Australian Drone Industry Survey 2021 - aaus.org.au

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Australian Drone

Industry Survey 2021Monday, September 13, 2021

Are you currently a member of the Australian Association for Unmanned

Systems (AAUS)

Answered: 141 Skipped: 0

Where is your organisation headquartered in Australia?


Outside Aus2% (2)

ACT8% (8)

NSW31% (28)

NT1% (1)

QLD23% (22)

SA7% (7)

TAS1% (1)

VIC19% (21)

WA 8% (7)

Outside Aus ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA

How would you describe yourself or organisation? (select one only)


In which Australian states and territories do you currently provide RPAS

services? (select all that apply)

1

36

15

32

5

25

15

1

22

11

0 10 20 30 40

None

ALL…

ACT

NSW

NT

QLD

SA

TAS

VIC

WA

How many full time equivalent (FTE) personnel are employed by the

drone part of your business


52% (50)

30% (29)

9% (8)

4% (4)

3% (3) 2% (2)

1-2 3-10 11-20 21-50 51-200 >200

How many licensed remote pilots (RePL) do you have as staff or

contracted staff?


What markets do you currently provide commercial services to and

legitimately intend to provide services to in the near term?

32 34 35

18

7

25 25

15

3228

18 2126

16 159

32

16 19

7

18 1113

23

11

9

28

5

21

16

7 4

8

169

3

14

97

6

Now 2-3 Yrs


Please enter the number of individual RPA you currently operate?


25

25

4

31

26

4

26

42

1

8

3

13

1

14

1

1

9

1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Other

Fixedwing

Multi-Rotor

Helicopter

Hybrid

0 1-4 5-10 11-30 >30

Please indicate the numbers by mass of each RPA you currently operate?

20

5

9

23

28

8

40

35

12

1

3

9

11

4

1

7

5

1

5

5

0 20 40 60 80

Micro

Verysmall

Small

Med

Large

0 1-4 1-10 11-30 >30


What operational conditions are you currently approved to operate under

your ReOC? (Tick all that are relevant)


In terms of operational approvals, what would be your top priority in the

next 12 months and 2-3 years? (Tick all that are relevant)


If you answered "other", please indicate what approval you are referring to?

ReOC Holders - Answered: 6 Skipped: 133

Sensible automatic low level in controlled airspace. We are legislatively and commercially, and timeframe disadvantaged from all other airspace users.

You cannot operate real-time oops with a three-day approval time when all other airspace users just key into Sydney for instant approval.

RPA 'Teaming' applications where RPA are being flown in Master/Slave arrangement to operate cooperatively to increase their payload mass

capability.

Operating (with and without a tether) in the approach and departure path and/or within the movement area of a non-controlled aerodrome

Operating micro-RPA within 30m of people

EVLOS

Dangerous Goods

How would you rate the following risks facing the drone industry today?

1 1 5 1 4 1 10

49 4155

12

4435

51

4143

40

42

45

36

36

16 227

50

1435

10

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Zero Low Medium High


Which of the statements below most accurately depicts your opinion of

CASR Part 101?

Answered: 107 Skipped: 345% (5)

50% (53)37% (40)

8% (9)

World leading regulation promoting safety adequately appropriately costed to industryGood regulation that promotes safety adequately but needs work to reduce cost for industryReasonable regulation for safety but is not keeping up with the rapidly moving industryPoor regulation in terms of safety outcome and cost

Rate how important you believe the following initiatives are on a scale of 1

(irrelevant) to 5 (extremely important) for the growth of the drone industry


24 2619

12 16 11 12 12 916

17 1622

27 1515 13 17 20

18

4 2 6 612

16 1614 12

1611

1 2 1 21 2 1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Extremely important Very important Somewhat important Unimportant Irrelevant

Has your drone business been negatively impacted by excessive CASA

approval processing times?


18% (11)

7% (4)

35% (21)

40% (24)

No we do not normally apply for specific CASA approvals

No, we find that CASA approvals have been processed efficiently

Yes, this has had a significant impact on our business

Yes, but with only a minor impact on our business

If you answered yes, which of the following best describes why you think CASA

approval processing times were inadequate? (tick all that apply)

40 14 4 13 9

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

CASA seem under resourcedCASA staff do not seem adequately skilledWe contributed to the processing time as we were unsure what we needed to submitThe approval requested was complex and required a Specific Operation Risk AnalysisOther

Supported by Airservices Australia and CASA, the Australian Government is preparing the

development, deployment and management of a UAS Traffic Management (UTM)

system. Which statement below best describes your thoughts on a UTM?


18% (19)

55% (58)

19% (20)

7% (8) 1% (1)

A UTM will be an extremely positive enabler for industry in terms of efficent airspace access, safety while providing benefits for the general publicI am generally in favour of a UTM but will wait to see how it is implementedI have not yet formed an opinion on the benefits of a UTMI do not believe that a UTM will provide any tangible benefits for industryI am concerned that a UTM could negatively impact my business due to concerns on fair, affordable and equitable access to airspaceOther

How would you rate AAUS' advocacy efforts during the last 12 months?


32% (34)

39% (41)

6% (7)

4% (4)

2% (2)

17% (18)

Excellent Good Fair Indifferent Poor Not in a position to rate performace

Additional Comments: List any other matter/s relating to drone operations in Australia that

AAUS should consider in its advocacy efforts

ReOC Holders - Answered: 14 Skipped: 125

As an emerging business we were totally ignored during COVID ( ineligible for Job Keeper, company was only 9 months old. No support for

entrepreneurs!!! Casa shut down all approvals during bushfire and start of Covid, absolutely nothing. Ridiculous local government requirements, with no

safety outcomes. Zero enforcement of illegal drone oops, look at tourism Australian! NSW road safety campaigns. We constantly loose jobs to illegal

operators with no compliance cost or approval.

