Last reviewed: 8 September 2026. If a fishing drone advertises several kilometres of transmission range, can you legally send a bait that far offshore? For a standard recreational flight in Australia, advertised control range is not the legal distance limit. CASA requires you to keep the drone within visual line of sight (VLOS) at all times, and that single rule shapes your real-world bait-drop distance far more than a spec sheet does.
There is no universal "500 m" or "2 km" legal answer
The practical legal distance varies with the size and visibility of the aircraft, lighting, weather, background, pilot eyesight, altitude, flight direction and obstacles. The controlling question is not "is the radio still connected?" but "can I continuously see and safely control the aircraft under the rules?" Two anglers flying the same drone from the same beach on different days can end up with quite different usable ranges, simply because the haze, glare or sun angle changed.
| Number you may see | What it means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer transmission range | Capability of the control/video system under stated test conditions | Legal permission to fly that distance |
| 120 m (400 ft) | CASA's standard maximum height above ground level | A horizontal bait-drop distance |
| 30 m | Minimum separation from a person not directly associated with the operation, under standard operating conditions | A maximum distance from the pilot |
| VLOS | The requirement to keep the drone directly visible during standard recreational flight | A fixed kilometre value |
The full standard operating conditions, in brief
VLOS and the 120 m ceiling get the most attention, but they're part of a broader set of CASA "standard operating conditions" that apply to essentially every recreational flight, fishing included:
- Daylight only: flying is limited to daylight hours and visual meteorological conditions, unless you hold a specific approval.
- Visual line of sight: the drone must be visible to your own eyes — not through a screen, FPV goggles or binoculars.
- 120 m altitude ceiling: no higher than 120 m (400 ft) above ground level.
- 30 m from people: you must stay at least 30 m from any person not directly associated with the operation.
- Not over populous areas: this matters for drone fishing, because a busy beach can qualify as a populous area.
- One drone at a time: you can't run a second aircraft simultaneously.
- Controlled airports: if your drone weighs more than 250 g — which covers most bait-dropping fishing drones — you must not fly within 5.5 km of a controlled airport.
- Emergency operations and restricted airspace: keep clear of areas where public safety or emergency operations are underway.
None of these conditions hands you a specific number of metres for a bait drop — but together they define the limits your flight has to work within.
Why fishing makes VLOS harder
A drone flying away from you over water becomes visually smaller, while haze, glare and a low-contrast horizon can reduce visibility. The attached fishing line can also add another risk: even if you can still see the aircraft, you need enough situational awareness to avoid line contact, vessels, people and changing conditions.
FPV video is not a substitute for VLOS
A camera feed is valuable for aiming and monitoring a bait release, but under standard recreational rules you cannot treat the screen as a substitute for keeping the aircraft within visual line of sight. Binoculars are not a workaround for an aircraft that has become too distant to see normally.
Other limits can shorten the legal flight
- Airspace: airport and controlled-airspace rules may restrict the site.
- People: the flight path cannot ignore beach users, boats or crowds.
- Weather: haze, fog, cloud, rain and glare can make VLOS impossible.
- Land-manager rules: a park may restrict launching or drone use.
- Marine parks: zoning or drone permits can independently restrict the activity.
- Battery/payload: a legal flight still needs safe battery reserve for the loaded outbound leg and return.
A better way to plan bait-drop distance
- Choose the location and check the airspace first, using a CASA-verified drone safety app.
- Stand at the actual launch point and assess visibility toward the planned fishing area.
- Plan a conservative maximum distance that keeps the aircraft unmistakably visible.
- Reduce that distance for haze, glare, wind or a heavy payload.
- Set a turnaround/battery threshold before launch.
- If you begin losing reliable visual awareness, turn back immediately rather than chasing the planned drop point.
Transmission range versus fishing range
A long-range control link is still useful. It can provide a stronger communications margin within a legal VLOS flight and may reduce dropouts. But it should be treated as technical headroom, not a target distance.
For payload and range planning beyond the legal issue, see Fishing Drone Payload & Range. For the full legal framework, read CASA Rules for Fishing Drones and Drone Fishing Laws Australia.
Frequently asked questions
How far can you fly a drone legally in Australia?
There's no fixed kilometre figure — the legal limit is defined by visual line of sight, not distance. In practice, that means you can fly as far as you can keep the aircraft clearly visible with your own eyes, while also respecting the 120 m altitude ceiling, the 30 m buffer from people not associated with the operation, and any local airspace restrictions.
How far away can you fly a drone legally before it's considered out of sight?
This depends on the drone's size, the background, lighting and your own eyesight rather than a set number. A small drone over a bright, hazy ocean horizon can become genuinely hard to see well before it reaches its maximum transmission range, so the honest answer is: as far as you, standing at the launch point in that day's conditions, can still clearly track it.
Can I use the drone's camera feed to fly further than I can see it?
No. Under standard recreational rules the video feed is a monitoring aid, not a replacement for keeping the aircraft within your own direct line of sight.
Does a longer transmission range mean I can fly further offshore?
Not legally. A longer-range control link only gives you a stronger signal margin within a flight that's already inside VLOS — it doesn't extend how far you're permitted to fly.
Do marine parks add extra distance restrictions for fishing drones?
They can. Some marine park zones apply their own drone-use rules or permit requirements on top of CASA's airspace rules, so it's worth checking local zoning before you plan a bait-drop route.
Official source
Rules can change, so always confirm the current requirements for your aircraft and operation before you fly: CASA recreational drone rules.