Aerially applying pesticides

Both the pilot and their employer must hold EPA licences before using a manned or piloted aircraft to aerially apply pesticides onto any land. The pilot​ must have

• an aerial applicator pilot licence
• an aerial applicator business licence, or be engaged or employed by a holder of an aerial applicator business licence

A person or business employing or engaging a pilot​ to aerially apply a pesticide onto any land must

• hold an aerial applicator business licence
• ensure that the pilot holds an aerial applicator pilot licence

Both types of licence are valid for 5 years ​unless they are cancelled, revoked or suspended.

The EPA will send out licence renewal reminders.

Details of all licences are available on the EPA public register.

Aerial applicator pilot licence

A pilot wishing to apply for an aerial applicator pilot licence must

• hold a current commercial pilot (aeroplane) licence or commercial pilot (helicopter) licence issued under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 with an agricultural or aerial application rating with an aerial application endorsement
• hold a current certificate of approval issued under the SpraySafe Accreditation Program conducted by the Aerial Application Association of Australia, or​ pass an exam in accordance with the requirements of another state or territory to obtain an equivalent licence
• have a Class 1 or Class 2 Medical Certificate

Aerial applicator business licence

A person or company wishing to engage or employ a pilot to aerially apply pesticides must hold an Air Operator’s Certificate endorsed for aerial application or agricultural operations under the Civil Aviation Act 1988.

You must hold a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) business and RPA pilot licence issued by the EPA to aerially apply pesticides by drone (also known as remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS))

To obtain an RPA business licence, you must

1. Obtain the appropriate RPA operator certification (ReOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
2. Apply for an RPA business licence using eConnect EPA.

To obtain an RPA pilot licence, you must

1. Apply for a RPA business licence or be employed by a person holding an RPA business licence, unless you are only applying pesticides on land that you own or occupy and are using an unmanned aircraft that is an excluded RPA, within the meaning of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 of the Commonwealth (regulation 101.237).
2. Obtain the appropriate remote pilot licence certification (RePL) or RPA operator accreditation from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
3. Complete chemical accreditation training which includes
   1. Unit code AHCCHM303/307 Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and disease; and
   2. Unit code AHCCHM304 Transport and store chemicals
4. Apply for an RPA pilot licence, using eConnect EPA.

For more information contact [email protected]

• To apply for aerial applicator pilot licence​ and aerial applicator business licence​ use eConnect EPA
• To apply for a RPA applicator pilot licence​ or a RPA applicator business licence, ​use eConnect EPA

For more information about aerial applicator licences contact [email protected]

If you have a current occupational interstate aerial applicator pilot licence or RPA applicator pilot licence​, you may be entitled to work in NSW under the automatic mutual recognition (AMR) scheme. Find out more about AMR and if you are eligible.

If you are not eligible for AMR or do not want to rely on AMR, you can apply for a NSW licence under the existing mutual recognition scheme using eConnect, the EPA’s online licensing portal. 

You will have to provide:

• proof of identity and age (you must be 18 years old or older)
• a passport-style photograph taken within 6 months before applying
• a copy of your interstate licence
• the licence application fee.

However, you do not need to show evidence of training​, as it has been recognised as completed when you obtained your interstate registration.

The EPA, under the mutual recognition scheme, will recognise a current equivalent licence issued in another state or territory but needs to determine whether there are any problems with issuing a NSW licence and whether any special conditions may be required.

Overseas qualifications​ are not automatically recognised or eligible for conversion to a NSW licence, as Australian licensing requirements fall under local legislation and national standards. To find out more:

• phone the EPA’s Environment Line on 131 555 (NSW only) or (02) 9995 5000 outside NSW, or
• ​email [email protected] 

Since 2015 all licences have a fixed duration of five years. This means that at the end of 2020 most former ‘perpetual’ aerial applicator pilot licences and aerial applicator business licences issued before September 2015 will be due for renewal for the first time.

