CASA Drone Audit Preparation: Checklist for ReOC Holders

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What Triggers a CASA Audit

CASA doesn't audit every operator every year. They prioritize based on:

• Incident Reports (you had a near-miss or accident)
• Safety Complaints (someone reported unsafe flying)
• High-Risk Operations (BVLOS, night flying, operations over people)
• Regulatory Rotation (random sampling—they might just pick you for compliance verification)
• Insurance Claims (drone damaged property or caused injury)
• Industry Risk Profile (mining, construction, energy sectors get audited more often)

If CASA sends you a formal audit notice, they're typically looking for one core question: Are you operating safely and within your authorised limitations?

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Pre-Audit Preparation: The Master Checklist

When you receive your audit notice, you typically have 5-10 working days to prepare. Use this checklist to get everything in order.

1. ReOC & Pilot Certification Status

What CASA checks:

• Your ReOC is current and not suspended
• All listed pilots' remote pilot licenses are valid
• Certificate renewal dates haven't passed

Your action:

• [ ] Print or retrieve your current ReOC certificate
• [ ] Verify the issue date, expiry date, and any conditions listed
• [ ] Check each pilot's Remote Pilot License certificate—confirm no suspension notices
• [ ] Ensure all pilots listed on your ReOC have completed required training updates
• [ ] If any certificates are within 3 months of expiry, renew them before the audit

Pro tip: Create a spreadsheet with all certificate issue and expiry dates. This takes 10 minutes and saves you hours during an audit.

2. Flight Log Review (24-Month Window)

What CASA checks:

• Logs are complete (no blank fields)
• Entries are contemporaneous (recorded at or near time of flight)
• Times and dates are realistic and consistent
• Operations match your ReOC scope

Your action:

• [ ] Pull all flight logs for the past 24 months
• [ ] Check for any gaps or missing dates (especially around any incidents)
• [ ] Verify pilot names match your authorised pilot list
• [ ] Ensure aircraft registration marks match your authorised drones
• [ ] Cross-check operation dates against weather records (if you logged "calm weather" on a day with 40 km/h winds, CASA will notice)
• [ ] Verify all operations fall within your approved categories (VLOS, BVLOS, height restrictions, etc.)
• [ ] Look for any operations that might need incident reports but don't have them

What not to do: Do NOT edit, backdate, or add missing logs the day before the audit. CASA can tell when logs have been tampered with, and that's far worse than admitting you missed one or two entries.

3. Maintenance Records

What CASA checks:

• Regular maintenance is documented
• Repairs and component replacements are logged
• Any damage or defects are recorded and addressed
• Maintenance aligns with manufacturer recommendations

Your action:

• [ ] Gather all maintenance logs for each authorised aircraft
• [ ] Verify maintenance was performed on schedule (pre-flight checks, periodic servicing)
• [ ] Check that any repairs or damage are documented with:
• Date of discovery
• Description of the issue
• Repair action taken
• Date return-to-service
• Technician or engineer sign-off
• [ ] Ensure you have maintenance manuals or service bulletins to support your procedures
• [ ] If you use a third-party maintenance provider, get copies of their service records
• [ ] Verify that no aircraft was operated after being logged as needing repair

4. Operations Manual or Flight Operations Procedures

What CASA checks:

• You have documented procedures (even a simple written manual)
• Procedures cover pre-flight checks, emergency response, weather limits
• All pilots have read and signed off on the manual
• Procedures match your actual operations

Your action:

• [ ] Locate your Operations Manual (or create one if you don't have it yet)
• [ ] Ensure it covers:
• [ ] Pre-flight inspection procedures
• [ ] Pilot-in-command responsibilities
• [ ] Airspace and altitude limits for your operations
• [ ] Weather minimums (wind, visibility, precipitation)
• [ ] Emergency procedures (loss of signal, battery alarm, etc.)
• [ ] Safety protocols (operations over people, property)
• [ ] Incident reporting procedures
• [ ] Maintenance requirements
• [ ] Get sign-off from all authorised pilots showing they've read and understood it
• [ ] Date each version of the manual

CASA expectation: Your procedures don't have to be fancy. A 5-page document covering these basics is perfectly acceptable. The key is that it shows you've thought about safety and documented your approach.

5. Insurance Documentation

What CASA checks:

• You have appropriate liability insurance (required for many operations)
• Insurance was active during all logged operations
• Coverage includes your authorised aircraft and operations type

Your action:

• [ ] Retrieve your current certificate of currency from your insurance provider
• [ ] Verify the effective date and renewal date
• [ ] Check that coverage matches your operations:
• [ ] All registered aircraft are listed
• [ ] Coverage type matches your operation (e.g., if you do BVLOS, check that BVLOS is covered)
• [ ] Liability limit is adequate (A$20M is standard for professional operations)
• [ ] Pull copies of renewal notices for the past 24 months to show continuous coverage
• [ ] If you had a lapse in coverage, document when it was reinstated

6. Incident & Accident Reports

What CASA checks:

• Any incidents during your operations were reported correctly
• Incident reports were filed within required timeframes
• You've documented corrective actions taken

Your action:

• [ ] Review your flight logs and look for any entries marked "incident" or "anomaly"
• [ ] For each incident, locate:
• [ ] Your incident report (form, email to CASA, or other documentation)
• [ ] Date reported to CASA
• [ ] Description of what happened
• [ ] Corrective actions taken to prevent recurrence
• [ ] Any follow-up from CASA
• [ ] If you found incidents in logs but didn't report them, prepare an explanation for the auditor
• [ ] Be honest. CASA appreciates operators who report issues; they distrust operators who hide them.

