Q. TRAINING - Whats Required to be a Comm Ops UAV Pilot in Australian Skies? CASA?
Answer = in AU If the drone is under 2kg - and you comply with all STD conditions and advise CASA via their website of every flight in advance - you do not require an RPAS certificate, nor do you need a Company UAOC. SEE CASA SITE HERE please
In order to operate an RPA >2kg on Comm Ops (Remotely Piloted Aircraft RPA – the new terminology used by CASA for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAS ) for commercial gain (and this includes Uni's , Police Forces, Farmers or anybody who makes a buck directly or even indirectly from such activity (Changes for AU coming in Sep 2016 ; and in USA here) - basically anybody except a hobby flyer) in Australia atm you require a Controller Certificate (CC) now called RPL and the company that you will fly for (even if it is your own company) needs an Operator Certificate (UAOC) In order to apply for a Controller Certificate
For a CC Remote Pilot Licence you need to:
- Apply to Obtain an ARN (Aviation Reference Number) from CASA Form 1162 here
- Contact CASA at [email protected] for a letter of dispensation for the requirement to sit the BAK exam.
- Study for your 6 PPL subjects at home after work with Bob Taits self study package and sit the PPL exam and IREX exam; or go to Bob Taits school full time for 2 weeks to study/sit the PPL exam.
- Complete your manufacturer’s training - NOTE - if you self-assemble a SCARAB Quad and fly it yourself 5 hrs then you can apply to CASA as the "manufacturer" becuase you have yourself fully self-assembled a DIY SCARAB from basic parts and flew it yourself for 5 hrs airtime logged = exemtion possible from CASA for Scarabs - ;; . or If you want to go to an approved school - get help with a pre-assembled Phantom (no exemptions possible for Phantoms) - Complete items 1,2,3 above - go to a CASA approved school who can offer manufacturer’s type training.
- be Proficient in spoken english, and then study/Obtain your Aircraft Radio Operator Certificate of Proficiency (AROCP)
- Log 5 flying hours on your Scarab yourself and document all flights in a logbook
- Compete and submit your CC application form 1087 and supporting "certified true copy" docs to CASA as a pdf. Currently the fee is AUD160
You can study for the rPPL Theory exam at home or if you wish you can join a Full Time course.
The CASA PPL Exam is approx AUD150.
Once you have a CC in your hand you need to team up with a Certified Operator who has a Full OC - then work directly under his Company licence using his CASA approved Operations Manual and comply in full with his SMS and procedures, or you could apply for your own Operator Certificate. Hope this helps guys (& girls!) to become part of the drone world that's arrived and thriving.
Scarab Knife is the perfect UAS TRAINER - it's ridiculously Strong ; can be flown indoors at night or outdoors by day in 25Kts winds ; Knife has all the traits of MUCH larger aircraft including incredibly stable MANUAL control ; Auto leveling ; Auto Return To Home on GPS and requires all the Know-how that translates to 10kg full carbon craft later on
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PARIS Autopilot - Transmitter Calibration

MultiWii software requires an accurately calibrated radio Tx - To do this it offers a USB interface called a GUI which shows you the output errors of your RC radio and allows you to correct/calibrate them to be accurate ! DO NOT SKIP THIS first STEP - see right - every transmitter is slightly different - Create a new model memory on the Tx and Call it PARIS. Make sure your
PC/Mac has JAVA loaded enabled - The GUI runs on JAVA - do a cold restart after installing
Java - connect the Receiver (Rx) to the PARIS, connect the PARIS to your FTDI-USB - this supplies 5v power (
after installing the FTDI drivers - HERE - cold restart) and turn on your Transmitter (Tx) and set ACRO(airplane) & PPM(not PCM). If your not sure leave your Radio on factory settings. 99% of RC radios output PPM and work with PARIS out of the box.
Do NOT connect anything else yet (like ESC) to the PARIS ! - then Launch the matching 2.2->2.2
Config or 2.2->2.2 Application/program on your PC or Mac or
the latest code 2.2 and whilst looking at your PC screen - you will see that changes made on the Tx are sent to the PARIS via your Rx - and actual critical uSEC readings -
1095/1500mid/1905 can be set. If you cannot get it exact then use 1090/1500/1910. PARIS is a digital interface and the software running invisibly inside requires very specific digital PWM uSEC numbers to hover 100% auto-level, arm, disarm etc. So this may seem a bit weird but you will be using/pressing buttons on your Tx whilst your eyes are looking at your PC or Mac. So move all sticks to the centre - set all Tx trims to neutral - Now use
SUB TRIM MENU on your Tx to set all mid points to 1500 on these blue bars. Then move, one at a time,move each stick to the low position and
set 1095; then move each stick/switch to the high position and
set 1905. Then go back and check all your midpoints are still 1500 Do this for all sticks and switches.
Orientation - the light blue bars (above) MUST move in the same direction as the stick you are moving - If they do not then REVERSE that Ch in your Tx. So if you move the throttle stick up - then the blue Throttle bar should move up. If you move your rudder right then the YAW bar should move right.
For Multwii code 2.2 or later (New
Multiwii Code 2.2 use 1.0.5 Arduino HERE - make sure you use GUI 2.2 to match it - clear the eeprom and make sure you recalibrate the ACC and MAG after any version changes - Calibrating a MAG means press the button and then rotating the Quad XYZ 360° in 30 secs)
thanks ..... take care and Fly Safe - Quinton AlouetteIII
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Australian Customers - Please sign the PETITION for improved FPV legistlation in AU
the petition was submitted to the Parlimentary inquiry into drones 21st March 2014

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