Drone Safety Guide Australia: Flying Near Airports and HLS Without Breaking the Rules
- Stay at least 5.5km from controlled aerodromes unless authorised.
- Uncontrolled airfields and HLS are the hazards pilots forget.
- Check airspace with an approved app before every single flight.
- Controlled-airspace work needs AROC and usually a ReOC.
Ask any experienced remote pilot where new operators get into trouble, and the answer is almost always the same: airspace. The flying is the easy part. Knowing where you're allowed to be — and proving you checked — is what separates a professional from a headline. This guide covers the rules around aerodromes and helicopter landing sites in plain English.
The 5.5km rule and why it exists
As a baseline, you must not fly your drone within 5.5km of a controlled aerodrome (one with an operating control tower) unless you're specifically authorised. That radius exists because the airspace around a busy airport is where crewed aircraft are lowest, slowest and most vulnerable — exactly the altitudes a drone occupies. The rule isn't bureaucracy; it's separation from real traffic.
Controlled vs uncontrolled aerodromes
Not every airfield has a tower. At non-controlled (uncontrolled) aerodromes and airstrips, different conditions apply — you may be able to operate closer, but only if you stay well clear of the runway approach and departure paths, give way to all crewed aircraft, and land immediately if one appears. The catch is that these strips are everywhere in regional Australia, and many aren't obvious from the ground.
Helicopter Landing Sites (HLS): the hidden hazard
The trap that catches even careful pilots is the Helicopter Landing Site. Hospitals, mine sites, tall buildings, tourism operators and emergency services all use HLS that may not appear on a casual map — and a helicopter can arrive from any direction, low and fast. If you're flying near a hospital or a busy industrial site, assume rotary traffic and plan your escape.
A drone is small and hard to spot from a cockpit. The responsibility to stay clear of crewed aircraft is always yours — never assume they can see you.
How to check airspace before every flight
- 1Open a CASA-verified drone safety app and check your exact location — not just the suburb.
- 2Identify any aerodromes, HLS and airspace restrictions within range.
- 3Check NOTAMs and any temporary restrictions (events, fires, VIP movements).
- 4Confirm weather and light, and brief your spotter on the abort plan.
- 5Record the check — a screenshot in your flight log is cheap insurance.
When you need AROC and a ReOC
If your work genuinely requires operating in or near controlled airspace, you'll typically need an Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC) so you can legally use aviation radio, and the operation will usually sit under a ReOC with the right approvals. That's not a barrier — it's the professional pathway that lets you take the jobs excluded operators have to walk away from.
Our AROC and RePL courses teach airspace, radio and pre-flight planning the right way.
Explore AROC & RePL trainingFrequently asked questions
Only with the appropriate authorisation and, usually, operating under a ReOC with approvals and AROC-qualified radio use. Without that authorisation, stay outside 5.5km of a controlled aerodrome.
Written by the ACE Aviation team — CASA-approved instructors who have trained 4,000+ commercial drone pilots across Australia. Rules change; always confirm current requirements with CASA.
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