Proposed Part 101 amendments - flexibility for airworthiness certification of large RPA - (CD 2512MS)

Closes 21 Nov 2025

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Policy topic 1 - operations of large RPA with a certificate of airworthiness

Proposed Policy

For operations of large Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) with a certificate of airworthiness, CASA proposes that regulation 101.255 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), be amended to replace the current prescriptive requirements that permit only specific kinds of certificate of airworthiness with provisions that allow any kind of certificate of airworthiness, subject to the associated provisions in the Part 101 Manual of Standards (MOS). The MOS would be amended to include requirements that a large RPA that is being operated under a certificate of airworthiness must be operated in accordance with the conditions and limitations of the certificate of airworthiness.

Policy Aim

The intent is to provide more flexibility for operations of large RPA whilst maintaining appropriate levels of safety.

The default policy position of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 is that aircraft must have a certificate of airworthiness, unless permitted otherwise.

A certificate of airworthiness will continue to be required for high risk operations of large RPA. This proposed amendment is intended to provide more flexibility around the kinds of certificate of airworthiness that are permitted for large RPA operations.

See policy topic 2 for operations of large RPA without a certificate of airworthiness.

Please provide any comments you may have on the proposed policy for operations of large RPA with a CAO.

Airworthiness certification requirements for large RPA

CASR 101.255 currently requires that a large RPA must have either a restricted category certificate of airworthiness or an experimental certificate.

CASA proposes that regulation 101.255 be amended to replace the current prescriptive requirements that permit only specific kinds of certificate of airworthiness with provisions that accommodate any kind of certificate of airworthiness, subject to the associated provisions in the Part 101 MOS.