The EPA will send out licence renewal reminders before the due date, with information on how to renew licences on-line or by completing a form. Renewal will require licence holders to show that their required qualifications are current.

Aerial applicator pilot licence

A pilot wishing to renew an aerial applicator pilot licence must

• hold a current commercial pilot (aeroplane) licence or commercial pilot (helicopter) licence issued under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 with an agricultural rating or aerial application rating with an aerial application endorsement

• hold a current certificate of approval issued under the SpraySafe Accreditation Program conducted by the Aerial Application Association of Australia, or​ provide evidence of having passed an exam required by another state or territory for the purpose of obtaining a licence equivalent to an aerial applicator pilot licence

• have a Class 1 or Class 2 Medical Certificate

Aerial applicator business licence

A person or company wishing to continue to engage or employ a pilot or a number of pilots to aerially apply pesticides must hold an Air Operator’s Certificate endorsed for aerial application or agricultural operations under the Civil Aviation Act 1988.

A licence may be issued with conditions.

The holder of an aerial applicator business licence or RPA applicator business licence, who may be the pilot or remote pilot, must notify the EPA when a crash or forced landing of an aircraft results in pesticide leakage or a spill.

The holder of an aerial or RPA applicator licence (pilot and business) must also notify the EPA when

• there are changes to information provided in their application for a licence
• they cease to hold a qualification that is required to be held for that licence

Required distances from occupied areas

Pesticide control order Air-1 (PDF 8KB) specifies that a pilot is not allowed to discharge pesticide from an aircraft within 150 metres of a dwelling, school, factory or any other public place​ without the prior written permission of the occupier of the premises.

Roads, travelling stock reserves and State Rail land are excluded from the definition of public places.

The owner of the land on which the pesticide will aerially be applied​ must get the written permission of the occupier of the dwelling, school, factory or other public place that is within 150 metres of the application area.

The pilot​ must ensure written permission has been granted before aerially applying the pesticides.

Notifying others

Other parties must be notified of aerial application of a pesticide when

• a​ product label​ specifies that neighbours or other parties must be notified of the use of that product
• a public authority’s pesticide use notification plan​ requires notification of a pesticide application
• the pesticide is being applied within 150 metres of a dwelling, school, factory or any other public place as per pesticide control order Air-1​ (PDF 8KB)

Even if you are not required to notify neighbours, it is good practice and can help avoid complaints or disputes.

The holder of an aerial applicator business licence ​or an RPA applicator business licence​, who may also be the pilot or remote pilot, must make and keep a record every time an aircraft is used to apply a pesticide. This record must be made as soon as practicable, but not more than 48 hours after the application, and must be kept for 3 years. ​A copy of the record must also be provided to the land owner or occupier if they request it.

The record must contain

• the name and address of the person who piloted or remotely piloted the aircraft
• the product name and active constituents of every pesticide used
• the date and time of the application, including start and finish times
• the registration mark of the aircraft or serial number of the RPA unit
• a description of the manner in which the pesticide was applied, including the equipment used, and the weather conditions such as wind speed and direction, and details on a temperature inversion if it happened during the time of application
• a description of the land to which the pesticide was applied, including the address, particular paddock or part of a paddock and the order in which application of the pesticide was done for each area
• a description of the crop to which the pesticide was applied or the situation in which the pesticide was used, i.e. fallow land
• the rate of application of the pesticide and the total quantity applied
• the name, address and other contact details of the landowner or occupier
• any other record-keeping details that may be specified, in the conditions of their EPA applicator licence, prescribed under a relevant pesticide control order, or required by the label of the pesticide being used. 

Records may be made and kept in any format. Some record-keeping systems have been developed within the aerial application industry. For more details, contact the Aerial Application Association of Australia.

Records must be made available to an EPA authorised officer upon request. Penalties apply if the records have not been made and kept in accordance with the requirements of the Pesticides Regulation 2017.