Is it legal to fly a drone over residential areas in Sydney without a license?

In Sydney, and throughout Australia, the legality of flying a drone over residential areas depends on several factors, including the size of the drone and adherence to specific regulations set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). For drones weighing over 250 grams, operators are generally required to follow CASA’s safety rules, which include not flying the drone higher than 120 meters, keeping it at least 30 meters away from other people, avoiding areas where privacy could be an issue, and not operating it in a way that creates a hazard to another aircraft, person, or property. Additionally, drones should not be flown over populous areas, which can include residential zones, without proper authorization or a license if required for larger or commercial drones.

Trivia: Did you know that the first recorded use of a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) for warfare dates back to 1849 when the Austrians used unmanned, bomb-filled balloons to attack Venice?