Drone Operator Audits

The drone industry is an exciting and growing field to be part of. As a drone operator, you are expected to fully understand the ever changing rules and regulations put in place by aviation authorities. 

Non Compliance For Drone Operators

As a drone operator, if you are found to be non compliant, fines of up to $1,100 can be issued per offence with further demerit style points applied to your license. If the matter is taken further to court, you can be convicted of a criminal offence, see further demerits to your license, and be fined up to $11,100. 

If you are found to be operating a drone in a way that is hazardous to another aircraft, you can face up to two years in prison and/or a fine up to $26,640 as an individual.

Further to this, non compliance may result in a loss of insurance cover for drone operations and reputational damage for an operator and organisation. 

You can be fined if you fly an unregistered drone or without an operator accreditation (or remote pilot licence) for business use or as part of your job. A representative of CASA, or a member of the Australian Federal Police or State and Territory police services is authorised to ask to see a copy of registration and accreditation and enforce relevant penalties.

What is a Drone Operator Audit? 

A drone operator audit is an audit on anyone who operates a drone (or a company with drone operators) to ensure that drone operators are compliant with aviation regulations and legislation whilst conducting their services. 

An audit may be beneficial for a drone operator to:

• Enhance an organisation’s reputation (safety) and credibility as a supplier 
• Decrease the risk of drone operation and non compliance 
• Prepare for a CASA license and increase the likelihood of obtaining the license; a costly and time intensive process
• Ensure compliance and safety after a CASA license is granted; increasing credibility as a supplier, maintaining a safety culture within the organisation and ultimately resulting in peace of mind for the organisation’s management  
• Prepare for a CASA audit, ensuring the organisation is well equipped to pass the audit, or to assist in correcting existing issues 
• Satisfy CASA audit conditions; if a drone operator is deemed to be non compliant in areas of regulation, it may be a condition for the organisation to correct their non compliance and conduct an independent audit as part of their plan to gain credibility and remain in the market 

An independent audit can be a simple response to address any compliance issues faced by a drone operator as well as a tool for continuous improvement and enhancement of best practises.

With PAS’ unique understanding of the aviation industry, an independent audit may reduce the operator’s investment in addressing and correcting the issues being experienced and eliminate any bias in the process. 

The team at PAS are professional and friendly, delivering services in a way that all operators can understand. An audit can not only tell you what needs to be improved or addressed, but help you to make a plan to ensure your organisation can maintain its place in the drone industry and grow to become a well recognised supplier.

If you have any questions about drone compliance or what an audit may assist with, get in touch with one of our friendly team members. We’d be happy to talk about all things aviation.