CASA issues 40,000th remote pilot licence

The number of licensed drone pilots in Australia has hit a new milestone, with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) having now issued more than 40,000 remote pilot licences (RePLs) — a figure that has more than doubled since the start of the decade.

In recent years, remote pilots have overtaken CASA-licensed fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter and other pilots to become Australia’s biggest pilot group. There were about 16,500 remote pilot licences in mid-2020, after a surge in growth from less than 3300 licences four years earlier. Growth in drone registrations has also been healthy, with an 18% year-on-year increase between 2023–24 and 2024–25.

Australia was among one of the first jurisdictions to introduce rules allowing commercial drone operations, with CASA CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence saying the authority remains committed to keeping Australia at the forefront of emerging technologies. She added that the growth in licensed remote pilots underscores the industry’s health as it uncovers new and innovative uses for drones — “from helping archaeologists unlock the secrets of the past, to enhancing safety in underground mines, detecting sharks, delivering medicine, and remotely inspecting crops for pests and soil degradation”.

“Drones are now a key part of the toolkit available to police and emergency services as they strive to keep us safe and respond to natural disasters, including Cyclone Alfred and other recent events,” Spence continued.

“As we approach the challenge of integrating these operations into Australia’s airspace and regulatory framework, our goal is to keep up with the sector’s growth without compromising safety.”

For information on CASA’s plan for regulating remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft over the next 10–15 years, see the authority’s RPAS and AAM Strategic Regulatory Roadmap.

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