{"id":"F2024L00968","name":"CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024","slug":"casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":105316,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2024L00968-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024","content":"CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024\n\nas amended\n\nmade under regulation 11.160 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.\n\nThis compilation takes into account amendments up to instrument CASA EX92/25 — Amendment of CASA EX45/24 (Operation of Certain Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area) Instrument 2025. It is a compilation of CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024, as amended and in force on 16 November 2025.\n\nPrepared by the Legal Services Branch, Legal, International & Regulatory Affairs Division, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Canberra.\n\nCompilation No. 1.\n\n1 Name\n\nThis instrument is CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024.\n\n2 Duration\n\nThis instrument:\n\n(b) is repealed at the end of 31 July 2027.\n\n3 Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n> approved area has the meaning given by regulation 101.236 of CASR.\n\n> certificated RPA means a relevant RPA for which a certificate of airworthiness has been issued.\n\n> populous area has the meaning given by regulation 101.025 of CASR.\n\n> relevant approval means any of the following approvals, whether granted before or after the commencement of this definition:\n\n(a) an approval under regulation 101.029 of CASR, for the purposes of subregulation 101.245(5) of CASR, to operate a relevant RPA that is not a certificated RPA within 30 metres of a person who is not directly associated with the operation;\n\n(b) an approval given for the purposes of paragraph 7(3)(a) of CASA 20/25 – Operation of Certain Unmanned Aircraft and Rockets – Directions Instrument 2025 (CASA 20/25) to operate a relevant RPA in, or over, another person’s safety zone.\n\n> Note The term safety zone is defined in subsection 7(2) of CASA 20/25.\n\n> relevant person: see section 4.\n\n> relevant RPA means a very small RPA, small RPA, medium RPA or large RPA.\n\n4 Application\n\nThis instrument applies if:\n\n(a) a person (the relevant person) holds a relevant approval; and\n\n(b) the relevant approval is not suspended; and\n\n(c) the relevant person complies with the conditions of the relevant approval.\n\n5 Exemptions — operating over a populous area\n\n(1) Subsection (2) applies if the relevant RPA is a very small RPA, small RPA or medium RPA.\n\n(2) If the relevant person operates the relevant RPA outside an approved area over a populous area, the relevant person is exempt from compliance with paragraph 101.250(1)(b) of CASR in relation to the operation.\n\n(3) If the relevant person operates the relevant RPA over a populous area, the relevant person is exempt from compliance with subregulation 101.280(2) of CASR in relation to the operation.\n\n> Note to CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024\n\n> Note: CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024 (in force under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998) as shown in this compilation comprises CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024 amended as indicated in the Tables below.\n\n> Note: > Note: Table of instruments\n\n| Year andnumber | Date of registration on FRL | Date ofcommencement | Application, saving or transitional provisions |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |\n| CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024 | 6 August 2024(see F2024L00968) | 7 August 2024 (see s. 2) | — |\n| CASA EX92/25 — Amendment of CASA EX45/24 (Operation of Certain Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area) Instrument 2025 | 15 November 2025(see F2025L01387) | 16 November 2025 (see s. 2) | — |\n\n```html\n

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

para. 2(a)

