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Drone Rules in Australia for Tourists: CASA Guide

Max height, distance from people and airports, national parks, registration and fines: what CASA expects from tourists flying a recreational drone in Australia.

By Rugen Project. Published on

Aerial view of a coastal road winding along red cliffs, with a white van

If you're visiting Australia and flying for fun, you don't need to register your drone or get a licence. You do need to follow CASA's safety rules: stay under 120 metres, keep at least 30 metres from people, never fly over crowds, fly in daylight only and always keep the drone in sight. On top of that, national and marine parks set their own rules, and that's where most visitors get caught out.

Max height
120 m above ground
Distance from people
At least 30 m
Controlled airports
Stay outside 5.5 km
Recreational registration
Not required (paused by government)
CASA fine
Up to AUD 1,820 per offence

Who regulates drones in Australia

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) sets the rules. They apply nationwide and to anyone flying there, whatever passport you hold. Above that, states, councils and park managers can ban take-off and landing on their land. Think of it as two layers: the airspace (CASA) and the ground you launch from (park, beach or council area).

CASA's core rules for recreational flying

These are the safety rules for anyone flying for fun:

  • Height: never above 120 metres above ground level.
  • People: at least 30 metres from other people and never directly over anyone. The only exception is someone helping you control the drone.
  • Populous areas: no flying over busy areas. CASA lists beaches, parks, events and sports ovals during a game.
  • Line of sight: you must see the drone with your own eyes. Screens and FPV goggles don't count. No cloud, fog or smoke in between.
  • Daylight only.
  • One drone at a time.
  • Emergencies: stay away from crashes, bushfires, police operations and search and rescue.
  • Privacy: CASA asks you to respect other people's privacy.

The beach rule surprises people most. A busy beach counts as a populous area, so that midday shot of a packed Bondi shoreline is off the table.

Distance from airports

With a drone over 250 grams you can't fly within 5.5 kilometres of a controlled airport, meaning one with a control tower. CASA measures from the runway centreline. Approach and departure paths are off limits out to 7 kilometres, and between 7 and 8.5 kilometres along those paths you can fly up to 90 metres.

Drones of 250 grams or less get a bit more room. They can fly up to 45 metres within that 5.5 km zone, but never inside the airport boundary or in the approach and departure paths. Near non-controlled airfields you can fly, as long as you keep clear of those paths.

Restricted airspace also exists away from airports. Meeting the airport rules doesn't always mean you can fly at that spot.

Do foreign visitors need registration or a licence?

Not for recreational flying. CASA says that when you fly for fun you don't need to register your drone, hold a licence or hold operator accreditation. The government paused the planned registration scheme for recreational drones over 250 grams, which was due to start on 1 July 2023, along with the matching accreditation scheme.

Getting paid changes everything. A video commissioned by a hotel, tour operator or brand counts as commercial work, and commercial drone registration and other CASA requirements apply. If you plan to sell footage, sort that out before you fly.

National parks: where the rules change

CASA's rules are the baseline. Each state manages its own parks and many restrict or ban drones.

New South Wales

In NPWS parks you need prior approval to launch, land or operate a drone for recreation. You apply to the park's area office at least 10 days ahead and the request can be refused. Some parks, such as Kosciuszko, ban recreational take-off and landing across the whole park.

Queensland

In QPWS areas you can fly drones of 2 kg or less without authorisation, except in drone restriction areas listed by the parks service. In camping areas the drone must stay stored in a container in or on your vehicle or boat. Flying within 100 metres of a marine mammal is an offence.

Kakadu, Uluru and other Commonwealth parks

Parks Australia runs Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta under its own, tight rules. Permits from other Northern Territory parks aren't valid in Kakadu. If your route goes through either, contact Parks Australia before the drone leaves your bag.

Great Barrier Reef and marine wildlife

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) lets you film with a drone without a permit in most cases, as long as the flight is low impact. Key conditions:

  • Drone plus equipment under 5 kg.
  • No flying in aircraft exclusion areas.
  • Minimum distances from wildlife: 20 metres from turtles, 30 from crocodiles and dugongs, 75 from seabirds.

Whales and dolphins get stricter protection. Inside the Marine Park a drone counts as an aircraft. It can't fly below 1,000 feet within a 300-metre horizontal radius of a whale or dolphin, and it can't approach head on. Humpbacks are in the Marine Park roughly from May to September, which is exactly when you'll want to put the drone up.

Apps to check where you can fly

CASA's own "Can I fly there?" app has been retired. CASA now keeps a list of verified drone safety apps that show where you can and can't fly. The best known is OpenSky by Wing, which covers recreational flying. If you're outside Australia, CASA suggests using the web version.

CASA notes these apps are for guidance only, not air navigation. They don't always include state park or council rules either, so pair them with the park's website.

Fines for breaking the rules

CASA can fine you up to AUD 1,820 per offence. If the case goes to court, fines can reach AUD 18,200. If your drone becomes a hazard to other aircraft, you could face up to two years in jail. State park agencies can add their own penalties.

Quick pre-flight checklist

  • Check the spot in OpenSky or another CASA-verified app.
  • Find out if you're in a national or marine park and what it requires.
  • Count the people: 30 metres clear and nobody underneath.
  • Fly in daylight, under 120 metres, with the drone in sight.
  • If there are whales, dolphins or turtles, back off and climb.
  • If anyone is paying for the footage, check the commercial rules.

Sources

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