ReOC "nominated personnel"

RPA Operators Certificate (ReOC)

When applying for an ReOC an organization should consider who will be their nominated personnel. 

This factor is often overlooked when organizations start to develop drone capabilities and cause pain later down the track. 

For example, an employee that is not a manager being assigned the role of Chief remote Pilot can have catastrophic consequences if their role is not elevated to at least a middle management level as it is a largely compliance-based position.

The key roles outlined in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Operations Manual template are:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

• Chief Remote Pilot (CRP)

• Maintenance Controller (MC)

  
  

Additionally, Senior remote pilots can be added to nominated personnel to support both the CRP and the Maintenance controller.

The nominated personnel are responsible for ensuring the safety and compliance of the organization's drone operations. An individual may hold more than one of these roles, provided they can effectively manage multiple responsibilities.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) bears ultimate responsibility for safety within the organization. The CEO's duties include:

• Ensuring the organizational design supports safe and compliant drone operations.

• Confirming that nominated personnel are qualified, experienced, and competent.

• Providing adequate funding and resources for drone operations.

The CEO must also inform the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of changes to:

• Contact details

• Nominated personnel

• Financial status

The Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) oversees the management of the organization's drone operations. The CRP's responsibilities include:

• Ensuring compliance with Civil Aviation Safety Regulations.

• Conducting checks and training for Remote Pilots under the Remote Operator Certificate.

• Maintaining operational standards.

• Company record keeping.

• Internal auditing.

This role will also be subject to a CRP interview as part of the ReOC application process so this individual will need to be comfortable making planning decisions then justifying them to the regulator (or their delegate).

The Maintenance Controller ensures the continued airworthiness of the organization's drone fleet. Their duties include:

• Managing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance.

• Keeping records of defects and unserviceability.

• Investigating defects.

• Developing and monitoring maintenance standards.

Selecting appropriate individuals for these roles is essential for the organization's long-term success. If you are looking to assign personnel within your organization to nominated roles it is well worth having the job descriptions written and interviewing for the respective roles to ensure the proposed staff have the necessary skills.

Time spent at this step will allow for safer growth and a smoother implementation process.