Visual Line of Sight Definition and Visual Aids

In plain language

You must be able to see and control your drone with your own eyes. You can wear prescription glasses or contacts, but you cannot use binoculars or telescopes to meet the line-of-sight requirement.

Requirement as structured

To operate within visual line of sight, the operator must be able to continually see, orient, and navigate the aircraft without using binoculars, telescopes, or similar devices, though corrective lenses are permitted.

Original regulatory text

Unmanned aircraft must be operated within visual line of sight (1) A person commits an offence of strict liability if: (a) the person operates an unmanned aircraft; and (b) the aircraft is not operated within the person’s visual line of sight. Penalty: 50 penalty units. Exception—CASA approval (2) Subregulation (1) does not apply if: (a) the person holds an approval under regulation 101.029 to operate the unmanned aircraft beyond the person’s visual line of sight; and (b) the conditions (if any) imposed on the approval are complied with. Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subregulation (2): see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code. Meaning of operated within visual line of sight (3) An unmanned aircraft is being operated within the visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft if the person can continually see, orient and navigate the aircraft to meet the person’s separation and collision avoidance responsibilities, with or without corrective lenses, but without the use of binoculars, a telescope or other similar device.

Applies when

operation

VLOS