The Ultimate Authority Guide to ReOC in Australia
- A RePL licenses the pilot; a ReOC licenses the business.
- The operations manual is the heart of your ReOC application.
- Every ReOC needs a nominated Chief Remote Pilot (CRP).
- A ReOC unlocks approvals excluded operators can't apply for.
If the RePL is the drone industry's driver's licence, the ReOC is the operator's licence for the whole company. It's the credential that lets a business hold its own CASA approvals, employ RePL pilots and bid for the serious commercial and government work. This guide demystifies what a Remote Operator's Certificate is, who needs one, and exactly what CASA expects before it issues one.
What a ReOC is (and what it isn't)
A ReOC is a certificate issued to a business, authorising it to conduct remotely piloted aircraft operations under its own set of approved procedures. It is not a personal flying licence — that's the RePL. Think of it this way: the RePL says 'this person can fly'; the ReOC says 'this organisation can operate safely, at scale, and can be trusted to manage its own risk'.
ReOC vs RePL: who needs which
- A sole pilot doing straightforward work may only need a RePL (flying under someone else's ReOC or within excluded limits).
- A business that wants its own CASA approvals, area approvals or the ability to employ pilots needs a ReOC.
- Operations near controlled airspace, over people, or at night are far easier to authorise under a ReOC.
- Most growing drone companies end up holding both: RePL pilots operating under the company ReOC.
Still flying excluded category? See why that quietly caps your revenue.
Read: Why Excluded Category May Be Holding You BackWhat CASA wants in your operations manual
The operations manual is where most first-time applicants get stuck. It's the document that proves your business has thought through how it will operate safely in every scenario. CASA expects it to cover your organisational structure, the aircraft you'll fly, your operating areas and procedures, maintenance, crew training and currency, risk assessment, and — critically — your emergency response procedures.
Your ops manual isn't a form you file once. It governs how you fly every day, and CASA will hold you to it. Write procedures you'll actually follow.
The Chief Remote Pilot role
Every ReOC must nominate a Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) — the accountable person for the safety and compliance of all operations. The CRP maintains the ops manual, oversees pilot training and currency, authorises flights, and is CASA's main point of contact. Choosing and preparing the right CRP is one of the most important decisions in your application.
How long a ReOC takes and what it costs
Timelines vary with CASA's workload and the quality of your application — a well-prepared submission is assessed far faster than one that triggers rounds of requests for more information. The biggest variable you control is the operations manual. This is exactly where working with an experienced training provider pays off: ACE Aviation helps you build a compliant manual, prepare your CRP and package the application so it lands cleanly the first time.
Ready to turn your drone work into a certified business? Talk to our ReOC team.
Explore ReOC training & supportFrequently asked questions
Yes — you can fly under another business's ReOC as a RePL pilot, or operate within the excluded category limits. But to hold your own CASA approvals and employ pilots, your business needs its own ReOC.
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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