(1) This Procedure aims to ensure Southern Cross University (SCU) management, employees, students, and others know the risks associated with aviation and drone operation in the workplace and relevant management strategies for the risk mitigation process. (2) All employees, students, and others must follow this Procedure. (3) This Procedure applies to all SCU Work Units and sites. (4) Eastern Air Services is the registered operator of the SCU aircraft VH-AEV. SCU minimises the risks arising from SCU-owned aircraft flown commercially or privately by: (5) SCU minimises the risks arising from Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) through the latest version of the RPA Operations Manual and RPAS Operational Library. (6) Effective communication and coordination between the university, maintenance providers, and pilots are essential to ensure a cohesive approach to aviation safety. (7) SCU ensures consultation and communication with employees, managers, contractors and others who participate in aircraft operation, maintenance, service and supervision activities, including all contractors, such as Eastern Air Services. Documentation such as the SCU Science flight briefing and authorisation form supports this coordination. (8) Southern Cross University (SCU) owns aircraft, contracts out aircraft operations and maintenance management and hires commercial pilots for operations through Eastern Air Services. The following rules and guidelines apply to ensure the highest standards of aviation safety are maintained: (9) Licensing (10) Medical Certification (11) Training and Competency (12) Aircraft Maintenance and Airworthiness (13) Record Keeping (14) Airworthiness Standards (15) Operator and Commercial Operations (16) Operational Oversight (17) Private vs. Commercial Operations (18) Reporting and Compliance (19) SCU employees must have a flight plan approved by the SCU Aircraft Safety Officer. Eastern Air Services submits its flight plan to the Eastern Air Services Chief Pilot for sign-off. (20) All incidents, near misses and hazards related to the operation of SCU aircraft must be reported in Riskware. (21) All incidents and accidents related to SCU aircraft operations must also be reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) by Eastern Air Services. (22) The Regulations define occurrences that must be reported to the ATSB as “immediately reportable”, which must be reported by telephone as soon as reasonably practical, and “routine reportable” matters, which can be notified to the ATSB by a written report within 72 hours. (23) All notifiable incidents must also be notified to the WHS regulator immediately after becoming aware that a notifiable incident arising out of the conduct of the operations of SCU aircraft has occurred by Eastern Air Services. (24) The SCU Vice-Chancellor has the following responsibilities relating to SCU’s Aviation and RPA Operations: (25) Vice Presidents/Pro/Deputy Vice-Chancellors have the following responsibilities relating to SCU’s aviation and RPA operations: (26) Heads of Work Units have the following responsibilities relating to SCU aviation and RPA operations: (27) The CRP is responsible for safely managing the RPA operations of {SCU RPA}. Without limiting the duties and accountabilities of the CRP, the CRP must: (28) Employees: (29) Records fall into four categories: (30) The CRP manages employees, flight-related and administrative records. The MC is responsible for managing RPA-related records. (31) This Procedure will be reviewed as per nominated review dates or because of other events, such as: HRP16: Aviation and Drone Operations
Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
Section 2 - Definitions
Top of Page
Section 3 - General Principles
SCU Aircraft
Remotely Piloted Aircraft (Drones)
Consultation
Information, Instruction and Training
Pilot Licensing and Responsibilities.
Equipment use and planning
Top of Page
Section 4 - Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Remote Pilot (CRP)
Top of PageSection 5 - Record Management
Top of Page
Type of record
Minimum retention period.
Section 6 - Revision and Approval History
Top of PageSection 7 - References
Top of Page
Section 8 - Related Documents
View Current
This is the current version of this document. You can provide feedback on this policy to the document author - refer to the Status and Details on the document's navigation bar.
Remotely Piloted Air Operator’s Certificate (ReOC)
Commercial drone operators must hold a Remotely Piloted Air Operator’s Certificate issued by CASA.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
A government body that regulates Australian aviation safety, licensing of pilots and registration of aircraft.
