Plan
Drone rules: Australia
Last checked: October 5, 2026
Not needed for purely recreational flights – the planned requirement from 250 g has been paused. Anyone flying for work must register every drone.
No legal requirement, but recommended.
Depending on drone weight
- From 251 gOver 250 g: no flying within 5.5 km of controlled airports (up to 250 g, flying there is allowed up to 45 m, not over approach and departure paths).
For tourists
As a tourist, the normal CASA recreational rules apply to you, with no registration or licence. CASA requires permission via myCASA for drones registered abroad – it does not say clearly whether this also covers purely recreational flights. Many destinations are no-fly zones, such as Sydney Harbour and many national parks.
Further rules
- In Australia, no registration is currently required for purely recreational drones – a registration requirement from 250 grams that was planned for 2023 has been suspended indefinitely by the government. The separate “Operator Accreditation” (a free online test) is also not mandatory for hobby pilots, only for commercial pilots. Insurance is likewise not required, but is recommended.
- The maximum altitude is 120 metres (400 feet), the minimum distance to people 30 metres. Drones over 250 grams may not fly within 5.5 kilometres of controlled airports; lighter drones may fly there up to 45 metres, but not over approach and departure paths. Flying is only allowed in daylight with continuous visual line of sight.
- Important caveat for travellers: the rules for national parks vary widely from state to state. In New South Wales, every take-off or landing in a park requires a permit, while in Victoria recreational drones are banned outright in all national parks.
- Particularly relevant for popular destinations: in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, drone operations are generally prohibited (only in rare exceptional cases after consultation with the Central Land Council, owing to the site’s cultural significance for the Anangu), and in Kakadu National Park no permits at all are issued for recreational pilots.
- For breaches, CASA can issue a fine of up to AUD 1,650 per offence; if the matter goes to court, fines of up to AUD 16,500 are possible.
- Overall, flying a drone in Australia is straightforward for tourists and possible without special formalities – the real hurdle is checking in advance for each destination whether a state or local national park ban applies there.
Sources
- CASA – Drone rules (Freizeitregeln und Bußgelder)official
- CASA – Registrationofficial
- CASA – Flying near airportsofficial
- CASA – Travelling with your droneofficial
This overview is not legal advice and not an official statement — laws change, and we cannot guarantee that every entry is fully up to date. Before your flight, please also check the official source or the local civil aviation authority.