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Your feedback, comments and complaints help us to better understand and address community or industry concerns.

Drone noise approval

Drone operators undertaking complex operations may be required to gain a noise approval. See whether you need an approval below.

Who needs to apply?

You may need to seek approval under the Noise Regulations if:

  • You are flying for a commercial purpose and/or you have been issued a remotely piloted aircraft operator's certificate (ReOC) (visit CASA's website).

You do not need to seek an approval under the Noise Regulations if:

  • You are flying for fun or recreation
  • You are flying for a commercial purpose in the 'Excluded RPA' category (please see CASA's Plain English Guide for Micro and Excluded RPA operations for more information)
  • You only fly drones that weigh 250 grams or less
  • You only fly drones under the standard operating conditions (visit CASA's website)
  • You only fly drones for one or more of the following purposes:
    • Agricultural operations
    • Environmental operations
    • Fire-fighting, medical, emergency or policing purposes

If you are unsure whether you require approval, we recommend you complete the form below.

 

How to apply?

Applications for an approval under the Noise Regulations can be made using the form below. Based on your answers, you may be exempted from requiring an approval, granted an automated approval, or required to provide a full application to the department.

If your operations are considered to pose a high risk of causing significant noise impacts, the department will contact you to obtain more detailed information about your intended drone operations and may place conditions on your drone operations to mitigate noise impacts.

 

 

 

Self-assessment application form

You only need to complete this form once to cover your expected and typical drone operations over the next 12 months. If you are not sure about the details of the operations you may be conducting over the next year, answer the questions to the best of your knowledge.

If the nature of your operations change significantly over the next 12 months, you should complete the form again or provide additional information to the department to maintain a valid approval. Details of your obligations will be provided as part of your approval.

  • Operator details
  • Questions
1 of 2

Contact details

Your operation is eligible for an automated approval.

To complete the process and obtain the approval, you need to provide some basic details about your operation. An approval will then be emailed to your supplied email address.

Location(s) of drone operation

Contact details

Your operation requires a full application process. To begin the process please provide some basic details about your operation using this form. Further information about the application process will then be emailed to your supplied email address.

Location(s) of drone operation

 

Privacy Statement

Your drone noise self-assessment application form, including any personal information requested, is being collected by the department in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988, and as authorised under the Air Navigation (Aircraft Noise) Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021.

The department will use this information to consider drone noise self-assessment applications.

Your personal information will be stored securely. It may be used by the department to make further contact and/or to seek further information from you about your noise self-assessment application. Your personal information will not be disclosed to any other third parties.

The department's Privacy Policy contains information regarding complaint handling processes, and how to access or seek correction of personal information held by the department. The Privacy Officer can be contacted at privacy@infrastructure.gov.au.

  • How we use Community Feedback

    Feedback from the community, including complaints made about noise from drones, plays an important role in how the department manages drone noise. Community feedback about noise from drones may result in the department:

    • Requesting additional information from drone operators and enquiring about noise mitigation strategies;
    • Adding mandatory conditions to a drone operator’s approval to mitigate noise impacts. This may include limitations on the times of day drones may be operated, the types of drones or the frequency of flights;
    • Revoking an automated noise approval and requiring a drone operator to undertake a full application process.
  • Operating without an approval

    If your drone operations are not exempt under the Noise Regulations and you operate without an approval, you may be committing an offence under the Noise Regulations. The department observed a grace period until 1 July 2022 to allow drone operators time to obtain an approval if required. A penalty can be imposed under Division 1, section 6(4) of the Noise Regulations if a drone operator engages in air navigation without an approval when one is required.

  • Full Application Process

    If your drone operation is required to undertake a full application process, the department may seek further information from you including, but not limited to:

    • Drone models and/or measurement of noise emissions;
    • Operational details such as:
      • location of operations; and
      • hours of operation.
    • Noise abatement procedures / strategies used;
    • Community and local government engagement; and
    • Complaints management.

     

    As part of your approval, we may impose reporting requirements to help monitor noise impacts. This may include:

    • Aircraft movements (e.g. how many flights were undertaken in a calendar month);
    • Community feedback and noise complaint management;
    • Engagement with local authorities.