✦ Plain-English Summary

Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Levy) 2020

What it does

The government introduced a new fee you have to pay when you register a drone (called a "remotely piloted aircraft" or RPA) or model aircraft with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. You also pay the fee if you want to operate a foreign-registered drone in Australia. This is a one-off payment at registration time, not an annual charge.

Why it matters

This gives the government a new funding source to cover the costs of managing and regulating the growing number of drones in Australian airspace. Without some financial contribution from drone owners, these safety and registration systems would be funded entirely by general taxpayers—many of whom don't own drones.

Key details

• The fee cap: The government can charge up to $300 per registration or operation approval, but can also set it lower or even charge nothing ($0) if it chooses—the actual amount isn't locked into the law.
• Who pays: Anyone registering a new drone in Australia, plus overseas drone operators seeking permission to fly here.
• When it started: The levy began once the bill received Royal Assent and certain related drone safety regulations came into force (it couldn't start before both happened).

Official Description

Introduced with the Civil Aviation Amendment (Unmanned Aircraft Levy Collection and Payment) Bill 2020, the bill imposes a levy for future cost recovery arrangements for regulatory services for remotely piloted aircraft operators.

Committee Referrals

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

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No votes were recorded for this bill.