Not all airspace is equal.
Within the standard airspace structure, certain areas are designated as Special Use Airspace (SUA).
These areas exist because:
For RPAS operators, Special Use Airspace requires deliberate planning, correct interpretation, and often approval before operating.
The four types of Special Use Airspace relevant to RPAS operations are:
Each has a different purpose and different requirements. Getting the category right is what determines whether – and how – you can operate.
Operating in or near Special Use Airspace affects:
Misinterpreting Special Use Airspace is a common cause of unsafe or non-compliant operations.
A Danger Area is airspace within which activities dangerous to the flight of aircraft may exist at specified times.
Examples include:
Yes – in most cases, RPAS operations are permitted, and outside controlled airspace no clearance is required to enter.
However:
No separation service is provided, and hazards may be present.
Before operating in a Danger Area:
This may include:
Entry may be allowed – but it must be a conscious decision.
A Restricted Area is airspace within which the flight of aircraft is restricted in accordance with specified conditions.
These are commonly used for:
Every Restricted Area carries a conditional status code indicating its accessibility. In the first instance, these codes describe how crewed aircraft may flight-plan through the area and whether ATC clearance can be expected:
For RPAS operations, treat the RAx code as a guide to how accessible an area is likely to be – not as the approval mechanism itself. Approval to operate in a Restricted Area comes from the controlling authority regardless of the code.
No – not without approval from the controlling authority.
Contact details for the controlling authority of a Restricted Area can be found in the SUA section of ERSA.
Before operating in a Restricted Area:
Restricted Areas should be treated as controlled environments.
A Military Operating Area is a type of Special Use Airspace intended for military training and exercises conducted at specified times. It is its own category of SUA – not a type of Danger Area.
MOAs were introduced to replace military Restricted Areas, with the transition completed on 28 November 2024. In practical terms, a MOA behaves like a Restricted Area: it requires approval to enter.
Military activity in a MOA may involve:
Generally:
Approval is required before operating in a MOA – request it from the administering authority listed in the AIP.
Before operating in a MOA:
Contact and administering-authority details are typically found in:
Do not assume a MOA is inactive – confirm before operating.
A Prohibited Area is airspace within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited.
These are established over locations where flight cannot be permitted for security or safety reasons. At the time of writing this page, there were no Prohibited Areas in Australia, but that could change at any time.
No. Unlike a Restricted Area or a MOA, a Prohibited Area has no approval pathway – flight is not permitted.
Prohibited Areas are a hard boundary.
Knowing the airspace type is not enough – you must know whether it is active.
Special Use Airspace is not always active. It may be:
Common activation indicators include:
Many SUA areas are activated or modified by NOTAM. This means a normally inactive area may become active, operating hours may change, or additional restrictions may apply. A NOTAM check is essential before every operation.
Confirming activation requires:
Information on Special Use Airspace is available from:
A professional operator uses all of these together.
When Special Use Airspace is present, the CRP must decide:
If there is uncertainty:
Do not proceed until it is resolved.
We frequently see operators:
CRP candidates should be able to:
This is commonly tested through scenario-based questions.
A simple process:
We support operators to:
We help operators move from basic awareness to confident operational decision-making.
Yes — but only after assessing risk and confirming activity.
Yes — approval is typically required from the administering authority listed in the AIP.
Check NOTAMs, ERSA and the AIP.
Only with approval from the controlling authority.
No — flight is prohibited and there is no approval pathway.
Check NOTAMs, ERSA and the AIP.
Treat Special Use Airspace With Respect
Special Use Airspace exists because there is:
A professional operator does not guess. They verify, assess, and decide.