FARMERS are to be given the green light to use drones for work on their own properties without facing costly regulatory approvals.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said new rules will allow farmers to utilise drones for a wide range of tasks such as weed spraying, crop surveys, fence checking and dam and bore inspections.
Farmers will not need approvals from CASA as long as the drones are used on their own land, there is no remuneration and the aircraft weighs less than 25 kilograms.
The rule changes avoid the need for farmers using remotely piloted aircraft on their own land to obtain an operating certificate and licence from CASA.
This means farmers can save thousands of dollars in regulatory fees and not face time consuming regulatory paperwork. The changes also mean commercial operators of very small remotely piloted aircraft will no longer need to obtain a number of regulatory approvals.
