CASA - UAS Documents, Presentations and Information

The information provided here will be of benefit to UAV operators in keeping up to date with Australian UAS guidelines, protocols and regulations as they are evolving.

This is a powerpoint presentation given by CASA at a UAS Risk Management workshop on the 29th September 2011.

Associated risk management documents provided by CASA including pro-forma worksheets and a risk management matrix are also available from this directory.

ICAO - UAS Documents & Publications

Note: Australia is a member state to the ICAO and the information in these documents will have direct relevance to Australian UAV/UAS operations.

ICAO Circular 328

The purpose of this Circular is to:

Apprise States of the emerging ICAO perspective on the integration of UAS into non-segregated airspace and at aerodromes

Consider the fundamental differences from manned aviation that such integration will involve.

Encourage States to help with the development of ICAO policy on UAS by providing information on their experiences associated with these aircraft.

ASTM - UAS Documents & Publications

Note: Whilst developed as valid and recognized 'standards', ASTM standards are not necessarily the only means by which Australian regulators will be guided in setting Australian UAV/UAS standards in the future. ASTM standards should be seen as industry best practice and good guidance material for UAS Operators at this time.

ASTM F2500-07 "Standard Practice for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Visual Flight Operations"

Significance and Use: Safe operation of the unmanned aircraft is of the primary importance to the unmanned aircraft industry and for successful integration of unmanned aircraft with manned aircraft in civil airspace. Operators and pilots-in-command of unmanned aircraft systems shall comply with applicable Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Part 43, 14 CFR Part 71, 14 CFR Part 73, 14 CFR Part 91, 14 CFR Part 93, and 14 CFR Part 99). This standard includes the minimum additional methods that should be followed by unmanned aircraft system operators, including pilots-in-command, on every visual range flight to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft and safety of people and property in the air and on the ground. This visual range flight operation standard shall be used in conjunction with appropriate unmanned aircraft system airworthiness and pilot qualification standards.

Scope: 1.1 This practice prescribes guidelines that govern the visual flight operation of unmanned aircraft systems in civil airspace in order to provide for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft flight operations with manned aircraft flight operations.
1.2 This practice applies to those operations conducted for civil purposes other than sport or recreation that remain within the visual range of the pilot in command (see Terminology F 2395 for a definition of "visual range").
1.3 This practice complies with the known rules, regulations, and public law available at the time of its publication. Should any conflict with a rule, regulation, or public law arise, the user must comply with rule and should notify ASTM of the conflict.
This practice only prescribes accepted methods for visual range flight operation of unmanned aircraft systems.

Extracted, with permission, from ASTM F2500-07 - Standard Practice for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Visual Range Flight Operations, copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.

ASTM F2501-06 "Standard Practice for Unmanned Aircraft System Airworthiness"

Significance and Use: Designing, manufacturing, testing, and maintaining an unmanned aircraft system to comply with industry standards and recommended practices supports development of a certification package that helps ensure its reliability and can lead to its airworthiness certification. Government aviation authorities' airworthiness certification processes exist to provide some level of assurance that critical systems will operate reliably and pose minimal risk to persons and property. The use of proven standards and practices in the design, manufacture, and test of these systems, especially for the mission critical components, contributes to this goal, as well as streamlining the certification process and simplifying the system test requirements. While developing to a set of standards and practices will not guarantee certification, the ability to show compliance with established standards provides the basis for a well-documented certification approval package.
Compliance with established standards and practices also provides assurance that a given component will function as intended in the specified environment and conditions. The standards cited in these practices have been developed by recognized standards-developing agencies; some are accepted by government aviation authorities as an acceptable means of compliance with airworthiness requirements. By their inclusion in these practices, they are considered to be consensus-based for unmanned aircraft-related purposes.

Scope: 1.1 These practices identify existing regulations, standards, specifications, and handbooks to guide the design, manufacture, test, repair, and maintenance of unmanned aircraft systems and their components.
1.2 Applicability These practices apply to unmanned, powered, fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft systems seeking government aviation authority approval in the form of airworthiness certificates, flight permits, or other like documentation. It is intended to be used as a reference by unmanned aircraft system designers and manufacturers, as well as by procurement authorities, to help ensure the airworthiness of these systems.
1.3 These practices provide a starting point for developing a standards-based airworthiness certification package for consideration by regulatory authorities. It lists those top-level standards applicable to the major subsystems and components of an unmanned aircraft system. It assumes that Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)-provided subsystems and components, purchased and installed as a unit (for example, Global Positioning Systems), are themselves built to applicable standards that are not necessarily listed in these practices. These practices include standards for technologies that are currently in use in unmanned aircraft, as well as those that are not yet, but could be used in the future (for example, radioisotope thermoelectric generators).
1.4 Suggested changes, corrections, or updates should be forwarded to Committee F38.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Extracted, with permission, from ASTM F2501-06 - Standard Practices for Unmanned Aircraft System Airworthiness, copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.

ASTM F2584-06 "Standard Practice for maintenance and Development of Maintenance Manuals for Light Unmanned Aircraft Systems"

Significance and Use: The purpose of this practice is to provide guidance to owners, mechanics, airports, regulatory officials, and aircraft and component manufacturers who may accomplish maintenance, repairs, and alterations on a light unmanned aircraft system (UAS). In addition, this practice covers the format and content of maintenance manuals and instructions for the maintenance, repair, and alteration of light UAS. The light UAS can be operated as a commercial aircraft or as a sport aircraft. This practice states the requirements for the maintenance of light commercial UAS. These same requirements may be used for the sport light UAS with the provisions shown. The maintenance requirements are divided between the aircraft and the ground equipment. The aircraft contains the air data terminal and the ground station controls the nearby ground data terminal. Therefore, the data link is not listed as a separate component, but has elements in the aircraft and near the ground station that is called the ground data terminal.

Scope: 1.1 This practice provides guidelines for the qualifications to accomplish the various levels of maintenance on certificated light unmanned aircraft system (UAS). In addition, it provides the content and structure of maintenance manuals for aircraft, ground control station, and data links that are operated as a light unmanned aircraft system (UAS).
This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Extracted, with permission, from ASTM F2584-06 - Standard Practice for Maintenance and Development of Maintenance Manuals for Light Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.