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The RePL — Remote Pilot Licence — is the CASA credential you need to be paid to fly drones in Australia. ACE Aviation has trained 4,000+ commercial drone pilots over 10+ years, with courses running in nine cities and online theory you can start today.
A RePL — Remote Pilot Licence — is the commercial drone licence issued by CASA (the Civil Aviation Safety Authority). Whether you call it a drone licence, drone pilot licence, UAV licence or remote pilot licence, it is the same qualification: the foundation credential for a professional drone career, and it stays with you for life.
You need a RePL for most paid drone work — including flying drones over 2kg and any operation outside the narrow excluded category. Commercial operations are then conducted under a ReOC (Remote Operator's Certificate) — your own, or an employer's. Most pilots also add the AROC aviation radio certificate so they can work near controlled airspace, where many of the best-paying jobs are.
Drone licence costs in Australia vary with the drone weight class you train for and whether you bundle your radio certificate. Head to the courses page for current package pricing — here's what actually drives the cost:
What you pay depends on the weight class you train for and how far you want to take your qualification. A RePL for drones up to 25kg is the most popular starting point for new commercial pilots, while operators planning heavier agricultural or industrial work step up to the sub-125kg category. Bundling your RePL with the AROC aviation radio certificate — required to fly near controlled airspace, where many of the best-paying jobs are — costs less than doing each stage separately.
Every ACE Aviation package includes CASA application fees, so the price you see is the price you pay — no surprise government charges at the end of your course, and if you catch public transport to your training days, your ticket fees are reimbursed. Your RePL never expires and there are no annual renewal fees, which makes it a one-off investment in a qualification you keep for life.
Compare that with the cost of flying commercially without a licence: CASA penalties for unlicensed commercial drone operations can reach thousands of dollars per offence, and most insurers won't cover unlicensed pilots — one incident on a job site could cost far more than the entire course.
Prepare with the online study and exam-prep modules, complete three live theory days via Zoom, then attend two practical and assessment days at your selected location. No prior flying experience is required.
Use the online course content, recorded lectures, quizzes, practice exams and exam-preparation modules before your instructor-led training.
Join an ACE RPAS instructor face to face in the virtual classroom. Complete the three days together or spread them over up to 12 months.
Complete one day of practical flight training and a second day for exams and your flight assessment at your selected training location.
CASA issues your Remote Pilot Licence. Add the AROC radio certificate and operate under a ReOC to take on commercial work.
Not sure which pathway fits? Take the 60-second licence finder quiz or see where licensed drone pilots are finding work.
RePL training runs in nine cities across Australia, with the theory completed online from anywhere. Choose your nearest location for local venues, dates and details:
For most commercial work you need a RePL (Remote Pilot Licence) issued by CASA, and you fly under a ReOC (Remote Operator's Certificate) — either your own or an employer's. Some very limited operations fit the 'excluded category' (for example sub-2kg with operator accreditation), but a RePL is the credential that opens up professional drone work.
ACE Aviation packages start from $1,799 for the Silver package — a RePL for drones up to 25kg plus the AROC aviation radio certificate, with CASA application fees included. 0% interest payment plans are available, and bundles that add ReOC support cost less than buying each stage separately.
Start with the online study materials, quizzes, practice exams and exam-preparation modules. You then complete three days of live theory with an ACE RPAS instructor via Zoom, followed by two in-person practical days at your selected training location: one flight-training day and one exam and flight-assessment day. The three theory days may be completed together or spread over up to 12 months.
No. ACE Aviation's training is built for complete beginners through to experienced operators. Instructors take you from the fundamentals to an assessment-ready standard, and training aircraft are provided for the practical days.
Yes — 'drone licence', 'drone pilot licence', 'remote pilot licence' and 'RePL' all refer to the same CASA credential. RePL is the official name: the Remote Pilot Licence that lets you be paid to fly drones in Australia.
ACE Aviation delivers CASA-approved RePL training in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Newcastle, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and Cairns, with the theory component completed online from anywhere in Australia.
More questions? Explore the full ACE knowledge engine — CASA rules, careers, agricultural drones and more.
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