What has been registered
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has registered a new exemption instrument - CASA EX63/26 - titled the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations Beyond Visual Line of Sight Exemption 2026. The instrument is authorised under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 and came into force on 27 August 2026. The instrument is published on the Federal Register of Legislation.
What the exemption covers
CASA EX63/26 covers remotely piloted aircraft (drone) operations conducted beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). The specific conditions, limitations, and categories of operations covered by the exemption are contained in the full instrument text. The source page for this registration does not reproduce those details.
Key actions
Reading the full exemption text
The full text of the exemption is available at the Federal Register of Legislation: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L01122. The instrument text sets out the conditions that must be met for the exemption to apply.
Checking with CASA
The CASA website and CASA directly can provide guidance on how this exemption interacts with existing Remote Pilot Licence or ReOC (Remote Operator Certificate) conditions. CASA can be contacted at https://www.casa.gov.au.
Subcontractors and labour hire
Where a labour hire operator or subcontractor is engaged to conduct drone work, the exemption instrument CASA EX63/26 is relevant to any BVLOS flights conducted on behalf of another party.
This is a plain-English summary for information only, not legal or compliance advice. Always check the official source or consult a qualified professional.