Proposed Part 101 amendments - flexibility for airworthiness certification of large RPA - (CD 2512MS)
Policy topic 2 - operations of large RPA without a certificate of airworthiness
Proposed Policy
For operations of large Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) without a certificate of airworthiness, CASA proposes that regulation 101.046 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), be amended to provide for the Part 101 Manual of Standards (MOS) to include circumstances under which a certificate of airworthiness would not be required for operation of a large RPA. The MOS would be amended to include corresponding risk and outcome based provisions including:
- The RPA does not carry any occupants;
- The operation of the RPA would not have an adverse effect on safety, as demonstrated by a Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) or other acceptable means; and
- The operation is approved by CASA.
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.
This proposed amendment is intended to provide more flexibility around lower risk operations of large RPA without a certificate of airworthiness.
See policy topic 1 for operations of large RPA with a certificate of airworthiness.