Guide for Perth agents
Drone Rules for Real Estate in WA
What CASA actually requires when a drone is used to market a property, where you can’t fly in Perth, and what to check before you book an operator.
In Western Australia, drone flying is regulated federally by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Flying a drone to photograph a property for sale or lease is commercial use, even for a small drone. The pilot needs at least a CASA operator accreditation, the drone must be registered, and every flight must follow the standard operating conditions: daylight only, within visual line of sight, below 120 metres, at least 30 metres from people, and at least 5.5 km from controlled airports such as Perth Airport and Jandakot. Anything outside those limits needs a remote pilot licence, an operator certificate and approvals.
General information only, current as at 19 October 2026 — not legal advice. CASA’s own pages are the authority; check them before you fly.
Real estate photos are commercial flying
CASA splits drone flying into recreational (sport and fun) and everything else. Taking photos or video to sell, lease or market a property is not recreation, so it sits on the commercial side — whether the person holding the controller is a professional photographer, the listing agent or the vendor’s nephew with a new drone.
For a small drone (under 2 kg) flown commercially within the standard operating conditions, CASA’s minimum is:
- Operator accreditation — a free online course and quiz through myCASA, valid for three years.
- Drone registration — every drone used commercially must be registered with CASA, regardless of weight, including sub-250 g models.
- Records — some operations require flight records that CASA can ask to see.
- The standard operating conditions — no exceptions.
The “own land” concessions that let farmers and landowners fly heavier drones without a licence do not help here: a client’s property is not your land.
The standard operating conditions
These apply to every flight that isn’t covered by a licence and specific approval.
- Daylight only
- Keep the drone in visual line of sight — your own eyes, not just the screen
- Maximum 120 metres above ground level
- At least 30 metres from people not involved in the flight
- Never over people, roads with traffic or crowds
- One drone at a time per pilot
- Over 250 g: at least 5.5 km from a controlled aerodrome
- Clear of emergency operations — fires, crashes, police activity
- No flying in cloud, smoke or fog
Where you can’t just fly in Perth
Perth has two controlled aerodromes inside the metro area — Perth Airport and Jandakot — plus RAAF Base Pearce at Bullsbrook. A 5.5 km radius around each takes in a long list of suburbs where listings are shot every week. Inside those zones, a drone over 250 g cannot fly under the standard rules at all, and lighter drones are capped at 45 metres and must stay out of approach and departure paths.
Flying a listing inside one of those zones legally means a licensed pilot (RePL), an operator certificate (ReOC) and an airspace approval in advance. That is the main reason some aerial bookings need extra lead time.
Before booking or flying, put the exact address into a CASA-verified drone safety app. It shows the controlled-airspace boundaries, helicopter landing sites and temporary restrictions for that spot on that day.
People, neighbours and privacy
The 30-metre rule is what catches most residential shoots. Neighbours in their backyards, tradies on the site next door, a busy footpath out front — all of them count. A good operator plans the flight path and timing around them rather than hoping no one notices.
Privacy is separate from the aviation rules. Keep the camera on the listing, don’t linger over neighbouring yards or windows, and don’t publish images that identify people who didn’t agree to be filmed.
What to ask before you book a drone operator
If something goes wrong on a listing, the agency’s name is attached to it. Five questions sort out most operators:
- Do you fly under a remote pilot licence and operator certificate, or under accreditation in the excluded category?
- Is the drone registered with CASA?
- Do you carry public liability insurance that explicitly covers drone work?
- What happens if the property is near Perth Airport or Jandakot?
- What happens if it’s too windy on the day?
Baker Production plans every aerial job against the rules above before the shooter arrives, and reschedules the drone component at no extra cost when the weather or airspace says no. See drone photography in Perth for what’s included, or pair it with a floor plan and site plan for the full block picture.
Drone rules in WA — common questions
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