Regulatory Strikes for Drones Down Beneath- Australia introduces new BVLOS examination
by DRONELIFE Employees Author Ian McNabb
Australia’s Civil Aviation Security Authority (CASA) has launched a brand new examination to permit Past Visible Line of Sight operation in non-controlled airspace for distant pilots. This 40 query, multiple-choice examination, which covers content material regarding BVLOS flights, aeronautics, instrumentation, and human components, could be taken as a substitute of the Instrument Score Examination which was beforehand required. Australia, the primary nation to enact drone-specific laws in 2002, has a complete licensing program for drone operators that features each Remotely Piloted Plane Operator certificates for firms looking for to function drones commercially, in addition to a Distant Pilot’s License for the drone operators themselves, however BVLOS operations have been hampered by the IREX requirement established by 101.400(b). The brand new examination, which covers a narrower vary of fabric, will enable for extra Distant Pilot licensees to conduct BVLOS operations with out requiring the specialised information obligatory for IREX certification.
This transfer has been welcomed by figures within the Australian drone business as an necessary step ahead within the regulatory construction round UAVs within the distinctive Australian market, which options numerous working environments and has large potential for progress as mining, agricultural, and industrial corporations start incorporating UAV know-how into their operations. As CEO Philip van der Berg of Carbonix, a significant Australian drone producer, mentioned in a press release, “Beforehand, the one solution to allow BVLOS operations was to have an IREX certified pilot both working the UAS or as a supervising distant pilot. The pathway to having handed the IREX examination was lengthy and arduous, requiring weeks if not months of learning complicated industrial manned plane aviation procedures to go an examination that had little to do with BVLOS operations.” He highlighted the introduction of the brand new examination for instance of CASA’s rising capability to adapt to the altering wants inside the UAV area, a rising space of curiosity for aviation regulators worldwide.
Whereas the brand new examination ought to make BVLOS certification and licensure less complicated for distant pilots, Australian corporations taken with BVLOS operations nonetheless are required to obtain approval from CASA to function in a selected space right here.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the industrial drone area and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, E-mail Miriam.
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