Part 101 Pilot Certificate Course (Pacific Island)

So long as you are complying with the following conditions, you are not required to have any qualification, although it is recommended to attain a Part 101 Certification to ensure you are familiar with the relevant aviation laws and rules, and it will also allow you to fly with 4km of an airport.

• Not operating in the hours of darkness (unless this is being carried out under a shielded operation)
• Not operating within 4 Kms of an airport/heliport (unless this is being carried out under a shielded operation)
• Not operating above 400 feet (120 meters) above ground level
• Not operating within a controlled airspace beyond the 4 km limit of airports
• Not flying over people without their permission
• Not flying over property without the permission of the landowner (incl roads and railways)
• Not applying liquid spray or pellets to pasture
• Not flying a drone with an unladen weight greater than 25 Kgs 

This course consists of a mix of reading and watching short videos. Throughout the course, there are short quizzes. These will help you to be sure you have absorbed the information presented. You can go back and review the content at any time. You may repeat any quiz as many times as you’d like. At the end of this course, you will be asked to take an exam covering all of the information presented. You must achieve a score of 80% or better to pass this exam. If you get less than 80% you may resit the exam.

Upon successful completion of the online theory portion of this course, you will have a good understanding of where you can legally and safely fly your drone. The next step is to complete your practical flight assessment. During the practical assessment the examiner will ask you oral questions on your knowledge of the rules as well as assessing your flying ability.

Module 10 will help you prepare for your practical flight assessment.  If you would like to learn more about the flight assessment requirements watch our detailed Flight Assessment and Atti Mode videos.

After you successfully complete your flight assessment you will receive your Recreational RPAS Pilot Certificate. With this qualification you are legally allowed to fly your drone within 4 km of an airport (providing you meet the other legal requirements, as your will learn about during this course.)

* Throughout this course, you will see reference to New Zealand and the Civil Aviation Rules (CAR), specifically Rule Parts 101. Most of the Pacific Island states have aviation rules based off these, with the exception of Fiji, which has its own rules called the Air Navigation Regulations (ANRs). The content and intent of the rules, whether CAR Parts or ANR, is very similar, so we will mostly reference the Part 101 rules. The exception to this is where there is a variance in the rules, in which case we will state the difference. As well as studying this course, you should also obtain a copy of your local state’s rules and become familiar with these. Most states have their rules available online.