The RPAS and AAM Strategic Regulatory Roadmap

The Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Strategic Regulatory Roadmap (linked below) outlines the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approach for RPAS and AAM regulations over the next 10 to 15 years.
It sets out the long-term plan for safely integrating these technologies into Australia’s airspace and future regulatory system, alongside traditional aviation. The evolution of the roadmap will continue to keep pace with new technologies and innovations to support the future of this rapidly growing industry.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (DITRDC) released the NEAT Policy Statement (linked below) on 6 May 2021. This statement tasked CASA with producing a safety regulatory roadmap on RPAS and AAM.

The NEAT Policy Statement articulates the Australian Government’s commitment to supporting
the continued development of the sector and outlines the approach to managing and enabling this
evolving market. It will strengthen Australia’s leadership in innovation and adoption of emerging
technology and enable the industry to make informed decisions regarding investment, developing
technology and commencing operations in Australia.

The Australian Government will pursue a coordinated and cooperative whole-of-government,
system-wide approach to managing and enabling the sector. The initiatives and approaches outlined
in the statement will lay the foundations for future government services and processes that can be
scaled and adapted as the technology and the services it can provide evolves. The government will
continue to work closely with the industry on the development of these initiatives and approaches.

The release of both the Neat policy and CASAs Regulatory roadmap shows that governments in Australia across all levels firmly have their eyes fixed on new and evolving aviation technologies now and more importantly long-term. This is fantastic and allows the entire industry to collectively move into the future with confidence and an understanding that regulators are firmly behind the adoption of new technologies.