AU: Airspace Changes Western Sydney
The opening of Western Sydney International Airport, Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, will bring some of the biggest airspace changes Sydney has seen in decades.
While most of the public focus has been on passenger aircraft and airline operations, these changes will also have a direct impact on drone operators working across the Sydney Basin.
From 9 July 2026, the Sydney Basin will operate with four neighbouring controlled airports:
- Western Sydney International Airport — Class C Airspace
• Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport — Class C Airspace
• Bankstown Airport — Class D Airspace
• Camden Airport — Class D Airspace
Western Sydney Airport and Sydney Basin Airspace Changes: What Drone Operators Need to Know
For drone operators, ReOC holders, Remote Pilots and organisations conducting RPAS operations, this is an important transition date. Existing flight planning assumptions may no longer be reliable after the new airspace comes into effect.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has confirmed that the changes are needed to safely integrate Western Sydney International Airport and its new flight paths into the broader Sydney aviation network. Airservices Australia is also updating the airspace associated with these airports, and some restricted areas will change following work with Defence. (Civil Aviation Safety Authority)
What Drone Operators Should Do Before the 9th of July 2026 – Airspace Changes Western Sydney
Drone operators should start reviewing their operations now, particularly if they work in Western Sydney, Greater Sydney, Bankstown, Camden, Richmond, Sydney Harbour or surrounding areas.
Check the Updated Airspace Information
Figure 1: Current Airspace Arrangements for the Sydney Basin
Figure 2: Airspace Arrangements for the Sydney Basin as of the 09th of July 2026
Before operating in the changed airspace, operators should review the updated Sydney Visual Terminal Chart, ERSA, relevant AIP publications and CASA-verified drone safety apps.
This should not be treated as a one-off check. Any RPAS work in the Sydney Basin after 9 July 2026 should include a fresh airspace review as part of normal pre-flight planning.
Update Flight Planning Systems
Operators should also make sure all planning tools, maps and procedures are updated before the changes commence.
This may include:
- CASA-verified drone safety apps
• AVCRM or other job management systems
• Internal airspace maps
• Site-specific risk assessments
• Operational area maps
• RPAS procedures and pilot briefing material
• Downloaded or stored mapping used by pilots in the field
This is particularly important for organisations with recurring work sites, repeat client locations or standing operational areas across Greater Sydney.
Review CASA Approvals
Many commercial drone operators currently rely on CASA approvals that were assessed under the existing Sydney Basin airspace design. Once the new structure is active, those assumptions may no longer apply.
CASA has informed Hover UAV that, for airspace changes supporting Western Sydney International Airport, standing permissions previously issued for affected airspace will not automatically carry across.
Operators may need to review, amend or reapply for approvals where operations involve:
- Controlled airspace
• BVLOS or Broad Area BVLOS
• EVLOS
• Area-specific approvals
• Operations near Bankstown, Camden, Sydney Kingsford Smith or Western Sydney International
• Future flight corridors
• Restricted or danger area changes
This may also require updated risk assessments, revised procedures, adjusted operating boundaries or new operational ceilings.
Key Airspace Changes
Figure 1: Current Airspace Arrangements for the Sydney Basin
Figure 2: Airspace Arrangements for the Sydney Basin as of the 09th of July 2026
Western Sydney International Airport
A new control zone will be established from the surface to 1,500 ft around Western Sydney International Airport. Above this, the stepped controlled airspace will extend from 1,500 ft to 18,000 ft.
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport
The Class C control zone boundaries over Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport will be redefined.
Bankstown Airport
Bankstown Airport will see several important changes, including an extension of the control zone to the northwest, new Class D control steps and changes to nearby VFR routes.
These changes may affect drone operators working around Bankstown and surrounding suburbs, particularly those relying on existing airspace assessments or site procedures.
Camden Airport
A new square-shaped volume of Class C airspace will be added above Camden Airport, with a lower limit of 4,500 ft.
CASA has also advised that between 2300 and 0600 daily, airspace that is normally Class G will become Class C with a lower limit of 1,500 ft to support Western Sydney International aircraft movements.
Richmond Restricted Airspace
Restricted airspace near Richmond will also change. R469, R470 and R494 will be replaced with new restricted area numbers and boundaries: R479, R480 and R481.
Operators should check any procedures, maps or approvals that reference the older restricted area names.
Sydney Harbour Approval Holders
Operators with existing CASA approvals for Sydney Harbour should pay close attention to the restricted airspace changes.
CASA has advised that the existing Sydney Harbour R405AB restricted airspace will be combined and renamed R407B. A new restricted area, R407A, will also be introduced near Sydney Harbour from 9 July 2026. CASA are seeking clarification from their legal team regarding R405 instruments that will be active once it changes over to R407 on 9 Jul 2026.
If those instruments need to be reissued, they will contact affected instrument holders and provide guidance.
This is important because existing approvals that reference the current Sydney Harbour restricted airspace, operating areas, height limits, lateral boundaries or access procedures may no longer align with the new structure.
Operators should not assume their current Sydney Harbour approvals will continue to work in the same way after the changes commence.
The introduction of R407A, including its reduced operating area and reduced height structure, may affect:
- Previously approved locations
• Operational ceilings
• Lateral boundaries
• Buffers
• Risk assessments
• Emergency procedures
• ATC, CASA or other coordination requirements
• Internal procedures and client work packs
Any approval that refers to the former R405AB area, or was assessed using the current Sydney Harbour restricted airspace design, may require review, amendment or clarification.
The key message is simple: do not rely on old Sydney Harbour approval assumptions without checking them against the new R407A and R407B structure.
Where there is uncertainty, operators should seek CASA clarification before operating.
Why This Matters
The Sydney Basin airspace redesign will make some RPAS operating areas more complex than they are today.
Drone operators may need to consider:
- Increased controlled airspace
• New or amended flight paths
• Changed restricted area boundaries
• Greater interaction with IFR traffic
• Increased ATC coordination requirements
• Updated communication procedures
• Revised operating ceilings or boundaries
• Changes to CASA approval conditions
• Greater scrutiny of detect-and-avoid and traffic management controls
Some areas that were previously considered relatively low complexity may now sit closer to arrival, departure or transit routes.
Recommended Actions
Before 9 July 2026, drone operators should:
- Review all CASA approvals for Sydney Basin operations.
- Check whether any approvals rely on current airspace assumptions.
- Update risk assessments for affected areas.
- Review Operations Manuals, procedures, communication protocols, emergency procedures and airspace diagrams.
- Update AVCRM, drone safety apps, job templates and site libraries.
- Brief the Remote Pilots and operational teams.
- Check CASA-verified drone safety apps before every flight in affected areas.
- Engage CASA early, where BVLOS, EVLOS, area approvals or standing permissions may be affected.
In Conclusion: Impacts For Drone Operators
The Sydney Basin airspace changes are not just an issue for airlines or crewed aviation. They will have practical impacts for drone operators across Western Sydney, Greater Sydney, Bankstown, Camden, Richmond, Sydney Harbour and nearby corridors.
Any operator working in or around the Sydney Basin should treat 9 July 2026 as a key operational change date.
Approvals, procedures, site assessments and planning tools should be reviewed now to ensure operations remain safe, compliant and workable once the new airspace design is active.
Need Support?
If you need assistance understanding or preparing for the Sydney airspace changes, please contact Hover UAV.
Our team can assist with reviewing CASA approvals, updating procedures, assessing affected operating areas, preparing revised risk assessments and providing practical guidance to help keep your drone operations safe, compliant and ready for the 9 July 2026 transition.
