As these drone delivery trials broaden across Australia, experts are warning about potential noise pollution and regulatory hurdles. Julia Powles, an expert from the University of Western Australia, emphasizes that companies involved in these trials are vying for airspace dominance. Meanwhile, Jake Goldenfein, a law and technology scholar, points out that focusing solely on drone noise may overlook broader issues related to drone operations.
Drone delivery trials have also been conducted in the Australia Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria, and Queensland. Now, companies such as Wing, a subsidiary of Google, are beginning to deliver items directly to consumers. Now you can have steamin’ cafes and burritos delivered straight to your door! As this industry has grown at breakneck pace, new questions of public safety and privacy have emerged.
Expert Opinions on Drone Noise and Regulation
According to Julia Powles, for drone delivery systems to be profitable, the industry must deploy tens of thousands of drones. These drones need to fly high above Australia’s urban canyons to be successful. She cautions that the level of noise these drones would bring is unique.
“That level of noise is something we haven’t seen before. We are used to a bit of crow noise, ravens. But do we get that kind of sound of a consistent, essentially, lawnmower in the sky?” – Dr. Julia Powles
Complaints from residents in communities such as near Harrison, ACT, show increased worry over drone noise. As one of the complainants put it, the noise is “maddening and alarming.” They mentioned that within only three hours, they observed 28 drones fly by on a daily basis.
In 2024, the UK government department charged with regulating drones had taken just three complaints for general drone noise. That very low count could misrepresent just how strongly the public feels about this issue. Noise as nuisance is difficult to prove. The Department of Infrastructure agrees that general noise complaints are hard to follow-up on.
“General noise complaints are difficult to respond to,” – Department of Infrastructure
The department further highlighted that the drone operator had to be reasonably identified for any enforcement action to be taken. This requirement frequently proves burdensome. Recreational drone operators might not be regulated at all, increasing the difficulty of enforcing possible noise complaints.
Regulatory Framework and Challenges
The Office for the Australian Information Commissioner provides information for people concerned about drone use. It does nothing to help people affected by noise pollution or breaches in privacy. Julia Powles contends that the current system for complaining about drone noise is already unsustainable for two key reasons.
“One, how do you even complain? And the second, how do you complain about what the ambition of these companies is, which is to be able to operate at a scale that is commercially valuable?” – Dr. Julia Powles
Unwilling to place additional noise limitations on its instruments, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has made it clear that it wouldn’t. They have created an approval process with the addition of specific monitoring requirements to address and limit noise.
“As per our discussion, our preference would be to avoid additional noise or amenity restrictions on CASA instruments now that [the department] has this approval process and related monitoring and reporting requirement.” – CASA
CASA understands that the activity of drones and regulation thereof should take the local context into consideration.
“Is this a federal or local consideration with regards to existing operating restrictions?” – CASA
The Future of Drone Deliveries
Jake Goldenfein cautioned that focusing narrowly on noise complaints might lead us to ignore the opportunity to address larger issues. We should be prioritizing drone regulation and protecting public safety here. He further explains that just escalating terrestrial traffic issues into the sky doesn’t address current congestion concerns.
“I think there are very few people who’d say that what we really need is to elevate the problems of our terrestrial traffic to the sky.” – Dr. Jake Goldenfein
In 2024, CASA has already fined 12 operators between $825 and $1,565 for drone regulation violations. This is an important signal of a new enforcement climate, as drones are used more widely and illegally in urban spaces. Ensuring these kinds of plans are adhered to, and thoughtfully addressing community concerns continue to provide challenges.
The City of Logan reported zero complaints during a six-month drone trial from October 2023, indicating some regions may experience fewer issues than others. At the same time, concerns about the long-term implications of large-scale drone deliveries remain.
