future needs for RPAS and AAM.
Work with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and Airservices Australia to develop a regulatory oversight framework for UTM.

Operations

Develop and publish further guidance material for RPAS operations already enabled in existing regulation including acceptable means of compliance.
Develop and publish guidance material for approval of research and development operations.
Review and publish guidance on the carriage of dangerous goods by RPAS.
Implement regulatory changes from the post implementation review of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) Part 101.
Conduct a gap analysis of CASR parts to identify regulatory changes required to support RPAS and AAM operations.
Publish more standard scenarios and specific operation risk assessment (SORA) guidance for low risk RPAS operations and emergency services.
Talk with model aircraft, drone sport, and recreation flyers to find opportunities for improved collaboration and consultation.

Infrastructure

Develop guidance material, design requirements and regulations for vertiports and other infrastructure required to support AAM operations.
Develop guidance for infrastructure required to support research and development activities.
Work collaboratively across government to understand and establish spectrum requirements for RPAS and AAM.
Work with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to set up the NDDN and support all safety aspects of the infrastructure planning framework.

People

Review current RePL requirements and consider renewal or currency requirements, class and type ratings, and endorsements.
Engage with international aviation safety regulators to identify options for aligning RPAS training and licensing requirements.
Review the competency and training requirements of operationally critical people involved in RPAS and AAM operations to identify future regulatory change needs.
Consider medical standards for RPAS and AAM operators.
Review and implement an alternative training and examination pathway for remote pilots conducting beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.
Implement accreditation requirements for model aircraft users.

Safety and security

Publish SMS guidance materials for RPAS operations.
Set up RPAS focused safety education activities to promote CASA’s ‘just culture’ philosophy.
Engage with law enforcement and other agencies to build understanding of their role in the enforcement of RPAS regulations.
Consider data collection and uses to improve safety results.
Engage with other government agencies to understand and find RPAS and AAM cybersecurity risks.
Publish acceptable cybersecurity standards for RPAS and AAM.

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for single aircraft, single operator and multiple aircraft, single operator for AAM.
Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for remotely piloted AAM.
Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for multiple aircraft, single operator for RPAS.

Airspace and traffic management

Develop an implementation plan for airspace modernisation that is flexible, scalable and supports all airspace users.
Begin initial implementation to ease identified risks and support RPAS and AAM airspace integration.
Undertake an analysis to understand the crossover point from self-separation to a 'managed' environment.
Consider new separation standards, that use new technologies, for RPAS-to-RPAS and RPAS-to-AAM.
Consider standardised requirements for RPAS in controlled airspace.
Consult with all airspace users on the appropriateness of proposed rules for RPAS and AAM.
Develop standards and capabilities to support the implementation of low level traffic management systems for RPAS.
Consider regulatory requirements for integrating air traffic management systems.
Develop airspace requirements for vertiport operations.

Operations

Develop guidance on the operational approval requirements for AAM operations, including operations that are remotely piloted and pilot-on-board.
Develop standards for international RPAS and AAM operations.
Review existing approval and oversight processes to make sure they are proportionate to the risk and complexity of operational activities.

Infrastructure

Implement a regulatory framework to support RPAS and AAM infrastructure (for example vertiports and vertipads).
Develop certification requirements for infrastructure and infrastructure related equipment.
Develop a regulatory framework for the operation of research and development infrastructure.

People

Implement regulatory and system changes following the review of RePL requirements.
Align RPAS training and licensing requirements with international standards.
Update regulations to support new licensing requirements.
Implement standard training and licensing requirements for personnel involved in piloted passenger carrying AAM.
Review radio operator competency requirements for remote pilots.

Safety and security

Develop SMS and human factor policies that are proportionate to risk and complexity.
Consider and implement a tiered requirement for SMS for RPAS and AAM operators.
Coordinate with enforcement agencies and revise our enforcement manual.
Work with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to provide transparent reporting on RPAS enforcement actions. These will promote corrective actions and lessons learned.
Continue to work with industry associations to promote key safety lessons from available data.

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Make sure certification standards are internationally harmonised for AAM.
Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for highly automated RPAS.

Airspace and traffic management

Continue airspace modernisation to support RPAS and AAM integration into all airspace environments.
Develop new separation requirements to support and use improving technologies such as autonomy.
Review and update rulesets for integration, global approaches, and requirements for increasing levels of autonomy.
Develop an integrated traffic management framework to support all airspace users.

