CASA Drone Rules for Commercial Filming in Australia (2026)
Commercial drone filming in Australia is regulated by CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority), and the requirements are specific enough that hiring the wrong operator — or flying your own drone commercially without the right certification — creates genuine legal and insurance exposure. This guide covers the current framework for commercial operations, what the credentials mean and what to check before any commercial drone booking.
The commercial vs recreational distinction
The most important rule in Australian drone law: any drone flight where money changes hands is commercial use. If a real estate agent pays for listing photos that include drone footage, that is a commercial operation. If a business hires a videographer whose invoice includes aerial shots, that is a commercial operation. Even if the drone operator would have flown for free, the commercial context of the engagement is what matters to CASA. Commercial operations require a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) for the operator and a Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC) for the operating business. Ask for both before any commercial drone booking, every time, regardless of the operator’s apparent professionalism.
The ReOC and RePL explained
The RePL (Remote Pilot Licence) is the individual operator credential: it requires completing an approved aeronautical knowledge course, passing a written exam, and demonstrating practical flying competency to an assessor. The ReOC (Remote Operator Certificate) is the business credential: it requires CASA approval of the operating company’s safety management system, flight manuals and procedures. Both are issued by CASA and verifiable on the CASA licence lookup register. A freelancer who has a RePL but is not associated with a ReOC holder cannot legally conduct commercial operations — the business certification is required as well as the individual licence.
Excluded category operations
CASA’s excluded category applies to drones under 250g flown for commercial purposes, subject to standard operating conditions (not over people, not near aerodromes, in visual line of sight, below 120m AGL). This category requires no RePL or ReOC, but the restrictions are significant for content production: most drones capable of producing broadcast-quality footage weigh more than 250g. The DJI Mavic Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro fall under 250g; the DJI Mavic 3 and Air 3 do not. Confirm the drone model and its weight before assuming excluded category applies.
Airspace and no-fly zones
CASA’s OpenSky app (free, available on iOS and Android) shows the airspace classification for any address in Australia. Controlled airspace around major airports (Brisbane Airport’s Class C extends significantly into the surrounding suburbs) requires CASA authorisation before any drone flight, regardless of commercial or recreational status. The Brisbane suburbs most frequently affected include Nundah, Kedron, Clayfield, Hendra, Hamilton, Ascot and areas along the northern river. The Archerfield Airport exclusion zone affects southern Brisbane suburbs. Moreton Bay’s coastal areas have wildlife protection restrictions that affect low-altitude operations seasonally. All of these must be checked for the specific address before quoting or booking a drone shoot, not assumed from general suburb knowledge.
Insurance and liability
A CASA-certificated drone operation is insured through the ReOC holder’s commercial liability policy, which covers third-party property damage and personal injury from a drone incident. The standard minimum for commercial operations in Australia is $10M public liability. An uninsured or underinsured operator who damages property or injures a bystander leaves the liability exposure with the operator personally — and potentially with the property owner or agent who hired them. Ask for certificate of currency of public liability insurance alongside the CASA credentials. This is standard practice and any professional operator provides it without hesitation. Our drone footage is captured under full CASA certification on every shoot. For real estate and commercial drone coverage, see our videography services. Book a free consultation or call 07 2142 4335.
Night operations and extended visual line of sight
Standard CASA commercial drone operations require the operator to maintain visual line of sight (VLOS) — the ability to see the drone clearly with the naked eye at all times. Night operations add complexity because the drone must be fitted with specific lighting to remain visible in darkness. Low-light commercial operations require an additional operational procedure approved within the operator’s ReOC, and the specific equipment and lighting must be documented in the operations manual. For real estate twilight photography (the most common commercial drone request in low-light conditions), the short duration and controlled environment of a residential property usually means the shoot happens in the dusk window before true darkness, which falls within standard VLOS conditions. True night shoots — for events, venue exteriors or specific creative briefs — require confirmation from the operator that their ReOC covers the specific procedure. Book a free consultation or call 07 2142 4335.
The cost of non-compliance
CASA’s infringement notices for unlicensed commercial drone operations start at several thousand dollars per incident for the operator, and the property owner or agent who commissioned the work can face questions about whether they encouraged the non-compliant operation. More significantly, an uninsured or underinsured operator who causes a property damage or personal injury incident exposes the operator to uncapped civil liability that their personal assets may not cover. The practical implication for anyone commissioning drone content: five minutes of licence verification before booking costs nothing; the alternative is transferring a compliance and liability risk that the operator is legally required to carry. Legitimate operators are uniformly happy to provide credentials; operators who are evasive or slow to produce them are revealing something important.
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Frequently asked questions
Every business moves through stages where the right marketing approach changes. The tactics that work in year one — building presence, establishing credibility, winning the first customers — are different from the tactics that work in year three, when the goal is retention, referral and expansion into adjacent customer segments. Revisiting the channel mix, the content strategy and the measurement framework annually keeps the marketing aligned with where the business actually is, rather than where it was when the current approach was first designed. The most expensive marketing mistake is not the wrong channel — it is running the right channel for the wrong stage. If you are unsure whether your current approach matches your current stage, that uncertainty is the brief for a strategy conversation. Book a free consultation or call 07 2142 4335.
Do I need a drone licence to film commercially in Australia?
Yes. Commercial drone operations require a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) for the individual and a Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC) for the operating business. Exception: drones under 250g operated under excluded category conditions.
How do I check if a drone operator is CASA certified?
Ask for their RePL licence number and ReOC certificate number, then verify both on CASA’s publicly accessible aviation register online.
Can I use my own drone for business content?
If you are paid or your business derives commercial value from the footage, and the drone is above 250g, you need a RePL and the business needs a ReOC. Flying a personal drone for business purposes without these credentials is a commercial operation without the required certification.