Chief Remote Pilot
The person is responsible for operational management, regulatory compliance, risk assessment, and training for drone operations.
Competent Person
Organisations and service providers assessed by the SCU maintenance controller (MC) as competent to provide Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) maintenance services.
Defect
Any confirmed abnormal condition of an item, irrespective of whether the condition could eventually fail. In addition to imperfections that may impair the structure, composition or function of the RPAS, the scope of this definition encompasses any intermittent failure, spurious warning or fault in the operation of an RPAS that may cause it to deviate from the manufacturer’s specifications.
Hazard
A situation or thing that has the potential to harm a person. Hazards at work may include noisy machinery, a moving forklift, chemicals, electricity, working at heights, a repetitive job, bullying and violence at the workplace.
MC
Maintenance Controller.
Official authorisation
An authorisation, termed from CASA, Air Services Australia, or any other authority responsible for providing an aviation authorisation, including the controlling authority of a prohibited or restricted area.
RP
Remote Pilot.
RPA
A remotely piloted aircraft, previously referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is also known as a drone.
RPAS
Remotely Piloted Aircraft System.
RiskWare
Electronic database for reporting incidents, near misses, and hazards. RiskWare includes the investigation of incidents against systemic causes, the assignment of corrective actions, and regulatory and performance reporting.
Significant change
Please refer to CASA for definition, depending on the relevant legislation.
Visual meteorological conditions
For SCU RPA operations, this refers to horizontal visibility greater than 5000 metres and clear of cloud. For manned aircraft, see CASA definitions, depending on airspace, altitude, and height above ground level.
Occurrence
ATSB Reporting requirement.
Death or serious injury to a person
Report as soon as is reasonably practicable by phoning the ATSB on 1800 011 034.
Follow up with a written report to ATSB within 72 hours.
Report to State Regulator on:
NSW - 13 10 50
QLD – 1300 362 128
immediately, you become aware of this and follow up with written notice within 48 hours.
RPA missing
RPA suffering severe damage (or reasonable grounds to believe it may be seriously damaged)
RPA inaccessible with reasonable grounds to believe it may be seriously damaged
Serious property damage
Loss of separation
(17) Submit a written report within 72 hours to Occurrence Notification - Aviation | ATSB.
Training event
7 years after the date on which the record was made.
Checking event
7 years after the date on which the record was made.
Attainment of RP qualification (including relevant qualifications held before commencement of employment)
7 years after the date of the RP’s last operation of an RPA for SCU RPA.
Attainment of qualification of competency in relation to the safety of RPA operations (other than RP duties)
7 years after the date on which the person ceases to be employed by SCU RPA.
RP logbook
7 years after the date of the RP’s last operation of an RPA for SCU RPA .
Flight Record
7 years after the date on which the record was made.
Written consent to operate at a distance of less than 30 metres from a person
7 years after the date on which the consent was provided.
RPAS Technical Log
7 years after the last time the RPA is operated by the operator.
Register of RPA operated by SCU RPA, including manufacturer, model, maximum gross weight and serial number
7 years after the date on which the record was made.
Acknowledgement of access to and understanding of SCU RPA operations manual version
7 years after the acknowledgement is made.
Register of persons (other than the CRP) permitted to conduct training and checking (if applicable)
7 years after the last time training or checking is provided by the trainer.
Compliance audit record
7 years from the date of the audit.
Risk register
For each version of the register, 12 months after a new version is issued.
Safety occurrence register
For each safety occurrence entry in the register, 7 years from the date of occurrence.
Airspace Act 2007
Airspace Regulations 2007
Work Health and Safety Act (in the applicable jurisdiction that SCU operates)
Work Health and Safety Regulation (in the applicable jurisdiction that SCU operates)
SCU Science flight briefing and authorisation form
SCU scientific flight preparation checklist
SCU Aircraft Instrument Operator / Flight Scientist Induction
SCU Aircraft Safe Operating Procedure (VQ-840-G LiDAR Flight)