A STAR-shaped zone stretching 5.5km around Ballarat Airfield is a no-go zone for drone pilots with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority launching a new app to show no-fly zones for drones.
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Drone flight in airspace around the hospital is also banned, and caution zones cover most of the Ballarat area warning operators about the likelihood of low flying aircraft.
As drone numbers are predicted to double this year and the number of near-miss reports between piloted aircraft and drones continues to rise, regulators have launched a campaign to educate drone pilots about their responsibilities.
CASA yesterday released the Can I Fly There? app to allow drone pilots to check if it’s safe to fly in their proposed locations. Users simply click to update their location on the app and airspace restrictions will automatically appear.
No-drone zones such as airports, airport flight paths, helicopter landing areas and other restricted areas appear as red on the app, which can be updated to include areas where emergency services such as firefighters are operating.
Orange areas indicate airspace where low flying aircraft are common and caution must be taken.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the regulator received about a dozen reports each week about near-misses between drones and aircraft, or of drones being flown irresponsibly.
“We are trying to make it as simple as possible … because many recreational drone users don’t understand anything about aviation,” said CASA spokesman Peter Gibson.
A report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released in March revealed there had been 180 reports of “proximity encounters” between drones and aircraft from 2012 to 2016 with most occurring last year.
“RPAS have the potential to damage a general aviation aircraft’s flight surfaces (wings and tail), which could result in a loss of control,” said ATSB chief comissioner Greg Hood.
Parks Victoria recently banned the flying of drones in all of their parks across the state.
Professional drone pilot Luke Parker said few people made the distinction between professional and recreational drone pilots and it was vital as an industry for everyone to follow the rules.