CASA's Can I Fly There? app

[Noodle]

For Australian drone pilots, CASA has released an app on Android, iOS and webapp for us to check NFZ:

Can I fly there? - Drone safety app | Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Bad news for people living in Sydney, pretty much no where to fly, because the app does not show other NFZ e.g. national parks and many local council parks (which enforce their own no remote aircrafts rule). So if you live in Sydney, planning to try drone as a hobby but not willing to travel out of Sydney to fly, I don't recommend you investing in this hobby anymore.

I already owned a Phantom 3 Advanced and a Cheerson CX-20, was looking forward to new DJI Mavic 2 in the next year or so, but now I don't think I will bother invest anymore money in this hobby

 

[With The Birds]

I have been waiting for this app, thank you for sharing. I must be missing something, there are plenty of places to fly around Sydney and surrounding areas, get your mavic and enjoy.

 

[Noodle]

Have a look at the screenshot of where I am in Sydney. Surrounded by airports and numerous helipads. In the south is the Royal National Park which is a NFZ (according to the park ranger).

 

[With The Birds]

There is plenty of places.... your better staying away from park rangers than asking them questions. Use a bit of common sense and all will be good, you don't have to launch from known tourist attractions/lookouts.

 

[Noodle]

You are saying to evade those local park rules? I don't really want to look over my shoulders all the time wondering when the park ranger is going to sneak up behind me.

 

[With The Birds]

You are saying to evade those local park rules? I don't really want to look over my shoulders all the time wondering when the park ranger is going to sneak up behind me.

No, local parks don't make for very interesting footage and you have a good chance of annoying other people wanting to enjoy the space. The bigger parks where you can walk a few km and not see another person- the scenery is worth the walk.

 

[Loz]

I've installed the app too. Not sure it really gives anything new, but I'd be glad to be wrong. As Noodle mentions - state NFZs are not included, nor did I expect them to be, but sadly one can only use the app to find out if one cannot fly at a place, not if one can fly there, resulting in ongoing confusion in many places if it's OK to fly there. For example is it legal to fly along the edge of a beach over the water, say filming surfers? Just an example, perhaps I was hoping for more from the app. (I used free 'safe to fly' IOS app over past year, my comments in part compare this new CASA commissioned app with that one)

 

[With The Birds]

Perhaps the CASA could invite the Dept of the Environmemt and Heritage and local municipalities to incorporate their data, that would enhance the app.

 

[tevek]

Perhaps the CASA could invite the Dept of the Environmemt and Heritage and local municipalities to incorporate their data, that would enhance the app.

That's a good idea, although I don't know that would work with an app that is concerned with managing air spaces related to either sealed or unsealed runways, manned or otherwise. My neighbour is a park ranger who had no idea of what drones look like and said he doesn't care as long as I don't launch from the national park directly behind me and am conscious of nesting season activities. Obviously no issue with that, but have thought of combining your suggestion into one big super app that removes all doubt for those who need to be prompted occasionally. Given how territorial some of the agencies are in WA, might be some time yet....

 

[DPAus]

Using the CASA app, albeit not exactly telling you where you CAN fly as opposed to where you can't will go in good stead when/if you are approached by anyone 'not happy' with you flying anywhere that is not in a NFZ, plus can be used in your defence should the unthinkable happen and you are involved in litigation. Being fairly new to commercial flying (have been doing real estate drone photography in-house) I too would like to also know the ins and outs of flying along a public beach and around headlands...

 

[With The Birds]

Using the CASA app, albeit not exactly telling you where you CAN fly as opposed to where you can't will go in good stead when/if you are approached by anyone 'not happy' with you flying anywhere that is not in a NFZ, plus can be used in your defence should the unthinkable happen and you are involved in litigation. Being fairly new to commercial flying (have been doing real estate drone photography in-house) I too would like to also know the ins and outs of flying along a public beach and around headlands...

I’d think twice about any potential opportunity to rely on the airspace classifications depicted in the app. The disclaimers and indemnity clauses in the user agreement provide plenty of wriggle out room.

 

[DPAus]

Good point.

 

[With The Birds]

Good point.

The earlier CASA fly safe video showed what was seemingly UAV footage taken within restricted airspace in Sydney harbour- I had that link on my tablet while I was, ahm, considering flying there. No way I would contemplate it now.

 

[Loz]

Old thread but thought I'd add an update as the app has relatively recently been significantly updated - shows (well for me in Melbourne anyway) lots more restricted flight locations, but I believe it's just doing its job better, they were always there (eg many helicopter Landing sites) it's a much better app as I result IMHO.

 

[CaptainNemo]

Looks like the app in not compatible with Note 4.

As for the Royal National Park permissions, their page says that "flying recreational drones is not permitted because this park is located within 5.5km of an airfield or helicopter landing site", however most of the park is outside of the helicopter zones. One should be able to get permission from the park office or even the helipad if wanting to film at the Figure 8 pools, for example.