Applying for the Aerial Applicators Licenses

To operate drones for pesticide application, you need both a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) business license and an RPA pilot license issued by the EPA.

These licenses are necessary for using drones to spray pesticides from the air.

To acquire an RPA business license you need:

• An appropriate RPA operator certification (ReOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

To obtain an RPA pilot license:

• Apply for an RPA business license or work for an entity with such a license, unless you're only spraying pesticides on land you own or occupy and using an excluded RPA (defined in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998).
• Acquire the suitable remote pilot license certification (RePL) or RPA operator accreditation from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
• Complete chemical accreditation training, which involves the units AHCCHM303/307 for preparing and applying chemicals to manage pests, weeds, and diseases, as well as unit AHCCHM304 for chemical transportation and storage.