Where You Can Fly a Drone in Australia

You cannot fly a drone everywhere in Australia. Controlled airspace, airports, helicopter landing sites, restricted areas, emergency operations, populous areas, national parks and local land rules can restrict or prohibit flight.

Check before every flight

• Use a CASA-verified drone safety app to check airspace and location-based restrictions.
• Look for temporary restrictions, emergency operations and local notices.
• Check landowner, council, park and protected-area rules.
• Consider nearby people, roads, buildings, wildlife and crewed aircraft.

Permission from a landowner to take off or land does not replace any aviation approval. A technically possible route is not necessarily a lawful or safe route.

Common restricted situations

• Near controlled airports and in approach or departure paths
• Near helicopter landing sites when aircraft are operating
• Over or near emergency and public-safety operations
• Over populous areas, crowds, busy beaches, events or sporting grounds in use
• In restricted or military airspace
• In national parks, reserves or areas with wildlife protections, unless permitted

Registration and accreditation

Recreational operators do not currently need to register a drone. If a drone is used for business or as part of a job, it generally must be registered and the operator may need accreditation or other CASA authorisation.

Check a CASA-verified drone safety app and the current CASA drone rules before each flight.