Danger areas

Danger areas are places with higher levels of aviation activity or special risks to aviation operations. Examples of activities associated with danger areas include flying training, blasting, parachuting, rifle ranges, and VFR transit lanes.

RPA operations are allowed within Danger areas without specific approval.

The identifier for a Danger area is prefixed with the letter “D” e.g. D123.

RPs must consider the associated risks when planning a task within a Danger area. The CRP must conduct a risk assessment before approving any operation within a Danger area.

Military Operating areas

East Sale MOA and RA

Military Operating Areas (MOA) are a subset of Danger areas used for military operations. They typically host military training and exercises, and the risk levels are more commonly associated with restricted areas.

The administrating authority of a MOA may impose limitations or conditions of entry on RPA operations.

The identifier for a Military Operating area is prefixed with the letter “M” e.g. M201.

Approval must be obtained before operating RPA within an MOA. The SUA section of ERSA provides contact details for the administrating authority. All approval conditions must be complied with.

When planning a task, RPs must consider the risks involved in operating in the area. The CRP must conduct a risk assessment prior to any operation within a Military Operating area. Operations that have not received the approval of the administrating authority must not be authorised by the CRP.

Restricted areas

Restricted airspace is an area typically used by the military in which the local controlling authorities have determined that air traffic must be restricted or prohibited for safety or security concerns.

Restricted areas are assigned an ‘RA conditional status’, RA1, RA2 or RA3. The status of restricted airspace is shown in ERSA.

In RA1 areas, RP can plan to operate and will, under normal circumstances, be able to get approval to operate.

Access to RA2 areas is more difficult to achieve and is often confined to limited areas within the designated restricted airspace.

RA3 areas should be considered as out-of-bounds as clearance to operate in the area is generally not available.

The identifier for a Restricted area is prefixed with the letter “R” e.g. R405A.

RPAs must not be operated in Restricted areas unless approval has been obtained from the controlling authority. All conditions of the approval must be complied with.

The CRP must not approve operations in Restricted areas without the approval of the controlling authority. Details and conditions of the operating approval must be recorded on the JSA for the task.

Contact details for the administrating authority can be found in the SUA section of ERSA.

Hours of Operation

Areas of Special Use Airspace may not be in force full-time. Some areas are operated during regular hours, others are operated casually, with the operating times notified by NOTAM. The SUA section of ERSA contains the operating hours for each area of Special Use Airspace.

If hours of operation are specified, they are UTC times. The codes in the table below are also used.

Code

Meaning

HDS

Hours of daylight saving

HJ

Sunrise to sunset (day)

HN

Sunset to sunrise (night)

H24

Continuous day and night

JO

Monday to Friday

JF

Saturday, Sunday and public holidays

NOTAM

Hours of operation are specified in NOTAM

CASA published a media release to announce the introduction of special use airspace in October 2023.

Download a pdf of this Special Use Airspace information.