JARUS is a group of experts gathering regulatory expertise from all around the world. The purpose of JARUS,  is “to recommend a single set of technical, safety and operational requirements for all aspects linked to the safe operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).

Joint Authorities for Rule-making on Unmanned Systems (JARUS).

SORA stands for Specific Operations Risk Assessment. It’s a framework used to assess and manage the risks associated with specific drone operations. Essentially, it helps drone operators and authorities understand and mitigate the potential hazards of flying drones in different scenarios. SORA provides a structured approach to evaluating factors like airspace, environment, operational procedures, and potential consequences to ensure safe and responsible drone operations. It’s like a safety checklist tailored to each drone mission, helping to minimise risks and ensure compliance with regulations.

Hover UAV can assist you in your development of a SORA and successful submission to CASA for your operations.

Concept of Operations (CONOPS) – In the context of SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment), it refers to a clear and concise outline of how a particular drone operation will be conducted. It covers things like the purpose of the operation, roles and responsibilities of personnel involved, operational procedures, and safety measures.

Hover UAV conduct Discovery Workshops starting at $1000 to define your concept of Operations and project plans.

CASA has developed guidance material for operators to use when submitting a BVLOS application, including information about how to assess an area, as well as the mitigations and procedures required to support the application. This is covered in further detail in the BVLOS Standard Scenario (AU-STS) Applicant Response templates.

Some of these Standard scenarios include; 

AU-STS-1: a BVLOS operation for inspections of infrastructure in a controlled ground environment such as mine sites, wind farms or other similar locations.

AU-STS-2: BVLOS operation near a vertical object with a sparsely populated ground environment. Covering possible inspections or surveillance of infrastructure such as bridges, powerlines or wind turbines.

AU-STS-4: A BVLOS operation in a remote area within 3 NM of a registered or certified non-controlled aerodrome, including a helicopter landing site. 

AU-STS-6: A BVLOS operation 400 ft in remote Australian airspace with a sparsely populated ground environment. This might fall under large-scale rural surveys, as well as agriculture and environmental monitoring in remote Australian airspace. 

AU-STS-7: A BVLOS operation between 400ft AGL and 5,000ft AMSL in remote Australian airspace with a sparsely populated ground environment.

HOVER UAV offers SORA training overview courses for $450

In addition to the Remote Pilots Licence (RePL), the Remote Pilot will require a pass in the CASA OCTA ( Outside Controlled Terminal Airspace) Exam. This exam is conducted through Aspeq. This exam is 90 minutes in duration, and you can finish early at any time. This exam requires a pass mark of 70% and has no permitted materials. The entry requirements for the exam are as follows:

• RePL
• Payment of $174.34

To book this exam, go to casa.aspeqexams.com/home

• Select “Exam Schedule”
• Under specialisation, click “Flight Crew”, then “RePL Examinations” and select “Beyond Visual Line of Sight”
• Find your preferred time and location

You will need to bring current & original photo ID which includes

• ASIC
• AVID
• Driver’s Licence
• Digital Driver’s Licence
• ID of a serving member of the Australian Government, Public Service or Statutory body
• ID of a serving member of the Australian police or military
• Current Passport
• Proof of Age or Proof of Identity card issued by the Australian Government or a State
  
  Hover UAV offers BVLSO OCTA Training and preparation for the CASA OCTA Examination. 2 days courses start  $1500.

IREX, otherwise known as the Instrument Rating Exam, is an option to complete to get the prerequisite for BVLOS Approval rather than completing the OCTA Exam. However, if the Operator is flying in controlled Airspace, a Pass in IREX is required. This is a Flight Crew Exam that focuses heavily on the IFR procedures, including NDB, RNP, ILS, LOC, VOR, Holding Procedures, IFR Alternate Procedures, IFR Minimums and other IFR theories. This is one of the most practical CASA exams, but it will not focus on any RPA knowledge. While this is an option, its primary role is for Flight Crew and not RePL pilots, so it is not recommended to take it in lieu of the Beyond Visual Line of Sight OCTA Exam unless it is required to operate within controlled airspace.

CRP Fundamentals refers to the essential knowledge, responsibilities, and skills required of a Chief Remote Pilot (CRP)—a role mandated under many drone regulatory frameworks, including CASA (Australia) and CAA (New Zealand). The CRP is the person legally responsible for the safe and compliant operation of a drone organisation’s activities.

A strong grasp of CRP fundamentals ensures that your organisation:

• Stays compliant
• Minimises risk
• Is audit-ready

Can scale operations confidently, especially for BVLOS, Drone-in-a-Box, and complex missions