Do I need CASA approval to hire a drone operator?
No. As the client, you do not need any CASA approval — the drone operator holds the accreditation. For commercial work in Australia the operator must hold a CASA Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) and operate under a Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC), and carry insurance.
CASA (the Civil Aviation Safety Authority) regulates the pilot, not the customer. When you hire a commercial drone operator, it is their responsibility to hold the correct licences, follow the operating rules (height, distance from people, airspace), and obtain any area approvals.
The practical takeaway: always confirm the operator is CASA-accredited and insured before booking. Every operator matched through Universe For Alice is verified against the CASA-referenced directory first.