Maintenance Controller Requirement for Certified Operators

In plain language

Certified drone operators must have a designated, competent maintenance controller (either an internal employee or an external contractor) to manage aircraft maintenance.

Requirement as structured

Certified RPA operators must either maintain a maintenance controller position filled by a competent person or have an arrangement with a qualified and competent external person to perform those duties.

Original regulatory text

(1) It is a condition of the certification of a person as an RPA operator that the person: (a) maintains within its organisation a position of chief remote pilot having at least the functions and duties set out in regulation 101.342; and (b) employs as its chief remote pilot a person who holds a remote pilot licence under Division 101.F.3 and who is competent to carry out those duties and perform those functions; and (c) either: (i) maintains a position within its organisation of maintenance controller, with the functions and duties set out in an advisory circular issued by CASA from time to time; or (ii) has an arrangement with another qualified and competent person to carry out those functions and duties; and (d) if it maintains within its organisation a position of maintenance controller—employs as its maintenance controller a person who is competent to carry out the duties and perform the functions of a maintenance controller; and (e) complies with the operator’s documented practices and procedures. (4) Without limiting regulations 11.056 and 11.067, a condition may: (a) allow the person to operate RPA of only specified kinds; or (b) allow the person to operate RPA only for specified purposes; or (c) limit the areas where the person may operate RPA; or (d) allow the person to operate RPA only in VMC; or (e) limit the number of RPA that an RPA operator may operate.