MEMORANDUM
To:BranchPresidents,BranchDirectorsofLifesaving,BranchSupportStaff&ClubCaptainsFrom:StevenPearce,SurfLifeSavingNSWCEODate:16March2018Subject:StatusofUAV(Drone)OperationsinNSWUAV(Drone)OperationsinNSWBackground:SLSNSWhavebeenworkingwithTheRipperGroupforapproximatelythepastthree(3)yearstoundertakeresearchanddevelopmentinUAVsearchandrescueoperations.TheUAVcapabilitythathadbeenindevelopmentforthepreviousthree(3)yearswasfullyactivatedinSeptember2017withthedeploymentofUAV’sinthePortMacquarie-Hastingsregion.ThiswasundertakentoassistCounciltoprovidesurveillanceacrossthebusyschoolholidayperiodafterawhalecarcasshadwasheduponalocalbeachresultinginheightenedsharkactivity.InNovember2017,theNSWGovernmentagreedtoaSLSNSWbusinesscaseproposaltosupporttheDepartmentofPrimaryIndustries’(DPI)SharkMitigationStrategy.ThissupportfocusedaroundprovidingUAVsurveillanceanddatacollectionontheNSWFarNorthCoast.InDecember2017,LifesaversandAustralianLifeguardServiceLifeguardsbeganundertakingsurveillanceflightsatnine(9)identifiedlocationsaspartoftheDINSSproject.FlightsarecollectingdatawhichwillassisttheDPIwiththeirresearchintosharkbehaviourinthesurfzoneandhavealsoprovidedSLSpatrolswithgreaterabilitytominimiseanypotentialsharkinteractionswiththebathingpublic.ThistrialwillcontinueontheNSWFarNorthCoastuntilApril2018.TheseflightshaveallowedSLStoexpandouroperationalcapabilityandhaveallowedustokeephighervisibilityoverlargerstretchesofourcoastlinewhichwasclearlyevidentonJanuary18th2018whenthesuccessfulrescueoftwoteenagersatLennoxHeadwascompleted.Thefollowingaresomeclarificationresponsestofrequentlyaskedquestions;Q:CanmyBranchorClubflyUAV’snow?A:SLSNSWUAVpilotsarecurrentlyoperatingunderTheRipperGroup’sRemoteOperatorsCertificate(ReOC).ThisdecisionwasmadebasedontherelationshipSLSNSWandTheRipperGrouphadformedinthepast3yearsandsothatwecouldimplementtheNSWFNCUAVtrialsandobtainclearancetoflyinrestrictedareas.TheCivilAviationSafetyAuthority(CASA)hasstrictregulationsrelatedtotheuseofUAV’s,withheavyfineshandedoutfornon-compliance.PartofthiscurrentUAVtrialistoidentifyoperationalcircumstanceswhereSLSisunabletomaintaincompliancewithregulationsandtoidentifyoptionstoseekadditionalpermissionsorexemptionsfromCASA.AtpresentSLSNSWareonlytakingexpressionsofinterestfrominterestedBrancheswhomaywishtoundertakeUAVoperations.Thiswillbedoneaspartofawide-scalereviewoftheNSWFNCtrialandwill
providevariousrecommendationsonhowUAVoperationscanbefurtherutilisedacrossthebreadthofNSW.NoadditionalUAVoperationswillbeapprovedduringthecourseofthe2017/18season.2018/19LifesavingseasonandbeyondSLSNSWwillfinaliseafullreviewoftheNSWFNCtrialinMay2018.ThisreviewwillproviderecommendationsonwaysinwhichSLSNSWcanfurtherenhanceUAVoperationsacrossNSW.ThistrialisprovidingSLSNSWwithvitalinformationonthevariousaspectsofcoastalUAVoperations.Thereviewislookingatwhatequipmentisbestsuitedtoourharshcoastalenvironmentsothatwecanprovideourmemberswiththebestequipmentforoperationallongevityandsafety.ThisreviewwillalsoproviderecommendationsonhowwecanbesttrainandsupportourmemberssothatwecanconfidentlyexpandoperationsacrossNSWknowingthatourmembershavethehigheststandardoftrainingandcompetency.SLSNSWhavedraftedStandardOperatingProcedures(SOP’s)forUAVoperationsbySLSNSWmembersandthesewillbereviewedaspartofawidescalereviewofallNSWSOP’sinMay/June2018.AtpresentSLSNSWareoperatingunderTheRipperGroup’sSOP’sandReOC.WhyisallthecoordinationandoversightmanagedbySLSNSW?CASArequiresallReOCoperationstobereviewed,approvedandmonitoredbyacertifiedchiefremotepilotduetothesignificantriskposedtothesafetyofpeople,propertyandotheraircraft.SLSNSW’sinsureralsorequiresthatweimplementacentralisedsystemtoproperlymanagethisrisk.AnyoperationsoutsideofthiscontrolledcentralisedsystembysurflifesavingclubsandbranchesarenotcoveredundertheSLSNSWinsurer.Wearecurrentlyreviewingsystemswhichwillprovideoversightandmonitoringofbothpilotsandaircraft,andthiswillgreatlyassistUAVpilotsinplanningflightsandaircraftmaintenancemanagementinthefuture.WearedesigningaUAVorganisationalstructureinconjunctionwithourpartnerssothatwecanproperlysupportallUAVoperationsacrossNSW.ThisstructurewillencompassthevariousparametersthatarerequiredtosuccessfullyandsafelyrunaUAVoperation.WhodoItalktoformoreinformation?IfyouwishtofurtherunderstandourUAVoperationsandfutureplanning,pleasecontactPhilAyres,[email protected]
