RePL study guide
RePL · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) is the Australian qualification a person holds to fly remotely piloted aircraft - drones - for work rather than purely for recreation. Before a licence can be issued, candidates must pass an aeronautical knowledge examination, and that examination is what this page supports. The RePL study guide has 8 sections and about 2,362 words.
01Air law, regulations and licensing requirements
RPA regulation in Australia lives mainly in CASR Part 101 and its Manual of Standards, supported by advisory material and the AIP/ERSA for airspace matters. The RePL is a competency qualification held by an individual and carries endorsements for the type of RPA (e.g.
293 words, about 1 min02Drone safety rules and operating limitations
These are the numbers examiners love. Fly within visual line of sight using your own eyes (corrective lenses are fine, binoculars are not).
330 words, about 2 min03Aerodynamics and remotely piloted aircraft performance
A multirotor generates lift through rotor thrust; lift depends on air density, rotor speed and disc area , so anything that thins the air - heat, altitude, humidity - reduces performance. Induced drag is greatest at low speed and in the hover; translational lift makes forward flight more efficient, which is why hovering in one spot burns battery fastest.
288 words, about 1 min04Meteorology
A METAR is an observation, issued routinely; a SPECI is a special observation for significant change; a TAF is a forecast for a specified period. Decode in order: wind, visibility, cloud, temperature/dewpoint, pressure.
293 words, about 1 min05Navigation, airspace and charts
Classes A to G: A–C are controlled, D is controlled aerodrome airspace, E is controlled with reduced requirements, F is special-use and G is uncontrolled - but uncontrolled does not mean unregulated. Know control zones and control areas , prohibited (P), restricted (R) and danger (D) areas, military low-jet routes, mandatory broadcast zones and CTAF aerodromes.
286 words, about 1 min06Human factors and safety management
Remote pilots work alone, often in public, often in heat, often for a client. IMSAFE (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion) is the pre-flight self-check.
290 words, about 1 min07Radiotelephony and communications
Radio is a safety tool used to make your intentions known and to hear others' intentions. At non-controlled aerodromes you make standard broadcasts on the CTAF , including position and intentions; in a mandatory broadcast zone the broadcasts are required.
282 words, about 1 min08Operational planning and emergency procedures
A defensible plan covers: task and airspace check (including NOTAMs), weather and light, site survey on foot with a ground risk assessment, identification of people, animals, traffic, powerlines and radio interference, permissions and notifications, crew roles and briefing, battery and payload plan, geofence and failsafe settings, abort criteria, and the emergency plan. The job is not to produce paperwork; it is to make the right decision available under pressure.
300 words, about 2 min