Can You Fly a Drone at Bondi Beach?

Bondi isn't just a paradise for surfers and swimmer. In recent years, it has also become a go-to for Sydney drone pilots looking to capture the famous beach and Icebergs pool. But this has caused tension at times when drone pilots break the law and put people’s safety at risk.

So, what can you do?

Bondi Beach attracts a large crowd, so it goes without saying that drone pilots must be extremely cautious to not endanger people on the ground or in the water.

If you're planning to fly a drone at Bondi the law is clear. In Australia, drones must stay at least 30 meters away from people and cannot operate over crowds or large gatherings. As Bondi is often crowded, this means no crowded shots of the sand or surf break. You also can't fly a drone higher than 120 meters (400 feet) and must always keep the drone in your line of sight. Commercial drone pilots must also have a Remote Operator's Certificate (ReOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). With helicopters constantly in the area this is critically important.

Another, often unknown law is that you can’t get within 100m of marine life with a drone. That means no getting close to migrating whales. We’ve seen it before and it causes a lot of angst among locals and often results in huge social media backlash when the pictures are posted online.

Whilst the rules are clear this doesn’t prevent you capturing mind-blowing photos of Bondi by drone. At sunrise in particular you can hover your drone over the ocean and capture the most stunning images.

Good luck and don’t forget to tag @visitbondibeach and #visitbondibeach when you’re done.