RPAS Courses
National Drones Institute is one of Australia’s leading CASA accredited RPAS training providers in Australia.Why train with the National Drones Institute?
National Drones Institute is a fully accredited RPAS training facility offering commercial drone licensing and training. Our extensive background in aviation, our successful and national operation of remotely piloted aircraft systems & aerial software development puts us at the forefront of delivery for training programs.
We have extensive experience working with Government and Law Enforcement Agencies, tertiary education facilities, power and utilities organisations, multi-national mining operations and nationwide engineering and survey companies to name just a few.
What are My Licencing Options?
The licensing requirements to become a CASA certified remote pilot are set out in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, specifically CASR 101.
There is some confusion around the terminology used when referring to Drones. In the early stages back in 2002 when Civil Aviation Safety Regulation 101 came into force, CASA was referring to drones as UAV’s which is short for unmanned aerial vehicle. Later it was determined that they should be referred to as unmanned aircraft systems which also encompasses the ground control station and command and control telemetry link. Upon further revision it was decided that these aircraft technically aren’t unmanned, they are remotely piloted. This bought about new terminology once again where drones are now referred to as remotely piloted aircraft, or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPA or RPAS)
To operate a remotely piloted aircraft or drone which weighs more than 2kg for commercial purposes you are required to have a remote pilot licence or RePL, formally known as a UAV controller certificate. There is also a requirement to be operating under someone who holds a RPA operator’s certificate or you can obtain a RPA operator’s certificate (ReOC) yourself.
Remote Pilot Licence (RePL)
The certification obtained at the completion of your studies is now called a remote pilot licence (RePL).
This training is integrated and the theory component covers material which is relevant to the operation of the Drone/RPAS. It also covers everything you need to know about manned aviation, such as how to identify airports and controlled airspace, as well as introducing aviation maps and charts.
At National Drones Institute we offer training for people with no experience as well as people with existing aviation experience.
Remote Pilot Licence – Previous Aviation Experience
One of the major things to learn and digest when starting to operate a drone for commercial purpose, or as a hobbyist – is where manned aircraft are likely to be operating. This includes aircraft such as passenger carrying aircraft which operate from major international airports, right through to emergency services helicopters which may be operating in and out of hospital helipads and light aircraft which will operate from general aviation aerodromes.
For this reason if you have any prior aviation experience such as a pass in an aviation licence theory examination CASA recognise that you will have the ability to understand aviation maps and charts as well as interpret some of the legislative requirements. Therefore if you have completed an aeronautical knowledge examination under what is called Part 61 (Part 61 is CASR part 61 and covers flight crew licensing for manned aviation) then you have a head start.
To qualify for the Remote Pilot Licence if you have passed an aviation licence theory examination or hold, or have held a flight crew licence or air traffic control licence then the additional requirements which you must cover are
- A training course in the manual or automated operation of the category of RPA which you propose to operate. Category in this case means multi-rotor, fixed wing or rotary wing and of the weight class of RPA/UAV which you propose to operate.
- You must obtain 5 hours of flight time on the RPA/UAV under Standard Operating Conditions. Standard RPA/UAV Operating conditions are
1. The UAV is operated within visual line of sight of the person operating the Drone/RPA
2. The RPA/UAV must be operated below 400 feet above ground level by day
3. The RPA/UAV is not operated within 30 meters of a person who is not directly associated with the operation of the RPA/UAV.
4. The RPA/UAV is not operated in a prohibited area or Restricted area unless approved
5. The RPA/UAV is not operated over a populous area
6. The RPA/UAV is not operated within 3 nautical miles of the movement area of an aerodrome which has an air traffic control service
7. The RPA/UAV is not operated where any kind of fire, police, public safety or emergency operation is being conducted unless approved by the person in charge of the operation
Unless you already hold a private pilots licence or higher, our recommendation would be to complete the online RePL course as it will save you time and is specifically tailored to operating a Drone/Remotely Piloted Aircraft.
Remote Pilot Licence – No Prior Experience
The second method of obtaining your Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) is a competency-based course, which is a mix of theory and practical training.
This training is integrated and the theory component covers material which is relevant to the operation of the RPA/Drone. It covers everything you need to know about manned aviation, such as how to identify airports and controlled airspace, as well as introducing aviation maps and charts. The air legislation section of the course looks in depth at the rules and regulations for Drone/RPA use in Australia from licensing through to company operations manuals and risk assessments. During the systems and components subject you will learn about what makes the Drone or RPA work, how the electronics integrate together and how the ground control software works.
We show you how to plan autonomous way-point missions safely, and efficiently. In this subject you will also learn about battery technology and how to safely handle, store and charge your lithium polymer batteries to obtain the most life from your investment. In meteorology you will learn about localised weather patterns as well as potential hazards which could hinder safe Drone operations. Lastly in Human Factors we cover the potential Human Errors that are likely to be encountered such as physical hands on manipulation of the drone to personality and decision making. All of this combined will give you the tools required to become a safe Remote Pilot.
Keep in mind that by obtaining your Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) you may not necessarily be able to operate commercially, as you will need to be operating underneath someone who holds an RPA operators certificate (Formally known as a UAV Operator Certificate), or you will need to obtain a RPA operators certificate (ReOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.