Australian app to check you are ok to fly

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OpenSky is an app approved by Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia. The upgraded open app is awesome.
Open it and select new flight and put in your name, CASA reg, model of drone, make sure you refresh where you are and wait a sec and then get permission to fly.

All the worries of “Am I legal here, is anyone going to challenge me, am I sure its ok to fly here?” All gone. Made such a difference to my flying. I know I am ok, CASA have tracked me and given me permission to fly.

I tell you that is the best Christmas Pressy I have ever had. Realy a profound feeling of joy and loss of worry.
 
That must be really a big relief. But does it track the other air crafts which might be around your position?
 
No Andy. I think the software to detect aircraft in you area is built into the most recent DJI drones. The DJI FVP does that, it should be available to all drones.
 
Thanks John, that's good information, I'm with the NSW Rural Fire Service, in addition to a couple of P4's and a Mavic, we have a Matrice 300 RTK, which has ADS-B in, so we can track other ADS-B equipped aircraft. The new app will be very useful.
 
Most welcome. I hope it is useful but you guys fly where you want, you have to. But good to know where every this is in the sky. And good to know you are always there. Thank you.
 
Thanks for the heads-up, John. It would be great if these apps also detailed ground-based restrictions that impact drone pilots, rather than just no-flight zones. Here in Victoria I'm more impacted by the restrictions that our parks body, Parks Victoria, places on drone usage, than I am by the flight restrictions around airfields and landing pads.
 
Sorry to hear that mate, get your self over here in WA you can fly in any of the national parks. I think it is the only place where you can legally fly in all National Parks.
It least its the only one I have heard of. Must be some places that are the same.
 
I'm always wondering why those restrictions. What harm might the drone do to the park?
 
I'm always wondering why those restrictions. What harm might the drone do to the park?
They allow commercial shoots for events if you hold a commercial pilot's licence, pay the fee (170 AUD) and give them 20 working days to process the application. However, recreational flying is out of the question. Their current website doesn't even bother to provide a justification. However, I have previously seen them cite annoyance to other park users and disturbance of wildlife as reasons for preventing drone use.
Parks Victoria manage a vast area of land, some 40,000 square kilometres - basically, all the best bits where you want to fly your drone. There are areas where you can ride dirt bikes and go four-wheel-driving, but not fly a drone. It seems to me that there's enough space for drones, wildlife and other park users to not impinge on each other. But they are a law unto themselves.
 
Have they ever prosecuted any one? There are areas in Perth where the council do not allow drones. There have been no prosecutions as far as I know. On one occasion I was approached by a young guy who worked for a council. He politely informed me of the rule and I said no prob and went elsewhere. Now I always go where there no people around but it is rare, it's only a small area. 95% of perth is fine to fly. Of Course you apply the general rules, law to fly.
 
Have they ever prosecuted any one? There are areas in Perth where the council do not allow drones. There have been no prosecutions as far as I know. On one occasion I was approached by a young guy who worked for a council. He politely informed me of the rule and I said no prob and went elsewhere. Now I always go where there no people around but it is rare, it's only a small area. 95% of perth is fine to fly. Of Course you apply the general rules, law to fly.
I'm not aware of any prosecutions, although fines are pretty steep. A lot of my videos show areas administered by Parks Victoria. I often fly in from outside the boundaries, and try not to post videos that are obviously incriminating.
 
New Zealand has Airshare
 
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Sorry to hear that mate, get your self over here in WA you can fly in any of the national parks. I think it is the only place where you can legally fly in all National Parks.
It least its the only one I have heard of. Must be some places that are the same.
I've just spent 6 weeks travelling WA and cannot recall 1 national Park that allows drone usage!
 
You can fly in any of them. They do request that you get in touch with the office of the National Park to check that there is nothing going on. I try every time and it is very difficult to get a reply. This is not obligatory but advisable.
If you have any trouble use the Open Sky which will tell you its ok to fly, then show them the link above. Every Park in WA has received multiple emails saying it is ok to fly drones in all WA National Parks. If any of the park rangers approach me I show them the link and OpenSky then say out of politeness I will go to another spot. This does not happen much because I almost never fly whey people are.
 
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