Operations

Integrate RPAS operational requirements into relevant CASR parts for operations outside the scope of Part 101.
Apply changes required to support operational requirements for AAM.
Mature risk calculation methods used for determining operational categories using data, artificial intelligence and/or quantitative methods.
Consider alternative methods of regulatory oversight, including possible use of self-administering organisations.

Infrastructure

Regulate operator training and requirements for infrastructure operators.
Regulate equipage requirements for infrastructure operators.

People

Develop a specific set of outcome-based standards for RePL training on large type RPAS.
Implement standard training and licensing requirements for personnel involved in remotely piloted and optionally piloted passenger carrying AAM.
Introduce updated licensing requirements needed for RPAS and AAM operations factoring in the increasing levels of automation and autonomy.

Safety and security

Apply streamlined processes for the approval of SMS for RPAS and AAM operators.
Continue to promote an understanding of ‘just culture’ across the RPAS and AAM sectors.
Coordinate the approach to enforcement between enforcement authorities.

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for highly automated AAM.

Airspace and traffic management

Develop and implement airspace structures to support all airspace users in a seamless airspace environment.
Develop standards and capabilities to support cooperative participation and levels of self-separation between all airspace users.

Operations

Continue to monitor the regulatory framework to make sure processes and requirements remain fit-for-purpose.

Infrastructure

Mature regulations and approval processes to support RPAS and AAM related infrastructure.

People

Implement standard licensing and training requirements for AAM dispatchers.

Safety and security

Continue to carry out safety education and promotion activities to embed a positive safety culture.

Immediate term – 2022 to 2023

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for piloted AAM.
Review applicable maintenance policies for AAM.
Review international frameworks, standards and methods for certification and assurance of RPAS. This includes consideration of adoption of FAA durability and reliability method for low risk RPAS.
Review applicable maintenance policies for RPAS.
Publish guidance on the evidence requirements from the original equipment manufacturer verse the operator for RPAS operational approvals.

Airspace and traffic management

Through the AFAF, develop a transparent, consistent, and scalable method to administer Australian airspace that supports remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) integration.
Research how existing separation standards may apply to RPAS and AAM and identify future changes required including conspicuity and equipage considerations.
Review existing flight rules against the future needs for RPAS and AAM.
Work with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and Airservices Australia to develop a regulatory oversight framework for UTM.

Operations

Develop and publish further guidance material for RPAS operations already enabled in existing regulation including acceptable means of compliance.
Develop and publish guidance material for approval of research and development operations.
Review and publish guidance on the carriage of dangerous goods by RPAS.
Implement regulatory changes from the post implementation review of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) Part 101.
Conduct a gap analysis of CASR parts to identify regulatory changes required to support RPAS and AAM operations.
Publish more standard scenarios and specific operation risk assessment (SORA) guidance for low risk RPAS operations and emergency services.
Talk with model aircraft, drone sport, and recreation flyers to find opportunities for improved collaboration and consultation.

Infrastructure

Develop guidance material, design requirements and regulations for vertiports and other infrastructure required to support AAM operations.
Develop guidance for infrastructure required to support research and development activities.
Work collaboratively across government to understand and establish spectrum requirements for RPAS and AAM.
Work with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to set up the NDDN and support all safety aspects of the infrastructure planning framework.

People

Review current RePL requirements and consider renewal or currency requirements, class and type ratings, and endorsements.
Engage with international aviation safety regulators to identify options for aligning RPAS training and licensing requirements.
Review the competency and training requirements of operationally critical people involved in RPAS and AAM operations to identify future regulatory change needs.
Consider medical standards for RPAS and AAM operators.
Review and implement an alternative training and examination pathway for remote pilots conducting beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.
Implement accreditation requirements for model aircraft users.

Safety and security

Publish SMS guidance materials for RPAS operations.
Set up RPAS focused safety education activities to promote CASA’s ‘just culture’ philosophy.
Engage with law enforcement and other agencies to build understanding of their role in the enforcement of RPAS regulations.
Consider data collection and uses to improve safety results.
Engage with other government agencies to understand and find RPAS and AAM cybersecurity risks.
Publish acceptable cybersecurity standards for RPAS and AAM.

