Bachelor of Aviation (Flight) - Major in Drone Operations

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Course Overview

Soar into a cutting-edge future with the Drone Operations major.

Our Bachelor of Aviation - (Flight) - Major in Drone Operations is built for students who see themselves at the forefront of unmanned aviation. You’ll get hands on with both the theory and practice: Meet the requirements to earn key CASA licences (like RePL & ReOC), mastering remote aircraft systems, learning mission planning, regulation, safety, all while gaining business smarts to launch or lead drone operations in industries from agriculture to media.

What sets this course apart:

Full CASA licensure readiness

Meet the requirements for Remote Pilot Licence, Remote Operator Certificate & beyond

Practical drone and UAV mission training

From flight labs & simulators to real-world drone deployments

Regulation & safety in focus

Compliance, risk assessment, emerging regulation across Australia & globally

Industry insight & entrepreneurship

Learn how to launch/operate a drone business, manage operations, specialise in applications like surveying, environmental monitoring, delivery & media

What You Will Study

This course consists of 24 units. 20 core units + 4 electives

Course Details

How You Will Learn

Blended learning: Classroom theory, workshops, labs, drone flight practice, simulator use
Real-world mission scenarios: Mapping, inspection, environmental monitoring, delivery pilot studies
Collaboration with industry partners to ensure up-to-date tech & regulatory practice

Industry Connections & Work Placements

We offer a range of experiences to give you a competitive edge and help you graduate with more than a degree. With Holmes, you'll graduate with a professional footprint in the aviation industry.

You will experience:

Project-based units with live drone missions; partnerships with companies using drones in agriculture, media, logistics, survey, environmental services
Internship or placement opportunity in Year 2 or 3 to log real flight hours, understand commercial operations

Course Learning Outcomes

By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to:

Synthesise technical knowledge, problem-solving techniques, and hands-on skills in traditional and emerging areas of flight operations.
Validate a coherent understanding and application of the body of knowledge, specified by the regulatory bodies for flight crew.
Analyse and develop responses, exercising a high-level of professional judgement, to ethical issues in the aviation industry from both national and international perspectives.
Review the application of theoretical knowledge within the field of Aviation and communicate this effectively, with justification, to a diverse range of stakeholders.
Analyse and evaluate operational situations and problems, related to aviation operations, and devise and apply appropriate solutions to achieve safe, efficient and compliant outcomes.

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Career Opportunities

Graduates with this major can pursue roles including:

Commercial Drone Pilot / Remote Pilot
Drone Operations Manager / Chief Remote Pilot
Aerial Surveyor / Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Precision Agriculture Operator
Media & Cinematography Drone Pilot
Environmental Monitoring Specialist
Logistics / Delivery Drone Operator
Emergency & Rescue Drone Operator
(Longer term) Regulatory roles, consultancy or founding a drone services business

Entry Requirements

To be considered for admission all applicants must:

Be eligible for admission as defined in student entry requirements below and
Have lodged an application for admission to Holmes Institute
Successfully obtained a CASA Class 1 Medical Certificate
Be eligible for Aviation Security ID Card
Attend interview and complete a skills assessment with Holmes Institute

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Academic Requirements:

To be eligible for admission applicants must have:

Successfully completed an Australian Year 12 (senior high school), a Certificate IV or equivalent; or
Successfully completed an approved Tertiary Preparation Program, or a Foundation Year program offered by an accredited Institution of Higher Education;

English Requirements:

To be eligible for admission applicants must have:

Successfully completed studies in English (Language or Mode of Instruction) such as Year 12 at Australian High School or an Australian Diploma or higher qualification; or
Successfully completed studies at a recognised Australian educational institution at an equivalent study level based on at least a 50% pass rate in a recent semester of study; or
IELTS Overall 6.0 with no band score lower than 5.5;
CASA also requires a General English Language Proficiency test prior to issuance of a licence. This test will be undertaken prior to initial flight training. Further information can be found here.

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Assumed Knowledge

Year 12 - Mathematical Methods or equivalent

Student Testimonials

Don't just take our word for it

I'm most excited about just meeting people, flying the beautiful machines in the air, exploring, flying, testing my capabilities, and just enjoying life in the air.

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Jack

Aviation Student

Melbourne

I'll be the first pilot in my family and obviously my parents are very supportive and proud of me which is really good. I would want to represent more women in the aviation industry. It was a long process but at the same time I'm glad that I've made the right decision.

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Urooj

Aviation Student

Melbourne

Fees

Total Course Fees: $89,000

This includes 31.5 Hours of Flight Training plus 1 hour of Simulator Training

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You may be eligible for FEE-HELP

You may be eligible to apply for a FEE-HELP loan, which can be used to defer payment of your tuition fees up to the HELP loan limit of $186,544 (2026 indexed rate). This course is eligible for the higher loan limit. Please contact a course advisor to determine your eligibility.

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Flight Hours Included

The table below outlines the allocation of flight hours per unit of study:

Unit Code	Allocated Flight Hours
AVP1001 Aeronautical Practice 1 RPL	24.5 Dual Hours, 5 Solo Hours, 1 Simulator Hour, 1 Flight Test

Materials and other fees information

Students who undertake flight training will incur additional costs, which are detailed in the sections below. Prices are indicative only and are paid to bodies outside of Holmes Institute.

All CASA licence fees and first attempt at all CASA Theory Examinations are included in the course cost.

Fees & Equipment	2026 Fee
Class 2 Medical Exam (First Issue Only)	~ $500
Processing of medical exam results (Civil Aviation Safety Administration – CASA)	$75
Aviation Security Identity Card	$300
David Clark Headset	$695
Uniform (Pilot Shirt, Navy Pants, Tie)	$250
Textbooks	2025 fee
Bob Tait RPL & PPL Study Guide Vol 1 & 2	$220
Additional Flight Hours (if required)	2025 fee
C152 Solo hire per hour	$300
Flight Simulator dual hire	$280
Flight Instructor Hourly Rate	$220
Holmes Institute Processing Fee	$110

All prices are quoted in Australian Dollars ($AUD) and are inclusive of GST where applicable. Course availability is subject to minimum numbers. Holmes Institute reserves the right to change course structure, content or fee scales any time without notice.

It is expected that there will be a 4% to 5% increase per year.