From ABC News Australia
Aviation authorities are struggling to keep up with a boom in remote controlled drones over Australia's cities.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has issued warnings to more than 100 users for safety breaches and is now scrambling to roll out a public awareness campaign.
A number of safety scares including an incident involving an athlete and a drone in Western Australia have underscored demands from some within the industry for tougher regulations.
Raija Ogden was competing in a triathlon in Geraldton when she says she was hit by a drone.
She has backed demands for better controls.
"I agree that there should be better enforcement of regulations and more appropriate penalties for breaches," she said.
The rules appear to be poorly understood among amateurs in particular.
Remote controlled drones can be bought relatively cheaply from mainstream retailers or online but they do not come with any information about how to fly safely.
CASA now plans to ask retailers to hand out leaflets explaining the regulations.
Drones cannot be flown within 30 metres of cars, buildings or people; at night; or above 400 feet.
Comments
@Mike sorry to contradict you, but you are sharing the sky with manned aviation also is you are below 400ft. If you study the PPL you will notice that there are airspace and restricted areas where planes can fly as low as ground. Also you are totally wrong the Limit for Rpas is not 400ft. You can fly up to 400ft without any approval, but some flight OP are approved to be conducted up to 7000ft every day. PPL doesn't train you to fly an RC aircraft, if you want to fly a RC aircraft you go with your toy at the flight club. If your intent is to fly an UAS then you need a PPL to give you a general knowledge of how aviation works, with all is procedures and operations. And to be honest my personal opinion is that if someone is not able to pass a PPL test he shouldn't be allowed fly any thing that has a prop attached to it. PPL theory is really simple.
your not sharing the skies with manned aviation. The limit for RPAS is 400 feet, the minimum for manned is 500 feet. PPL theory for UAS which does not interact with manned aircraft is completely irrational. how does PPL train you to fly an RC aircraft?
Understanding the necessities of PPL as a standard for all pilots of aircraft (manned or unmanned) in commercial airspace is a base line for aviation competency. Unmanned aviation shares the skies with manned aviation, it is not the other way around. Basic training of RC skills, which essentially is the new RPAS certification does not cut it.
PPLA theory isn't hard, it's actually become easier since they lowered the pass rate from 80% to 70% in recent times, and you can self study for it in a matter of weeks. What is difficult about that?
+1 on safety.
I spoke to these guys almost 7 years ago. Nothing has changed. They still want you study for a PPL.
You may as well enroll into a knitting class. :-(
I bet CASA will try and put a hold on "drones" typical of Australia, everything is over regulated here.
All for the love of MONEY !!
at least their talking about safety and not privacy. there is always going to be a media beat up about drones, might as well get used to it.
Wow, CASA considering im guessing a large minority buy their drones over the internet there goes another fail.
The thing is CASA, tell me what drunken passengers, ice on my wingtips and carburetor freezing has to do with my 400gram quadrocopter?
It's all about CASA making more money," safe skies for all"?
The operators today have very limited knowledge, yet CASA hand out certifications to these people in exchange for a few thousand dollars,
The CASA test?
A simple bunch of maneuvers around some cones with G.P.S HOLD!!!!
So the Pilot is NOT actually tested, just the machine is.
Great work CASA.
"Safe skies for us all" NOT !!!!!
Only last year CASA asked, "oh does it have counter rotating props too"
Unimpressed
Simon