rep. Legislation Act 2003, s 48D

s. 3

am. F2025L01387

s. 4

rs. F2025L01387

\n```","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains its original narrow purpose: exempting pre-approved drone operators from populous area restrictions. The 2025 amendment (CASA EX92/25) refined definitions and application conditions but did not expand the substantive scope beyond the original intent of facilitating approved RPA operations over populous areas."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument (5 operative sections plus definitions)","Only 6 defined terms, most referencing external regulations (CASR)","Simple conditional structure: if you have Approval X and meet conditions Y, then Exemption Z applies","Two nested cross-references to external instruments (CASR and CASA 20/25)","No exceptions to exceptions or deeply nested logic","Clear scope limitation (very small/small/medium RPA only, excludes certificated RPA)"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a **drone flying exemption** issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).\n\n**What it does:**\nNormally, Australian aviation law bans flying drones (called \"remotely piloted aircraft\" or RPAs) over **populous areas** — places where lots of people gather, like beaches, parks, or city centres. This rule is meant to protect people on the ground if a drone crashes.\n\nThis exemption **carves out an exception** to that ban. It lets certain drone operators fly over populous areas **if they already hold specific safety approvals from CASA**.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Drone operators** who hold a \"relevant approval\" — specifically, approval to fly close to people (within 30 metres) or approval to fly in someone else's \"safety zone\" (a protected area around a person).\n- The exemption only applies to **very small, small, and medium-sized drones** — not large drones or drones with full airworthiness certificates.\n\n**How it works:**\nIf you meet the criteria, you're **exempt from two specific rules** in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations:\n1. The ban on flying over populous areas outside \"approved areas\" (designated zones).\n2. A related restriction on operating over populous areas.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis lets approved commercial drone operators (for example, photographers, surveyors, or emergency services) fly over populated areas **without needing a separate exemption for every flight**, provided they already have the right safety approvals in place. It streamlines operations while maintaining safety through the pre-existing approval system.\n\n**Time limit:**\nThe exemption automatically expires on **31 July 2027**."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument was amended by CASA EX92/25 (commencing 16 November 2025), which amended section 3 and repealed and substituted section 4 (see Table of Amendments). Those changes altered definitions and the application test, and therefore changed who qualifies for and relies on the exemption."},"complexity_factors":["Cross‑references to multiple external CASR provisions (definitions and requirements): regulation 101.236 (approved area), regulation 101.025 (populous area), paragraph 101.250(1)(b) and subregulation 101.280(2) — increases interpretive complexity (s.3, s.5).","Eligibility depends on a composite concept 'relevant approval' that incorporates approvals under regulation 101.029 and approvals given under CASA 20/25 (s.3 definition) — requires tracing different approval streams.","Operational conditions include that the relevant approval must not be suspended and its conditions must be complied with (application test) — creates ongoing compliance and monitoring obligations (s.4).","Scope limited to very small, small or medium RPAs (excludes large RPAs) — statutory carve‑out requires careful classification of aircraft (s.5(1)).","Time‑limited instrument with a clear repeal date (31 July 2027) — affects planning and transition (s.2(b)).","Amendments effected by CASA EX92/25 changed s.3 and replaced s.4 (Table of Amendments) — historical and current texts must be compared to determine present scope."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument lets certain approved operators run very small, small or medium remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) over populous areas without following two specified CASR restrictions, so long as they hold a relevant approval that is current and they meet its conditions (see s.4 and s.5). The exemption is time‑limited and ends 31 July 2027 (s.2). It matters because it replaces the default CASR limits for those approval‑holders with approval‑specific conditions, changing who decides operational limits and where compliance is checked."},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument has been amended by CASA EX92/25, which replaced section 4 (Application) and updated definitions in section 3, effective 16 November 2025. The compilation reflects those changes as in force on that date."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-references multiple provisions in CASR and another CASA direction (CASA 20/25)","The exemption is conditional on holding a separate, specific approval and complying with its terms","Different exemptions apply to different RPA size categories","Relies on defined terms such as populous area and approved area that are located elsewhere in the regulations"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument exempts certain remotely piloted aircraft operators from two CASR provisions that otherwise limit flying over populous areas, provided they hold a current, unsuspended “relevant approval” and comply with its conditions. It lets approved drone operators—including very small, small, medium and some large RPAs—operate in built-up or crowded locations without meeting those specific CASR rules. The exemption was amended by CASA EX92/25 (effective 16 Nov 2025) and expires automatically on 31 July 2027."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024","history":"/api/acts/casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024/history","analysis":"/api/acts/casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/casa-ex45-24-operation-of-remotely-piloted-aircraft-over-populous-area-exemption-2024/documents"}}