A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) is a formal notice issued to alert airspace users to:
NOTAMs form part of the pre-flight information available to pilots and operators and are critical to safe and compliant operations.
For RPAS operators, NOTAMs provide:
Situational awareness of the airspace environment you are operating in
Remote Pilots should obtain an appropriate NOTAM briefing before each operation.
This is particularly important when operating:
NOTAMs may contain information that directly affects:
In certain operations — typically when operating outside the standard operating conditions under an approval issued to the operator — CASA may require the operator to have a NOTAM published.
This is used to:
Alert other airspace users to your intended RPAS activity
Examples include:
How to Obtain a NOTAM Briefing (NAIPS)
NOTAM briefings are obtained through the NAIPS (National Aeronautical Information Processing System) internet service provided by Airservices Australia.
Important Warning — Special Use Airspace
If you are operating in or near Special Use Airspace, a NOTAM briefing is essential.
This includes:
Failure to identify active restrictions may result in:
Always confirm the status of Special Use Airspace before operating
When obtaining a NOTAM briefing through NAIPS, it is important to select the correct briefing type.
The three most common briefing types are:
Each serves a different purpose. Selecting the wrong type can result in missing critical NOTAM information.
A Location Briefing provides NOTAMs relevant to a specific aerodrome.
This includes:
A Location Briefing only captures NOTAMs within approximately 5 NM of the aerodrome
Critical Consideration for RPAS Operators
If your operation is taking place:
Then a Location Briefing alone is not sufficient.
You may miss NOTAMs that are:
An Area Briefing provides NOTAMs for a defined geographic area.
This is the preferred option when:
Relevant NOTAMs will typically appear in:
For most RPAS operations conducted away from an aerodrome, an Area Briefing should be obtained
A Route Briefing is designed for operations that follow a defined path between two points.
This is typically used in:
For most RPAS operations, this briefing type is:
Less commonly used, unless conducting extended linear operations
A simple way to approach NOTAM briefings:
A frequent issue is:
Using a Location Briefing for an operation that is outside the 5 NM aerodrome area
This can result in:
If your operation is not centred on an aerodrome, default to an Area Briefing
This ensures you capture NOTAMs that are relevant to the broader airspace environment, not just the immediate vicinity of an aerodrome.
For most operators, requesting a NOTAM involves:
Operators who regularly require NOTAMs may be approved as NOTAM Originators by Airservices Australia.
This allows them to:
This is typically suited to:
NOTAMs must be written using strict formatting rules.
These are detailed in:
Available from the Airservices Australia NOTAM Originator page:
Airservices Australia NOTAM Originator Page
This document is updated regularly.
Always use the latest version when preparing a NOTAM request
Worked Example — Decoding a NOTAM
R634A CANUNGRA (R634A) C11/26
R634A ACT DUE MIL NON-FLYING
SFC TO 3800FT AMSL
FROM 03 262200 TO 03 290730
2603262200 TO 2603270730
2603272200 TO 2603280730
2603282200 TO 2603290730
Worked Example — RPAS Operational NOTAM
BRISBANE FIR (YBBB) C662/26
UA OPS (MULTIROTOR 25KG) WILL TAKE PLACE
OPR WI 3NM RADIUS OF PSN 231828S 1485302E
APRX BRG 058 MAG 42NM FM EMERALD AD (YEML)
OPR WILL MNT AREA FREQ 122.3
OPR CTC TEL: 0407 097 054
SFC TO 1000FT AGL
FROM 03 260201 TO 06 230700 EST
HJ
We frequently see operators:
NOTAMs are not just administrative.
They are a critical part of:
A professional operator treats NOTAMs as:
A standard part of every operation
We support operators to:
We help you:
Operate with full awareness of your airspace environment
Yes — an appropriate NOTAM briefing should be obtained before each operation.
Typically when operating under an approval outside standard conditions.
Only if approved as a NOTAM Originator.
Through the NAIPS service provided by Airservices Australia.
NOTAMs are a fundamental part of professional RPAS operations.
Understand them. Check them. Use them.
