I, PHILIPPA JILLIAN SPENCE, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 101.028 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations1998.[Signed P. Spence]Pip SpenceDirector of Aviation Safety7 October 2026Part 101 (Unmanned Aircraft and Rockets) Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2026
Schedule 1 amends the Part 101 (Unmanned Aircraft and Rockets) Manual of Standards 2019.Schedule 1 Amendments[1]Subsection 1.04(2), note under the definition ofclassificationsubstituteNoteClassification does not include a large RPA that is the result of a modification of another RPA because a large RPA would trigger the application of regulation 101.275 (requiring CASA approval to operate).[2]CHAPTER 3substituteCHAPTER 3 CERTIFICATES OF AIRWORTHINESS FOR LARGE RPA
(1) For the purposes of paragraph 101.046 (b) of CASR, a flight of a large RPA is prescribed for a kind of flight prescribed under subsection (2) or (3).(2) For the purposes of paragraph 101.046 (b) of CASR, a flight is a kind of flight that is prescribed if:(a) before the flight, the operator is satisfied, after conducting a risk assessment, that:(i) the large RPA is suitable for the flight and operation, in respect of its design and construction; and(ii) the flight would not have an adverse effect on the safety of air navigation, including on other airspace users or persons on the ground or water (as the case may be); and(b) during the flight, the large RPA does not carry any occupants.
For the purposes of subregulation 101.255 (1) of CASR, the following conditions apply to the flight of a large RPA in respect of which a certificate of airworthiness is in force:(a) the certificate must be in force at the time of the flight;(b) the operator of the RPA must comply with any conditions or requirements set out in the certificate;(c) if the certificate is issued for a specified purpose or type of operation, the flight must be consistent with that purpose or type of operation.Note Under regulation 101.275 of CASR, a person may operate a large RPA only with CASA’s approval. Division 101.F.4 of CASR covers certification of RPA operators.