Aviation Golden Rule: Safety and legal compliance always take priority over a requested photograph or video.
1. Commercial Operations
Business-use drones will be registered with CASA where required.
Pilots will hold the accreditation, Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) or other qualification appropriate to the relevant operation.
Where a ReOC, CASA approval or specific authorisation is legally required, the operation will not proceed without it.
2. Flight Planning
Prior to flight, the pilot will systematically assess:
- CASA airspace information;
- CASA-verified drone safety applications;
- controlled airspace;
- restricted airspace;
- airports;
- aerodromes;
- heliports;
- NOTAMs where applicable;
- temporary restrictions;
- emergency operations;
- weather;
- visibility;
- wind;
- obstacles;
- people;
- roads;
- wildlife;
- buildings;
- take-off areas;
- landing areas;
- aircraft condition;
- battery condition; and
- other site-specific risks.
3. Maximum Height
Standard operations will ordinarily remain no higher than:
Unless an applicable CASA approval permits otherwise.
4. Visual Line of Sight
Where required, the remote pilot must maintain visual line of sight with the aircraft. A camera screen alone does not ordinarily replace the visual-line-of-sight requirement.
5. People
Under standard rules a drone must generally remain at least:
Wedding participants, actors, models and other subjects are not automatically essential to operation of the aircraft. Closer operations will only occur where lawfully authorised.
6. Populous Areas
Akshar Photography will not operate contrary to applicable requirements concerning populous areas or unacceptable risk. This includes careful consideration around:
- festivals;
- concerts;
- weddings;
- sports;
- beaches;
- streets;
- public gatherings; and
- similar locations.
7. Airports
Operations near controlled airports are subject to applicable CASA requirements. For drones weighing more than 250 grams, standard restrictions generally apply within 5.5 kilometres of controlled airports unless authorised. Different requirements can apply to micro drones.
8. Non-Controlled Aerodromes
Operations near non-controlled aerodromes will comply with applicable CASA requirements.
9. Helicopter Landing Sites
Particular care will be taken near helicopter landing locations and hospital flight paths.
10. Crewed Aircraft
Crewed aircraft have absolute priority. The drone will be moved away, descended or landed immediately whenever crewed aircraft are detected or expected in the vicinity.
11. Emergency Operations
Akshar Photography will not fly over or near active emergencies without required authority. Examples include:
- bushfires;
- police incidents;
- vehicle accidents;
- fires;
- ambulance operations;
- search and rescue; and
- disaster response.
12. Daylight and Visibility
Operations will comply with applicable daylight, visibility and operator-specific requirements. Night operations will only be undertaken where lawfully permitted.
13. Weather
Flights may be cancelled or terminated because of:
- high wind;
- rain;
- storms;
- lightning;
- smoke;
- fog;
- poor visibility;
- temperature;
- bushfire conditions; or
- manufacturer limitations.
14. Pilot Authority
The Remote Pilot in Command has final authority regarding the safe conduct of the flight.
The pilot may refuse or terminate a flight due to:
- unsafe weather;
- aircraft traffic;
- airspace changes;
- technical faults;
- GPS concerns;
- batteries;
- wildlife;
- interference;
- bystanders;
- emergency activity; or
- another material safety concern.
15. Drone Safety Applications
CASA-verified applications and other appropriate aviation information may be used during flight planning. Airspace conditions can change after quotation or booking.
16. CASA Authorisations
Specific approval may be required for certain operations including:
- some controlled airspace operations;
- operations above standard height limits;
- some operations closer to people;
- restricted airspace; and
- other non-standard operations.
17. Property Access
Airspace permission and property permission are separate issues. Appropriate authority may be required to take off, land or operate from private property.
18. National Parks and Government Land
Separate park permits, commercial-filming approvals, council permissions, access permissions, and fees may apply.
19. Security-Sensitive Locations
Additional restrictions may apply around:
- Defence facilities;
- military airfields;
- prisons;
- critical infrastructure;
- government sites; and
- security-sensitive premises.
20. Drone Privacy
Reasonable steps will be taken to avoid unnecessary recording of areas outside the project, including neighbouring private backyards or unrelated individuals.
21. Client Requests
A Client cannot instruct the pilot to breach aviation law or safety requirements.
22. No Guarantee of Flight
A booked drone service does not guarantee that a requested flight or aerial shot will be legally or safely possible. Alternative ground-based coverage may be considered where appropriate.
23. Flight Records
Drone systems may produce GPS data, telemetry, flight paths, altitude information, aircraft records, battery information, and operational logs. Information may be retained for CASA compliance, safety, insurance, maintenance, incidents, warranty, and operational review.
24. Regulatory Changes
Current Australian aviation law and mandatory CASA requirements prevail over this website policy in the event of inconsistency.