Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Approval

BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) refers to drone operations where the aircraft is flown beyond the Remote Pilot’s direct visual range. BVLOS relies on:

A BVLOS approval allows a REOC holder to operate Remotely Piloted Aircraft Beyond the Visual Line of Sight of the Remote Pilot without the specific use of observers.

The Remote Pilot (or supervisor) operating BVLOS needs to hold a pass in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s BVLOS OCTA exam or the Instrument Rating Exam (IREX)

Need a quote? Complete the below form and one of our team members will email you a quote within 1-2 business days

To obtain a BVLOS approval, your organisation will need the following

• Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC)
• A BVLOS Safety Case (SORA response)
• BVLOS procedures
• Completed Form 101-09
• A Remote Pilot (or supervisor) who holds a pass in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority BVLOS OCTA exam or Instrument Rating Exam

Step 1 Develop a BVLOS Safety Case

To develop the BVLOS Safety Case, the proposed area is assessed using SORA. The SORA process will describe the air and ground risks in the area and elaborate on any mitigation strategies that may be used. Towards the end of the SORA process, a list of Operational Safety Objectives is generated, highlighting some additional procedures that are required for the BVLOS approval.

Step 2 Develop BVLOS procedures

There are two components of BVLOS procedures. One is the generic BVLOS procedures that are used every time a BVLOS operation occurs. The second is location-specific procedures that would only apply for an individual BVLOS approval. The BVLOS safety case will heavily guide the location-specific procedures

Step 3 Implement BVLOS procedures into the Operations Manual

Once the BVLOS procedures have been developed, the procedures need to be incorporated into the operations manual. There are two general templates that ReOC Operations Manuals have been designed from, the two manual templates (2016) and the single manual template (2020). For the 2016 template, input the procedures into the operational library under specialised procedures for the single manual template under Appendix G – Specialised procedures.

Step 4 Apply for BVLOS approval

Complete the BVLOS approval form and submit it with the updated Operations Manual and the BVLOS Safety Case. An estimate will be raised (usually $2880 for basic BVLOS), once paid the BVLOS approval will be passed to a CASA inspector and the process begins.

Step 5 Complete a BVLOS Flight Test

If the organisation has not conducted operations Beyond Visual Line of Sight before, you will be asked to demonstrate your BVLOS operations in front of CASA. The flight test focuses on the BVLOS procedures and BVLOS location-specific procedures.The BVLOS approval is location-specific and needs to be assessed using the JARUS Specific Operational Risk Assessment (SORA) as part of the BVLOS approval process.

Aviassist can be involved in the BVLOS approval process as much or as little as required. Our RPAS specialists have years of experience developing procedures for BVLOS, obtaining CASA BVLOS approval and operating BVLOS.

I need BVLOS procedures – Aviassist has developed a BVLOS procedure pack that can be downloaded instantly from our website. Download the procedures and incorporate them into the operational documentation. Each BVLOS approval is unique to the location, so a template has been generated for the BVLOS location-specific procedures.

I need our operations manual updated to include BVLOS – Aviassist has a document update service. Our team can update your operations manual to the latest best practices and include the CASA-approved BVLOS procedures. As each BVLOS approval is unique, the location-specific procedures are templated.

I need a managed BVLOS application – Aviassist provides a managed approval process which includes the BVLOS Safety case with SORA assessment, all BVLOS procedures and support until the instrument of approval is obtained. We need a kml file of the proposed BVLOS approval area for an initial evaluation. Our team will complete everything required to gain BVLOS approval.

I need training on how to make a BVLOS approval – Aviassist conducts regular SORA training outlining the process to apply for a BVLOS approval in detail. Attendees are encouraged to bring a real-world scenario to run through during the SORA training.

I need BVLOS training – Aviassist conducts BVLOS training on demand. Please get in touch with our team to learn more.

Where can BVLOS operations take place?

Each location that is flown BVLOS currently requires specific approval. An area the size of Australia could be selected though the limiting factor would be Sydney CBD; by excluding Sydney CBD, the BVLOS requirements would reduce. Areas can continue t be excluded until the requirements suit your operation.

In effect, anywhere can be flown BVLOS if it can be safely mitigated. The more complex the operational area, the more complex the requirements become and, as a result, the investment required. Things such as populated areas, controlled airspace and busy airports will increase the complexity of the approval.

An easy BVLOS approval is over a sparsely populated or unpopulated ground area in an area of low air traffic; fortunately for Australia, there are many areas like this.

How long does a BVLOS approval take to process?

Typically a BVLOS approval can take three months if it is easy; more complex BVLOS approvals can take quite some time.

How far can you fly under BVLOS?

There are a few considerations when it comes to the distance you can fly BVLOS:

• 80% of the published link range of the RPA
• Within the range of tactical mitigations such as VHF radio
• Within the range of a suitable landing site plus a reserve

How long does the BVOS approval last?

At a minimum, the date range that has been requested is out to the expiry of the ReOC.

How much does a BVLOS approval cost?

The CASA estimate for a simple BVLOS approval is $2880.