Remotely piloted aircraft systems sector safety risk profile

TWG review - 4 March 2025

Work on AFAF is progressing. We conducted a review of the TWG tasking instructions and membership to ensure adequate representation of emerging technologies. We held a TWG meeting in November 2024 with new members in attendance.

FIMS revised launch - 31 October 2025

Airservices Australia, in collaboration with FIMS vendor Frequentis and the initial UAS Service Suppliers, is now working towards a revised launch of FIMS in late May 2026.

This revised timeline allows Airservices to complete additional validation and assurance activities. This will ensure the system is fully ready from day one.

Plans remain in place to provide automated authorisations for 28 controlled aerodromes upon FIMS go-live in May.

Future of automatic airspace authorisations - 21 July 2025

Since 2021, CASA and Airservices Australia have been trialling automated airspace authorisations (AAA) for commercial drone operations at select civil controlled aerodromes.

Later this year, the trial will transition to a permanent flight authorisation service delivered through Airservices' Flight Information Management System (FIMS) and participating third party service providers.

Expansion of AAAT - 4 March 2025

We expanded the automated airspace authorisations trial (AAAT), a joint initiative by CASA and Airservices.

More than 1,400 automated flight authorisations have been processed. This has saved industry more than $1.2 million in application fees.

CASA continues to work with Airservices to expand authorisations to all civil-controlled aerodromes via FIMS at the end of 2025.

Clarification of activity - 25 November 2025

We continue to work closely with Airservices and UAS service suppliers (USS) on the introduction of FIMS-enabled UTM services. Development of the Australian Future Airspace Framework is progressing. This work has better informed the next steps and feasibility of RPAS airspace activities. However, a high number of dependencies have been identified for this activity.

The previous wording of the activity was not clear. Through consultation with SMEs and the Technical Working Group the activity and milestone have been updated.

Activity changes - 25 November 2025

Progress on international separation standards remains slow. Our increased understanding of the diversity of RPAS operations, each with different risk profiles increases the complexity of this activity.

Through consultation with SMEs and the Technical Working Group, we have updated the activity and milestone. The changes more accurately reflect what we can realistically provide under current policy settings, technological uptake and equipage norms.

Sydney safety campaign - 31 October 2025

In June 2025, a geotargeted drone safety campaign was implemented in the Sydney basin and victor one corridor in response to unsafe drone activity.

As a result of the campaign, the number of drone flights fell by 45% compared with the prior period and 27% compared with the same time last year.

During the campaign period, 531 flights were recorded, down from 969 previously and 725 last year.

Know your drone - 4 March 2025

On 17 December 2024, we launched Phase 6 of our Know Your Drone campaign. It builds on the successes of earlier phases with practical tools and clear safety messages to help recreational drone operators fly safely and responsibly.

On 20 December 2024, we updated the Part 101 Plain English guide for Micro and Excluded RPA operations. This guide helps accredited drone operators flying micro and excluded category drones understand and follow the rules.

Safety sector risk profile - 4 March 2025

In October 2024 we held a safety sector risk profile (SSRP) workshop, with a focus on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).

Find out more about SSRPs.

We published the RPAS SSRP on 12 December 2024. It focuses on:

• approved CASR Part 101 – Rules for all uncrewed aeronautical activities
• commercial operations up to and including BVLOS.

Industry Webinar - 31 October 2025

CASA and AAUS co-moderated the biannual Roadmap webinar in October 2025. The webinar provided the latest progress, key milestones and upcoming initiatives.