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7. Airspace Approvals & NOTAM Records

What CASA checks:

• If you flew in controlled airspace, you had proper approval
• NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) were filed where required
• Any restrictions on your ReOC were observed

Your action:

• [ ] Review your flight logs to identify any flights in Class A, B, C, or D airspace
• [ ] For each such flight, retrieve:
• [ ] NOTAM filing confirmation
• [ ] Approval from air traffic control (if verbal, document the date and controller name)
• [ ] Any conditions or restrictions imposed
• [ ] Check your ReOC certificate for any airspace or geographical restrictions
• [ ] Verify no flights occurred in restricted areas without permission (e.g., near airports, military zones)

8. Training & Competency Records

What CASA checks:

• All pilots have completed required initial training
• Ongoing or recurrent training is documented (if required under your ReOC conditions)
• You keep evidence of training completion

Your action:

• [ ] Gather training certificates for all authorised pilots:
• [ ] Remote Pilot License course completion
• [ ] Type-specific training (if required for your aircraft)
• [ ] Any recurrent training or endorsement courses
• [ ] If your ReOC has a condition requiring annual refresher training, show evidence of completion
• [ ] Document any in-house safety briefings or operational training you've conducted

9. Safety Culture Evidence

What CASA checks:

• You demonstrate a safety-first mindset
• You have procedures for continuous improvement
• You're proactive about compliance, not reactive

Your action:

• [ ] Gather evidence of safety culture:
• [ ] Safety meeting notes (even informal)
• [ ] Risk assessments for new operations
• [ ] Any process improvements you've implemented
• [ ] Communication to staff/team about compliance
• [ ] Prepare a brief summary of how you approach safety (written or verbal)

10. Financial & Registration Records

What CASA checks:

• Your company (if applicable) is current with ASIC or relevant registrations
• You're operating as a legitimate business (if commercial)

Your action:

• [ ] Retrieve your current ASIC registration (if you're a company or sole trader)
• [ ] Verify your ABN/ACN and confirm no outstanding compliance issues
• [ ] Check that your business registration matches how you're operating your ReOC

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The Week Before Your Audit

• 3 days before: Organize all documents into a single folder (digital or physical) with clear labels
• 2 days before: Do a final review of flight logs for any obvious errors or gaps
• 1 day before: Prepare a quiet space where the auditor can work (if they visit on-site)
• Morning of audit: Have coffee ready, be courteous, and let your professionalism do the talking

What Happens During the Audit

Typical timeline: 2-4 hours on-site (or 1-2 hours if everything is remote) The auditor will:

1. Review your ReOC and pilot certificates
2. Spot-check flight logs (they won't read all 24 months, but they'll review a sample)
3. Ask questions about any unusual entries
4. Review your operations manual and procedures
5. Check insurance and incident reports
6. Thank you and leave (or provide verbal feedback on the spot)

What you should do:

• Be honest and direct
• Don't oversell or over-explain
• If you don't know something, say so (better than guessing)
• Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question

Post-Audit: What Happens Next

Within 2-4 weeks, CASA will send you one of three outcomes:

1. Compliant – No findings. You're in good shape.
2. Minor Non-Compliance – Small gaps (e.g., one missing log entry). You'll be asked to correct them within 30 days.
3. Significant Non-Compliance – Serious issues (e.g., operating outside your scope, not maintaining records). You'll need a detailed corrective action plan and likely a follow-up audit.

Anything less than "Significant" is actually good news. Audits are designed to improve operators, not punish them.

FAQ

Q: Do I need a lawyer present during the audit?

A: No. CASA is not conducting a prosecution. A lawyer might make things more formal and adversarial. Just be honest and professional.

Q: Can CASA suspend my ReOC based on an audit?

A: Yes, if they find serious safety violations or systematic non-compliance. But this typically doesn't happen on the spot. You'd get notice and opportunity to respond first.

Q: What if I find a gap in my logs while preparing?

A: Document it honestly. Write a brief note: "Flight on [date] not logged at time. Reviewing records, this operation occurred and was conducted safely per procedures. Log entry added [date]." This is better than pretending it never happened.

Q: How often will CASA audit me after this?

A: If you pass with no findings, audit cycles are typically 3-5 years. If you have minor findings, expect a follow-up in 12-18 months.

Q: What if the auditor asks about something I genuinely don't remember?

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