Near term – 2023 to 2026

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for single aircraft, single operator and multiple aircraft, single operator for AAM.
Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for remotely piloted AAM.
Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for multiple aircraft, single operator for RPAS.

Airspace and traffic management

Develop an implementation plan for airspace modernisation that is flexible, scalable and supports all airspace users.
Begin initial implementation to ease identified risks and support RPAS and AAM airspace integration.
Undertake an analysis to understand the crossover point from self-separation to a 'managed' environment.
Consider new separation standards, that use new technologies, for RPAS-to-RPAS and RPAS-to-AAM.
Consider standardised requirements for RPAS in controlled airspace.
Consult with all airspace users on the appropriateness of proposed rules for RPAS and AAM.
Develop standards and capabilities to support the implementation of low level traffic management systems for RPAS.
Consider regulatory requirements for integrating air traffic management systems.
Develop airspace requirements for vertiport operations.

Operations

Develop guidance on the operational approval requirements for AAM operations, including operations that are remotely piloted and pilot-on-board.
Develop standards for international RPAS and AAM operations.
Review existing approval and oversight processes to make sure they are proportionate to the risk and complexity of operational activities.

Infrastructure

Implement a regulatory framework to support RPAS and AAM infrastructure (for example vertiports and vertipads).
Develop certification requirements for infrastructure and infrastructure related equipment.
Develop a regulatory framework for the operation of research and development infrastructure.

People

Implement regulatory and system changes following the review of RePL requirements.
Align RPAS training and licensing requirements with international standards.
Update regulations to support new licensing requirements.
Implement standard training and licensing requirements for personnel involved in piloted passenger carrying AAM.
Review radio operator competency requirements for remote pilots.

Safety and security

Develop SMS and human factor policies that are proportionate to risk and complexity.
Consider and implement a tiered requirement for SMS for RPAS and AAM operators.
Coordinate with enforcement agencies and revise our enforcement manual.
Work with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to provide transparent reporting on RPAS enforcement actions. These will promote corrective actions and lessons learned.
Continue to work with industry associations to promote key safety lessons from available data.

Medium term – 2026 to 2031

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Make sure certification standards are internationally harmonised for AAM.
Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for highly automated RPAS.

Airspace and traffic management

Continue airspace modernisation to support RPAS and AAM integration into all airspace environments.
Develop new separation requirements to support and use improving technologies such as autonomy.
Review and update rulesets for integration, global approaches, and requirements for increasing levels of autonomy.
Develop an integrated traffic management framework to support all airspace users.

Operations

Integrate RPAS operational requirements into relevant CASR parts for operations outside the scope of Part 101.
Apply changes required to support operational requirements for AAM.
Mature risk calculation methods used for determining operational categories using data, artificial intelligence and/or quantitative methods.
Consider alternative methods of regulatory oversight, including possible use of self-administering organisations.

Infrastructure

Regulate operator training and requirements for infrastructure operators.
Regulate equipage requirements for infrastructure operators.

People

Develop a specific set of outcome-based standards for RePL training on large type RPAS.
Implement standard training and licensing requirements for personnel involved in remotely piloted and optionally piloted passenger carrying AAM.
Introduce updated licensing requirements needed for RPAS and AAM operations factoring in the increasing levels of automation and autonomy.

Safety and security

Apply streamlined processes for the approval of SMS for RPAS and AAM operators.
Continue to promote an understanding of ‘just culture’ across the RPAS and AAM sectors.
Coordinate the approach to enforcement between enforcement authorities.

Long term – 2031 to 2036

Aircraft and aircraft systems

Publish acceptable industry consensus standards for highly automated AAM.

Airspace and traffic management

Develop and implement airspace structures to support all airspace users in a seamless airspace environment.
Develop standards and capabilities to support cooperative participation and levels of self-separation between all airspace users.

Operations

Continue to monitor the regulatory framework to make sure processes and requirements remain fit-for-purpose.

Infrastructure

Mature regulations and approval processes to support RPAS and AAM related infrastructure.

People

Implement standard licensing and training requirements for AAM dispatchers.

Safety and security

Continue to carry out safety education and promotion activities to embed a positive safety culture.

Published date: 2 June 2022