Highlighting to CASA the importance of balancing new product development under experimental conditions vs business as usual operations of RPAS.

We have chicken and egg scenarios present themselves often.

I think the AAUS does not represent the opinions/thoughts/wants of most drone operators. So far it seems that you guys are just trying to keep in good

favour with CASA rather than being an advocate for drone operators and making things better for drones in the aviation industry.

CASA fails to adequately promote or enforce the current regulations and therefore failing and not supporting the industry in its safety mandate.

Cleaning up sections/areas of CASR Part 101 which are either conflicting in nature or apply a double standard. i.e., requiring a RePL to operate over

25kg but not being able to train/practice with an RPA >25kg in order to gain the endorsement.

Federal legislative changes will be needed to fix some of the restrictive issues (such as definition and application of 'populous area') as there are no

real way to do it without changing the law. (which will be all but impossible)

Industry events in states other than Canberra. COVID has shown that individual events in states would be well received.

Keep pushing the merits of properly controlled and qualified operators to drive out the dodgy operators.

Taking a more proactive stance with all relevant areas



ReOC Holders - Answered: 14 Skipped: 125 (Continued…)

Despite AAUS appearing to have a strong industry voice, the predominant commercial drone operations in Australia (multi-rotor excluded and ReOC

operations <7kg) are often overlooked for larger, more impressive aircraft, systems and initiatives. This results in less discussion with, and progress by

CASA in removing cumbersome and costly approvals and flying barriers/rules for RPA professionals with the RePL and ReOC. While CASA's changes

to date have generally been a positive step forward, AAUS can better support industry by enabling CASA to accelerate and clearly/simply

document/communicate regulation changes and improvements. CASR Part 101, the MOS, amendment instruments, advisory circulars, easy to read

guides, fact sheets, quizzes are all great, but the inconsistencies, contradictions and omissions within them means it's a minefield for 'non-lawyer' drone

operators to navigate through. Simple to understand translation and guidance from AAUS would be highly valued, so that CASA changes are clealry

understood and interpreted. Thank you

Demand CASA provide a timeframe for delivery of a roadmap for industry and make them accountable to it.

Taking a more proactive stance with all relevant areas.

More focus on educational training in schools and adults. How do we get the best result and the best candidates.

Cost of ownership with regard to the $40/year per RPA registration when a charge of $130 is charged for passenger aircraft for the life of the aircraft.

*CASA RPAS failure to provide services without extensive delay in most cases and threatening (often implied or verbal) regulatory action if operators

complain. *Part 101 MOS is not fit for purpose and promised revision repeatedly delayed.

NGOs for public safety in disaster zones

Federal legislative changes will be needed to fix some of the restrictive issues (such as definition and application of 'populous area') as there are no

real way to do it without changing the law. (which will be all but impossible)



Excluded Category - Answered: 2 Skipped: 137

CASA has no regulatory ability to provide Government Agencies with ReOC in their own right.

Sub 250g is a nightmare, in other places there is no license, here if you want to fly within 30m you can't get an endorsement for sub 2kg, you need a

permit, the permit will cost you $400-600!!! Meanwhile Instagramers fly all over the place, don't ask and nobody cares, actually tourism promotes them

for doing it???? I probably leave this organisation this year as RPA rules have just gone over the top and no one is saying imho "what gives"



Products or Support Services Organisations - Answered: 4 Skipped: 135

UAS Certification

There are specific opportunities for advocacy and for inclusion in the CASA roadmap: 1) around breaking the 1 operator to 1 drone ratio for educational

and agricultural uses (small drones in indoor educational settings and drones flown over farm properties have a lower risk profile and are a good

starting point). 2) allowing BVLOS and/or limited autonomy for rural farms and properties. 3) enabling spotters for FPV operations.

Development of a sovereign drone manufacturing capability, for both Commercial and Defence purposes. Majority of platforms are imported; we're

lagging the rest of the world and basically providing the right infrastructure for international companies to become the first movers here. In line with

developing the Infra and Reg Framework, we need to build and use our own drones to support any government initiatives or trials.

AAUS is not doing any advocacy for BVLOS. It does not behave as an advocacy organisation against CASA. Only works for the small end of town for

drones less than a couple of kilograms. Would be great to put real pressure on CASA for BVLOS operations. AAUS prefers to be friends with CASA

rather than putting pressure on them. CASA only works for the big international primes and has zero interest promoting and progressing Australia

industry into BVLOS operations. AAUS, you need to represent this part of the industry as well. You are not doing enough. You don’t need to be CASA’s

friend. Start being a thorn in their side. Enough is enough.



Individual with RePL - Answered: 3 Skipped: 136

I have a license but find it very hard to get a job without experience ... so where are all the experience opportunities?

National Park not clear to fly yet

The drone industry is still being dominated by racist rednecks. And unfortunately, people of other backgrounds and cultures don't stand a chance in

getting into the industry.

Introduction of subsidised or gifted compulsory ADS-B or electronic conspicuity rollout programs for General Aviation and Sports Aviation to accelerate

the airspace integration opportunities for the RPAS industry - the burden for integration should not be solely placed on the shoulders of the RPAS

industry as one user of the airspace.

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Australian Drone Industry Survey 2021 - aaus.org.au

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