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About ICAO
  • Overview
  • Strategic Plan 2026-2050
  • Latest News and Highlights
  • FAQs
  • List - ICAO Member States
  • ICAO Museum
  • ICAO Carbon Calculator
  • Report Misconduct
  • Contact ICAO
Diplomatic Bodies
  • ICAO Assembly (193 States)
  • Sessions of the Assembly
  • Resolutions in Force
  • ICAO Council (36 States)
  • President of the Council
  • Sessions of the Council
  • Council State Representatives
  • Air Navigation Commission
ICAO Secretariat
  • Secretary General
  • Air Navigation Bureau
  • Air Transport Bureau
  • Capacity Development and Implementation Bureau
  • Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau
  • Administration Bureau
  • Regional Offices
Global Priorities
Strategic Goals
  • Every Flight is Safe and Secure
  • Aviation is Environmentally Sustainable
  • • CORSIA
  • • State Action Plans for Aviation CO2 Reduction
  • • Finvest Hub
  • Seamless, Accessible, and Reliable Mobility
  • No Country Left Behind
  • • Capacity Development and Implementation Support
  • Comprehensive Legal Framework
  • Economic Development
Enablers
  • ICAO Continuous Improvement
  • Innovation in Aviation
  • Next Generation Aviation Professionals
  • Gender Equality
  • ICAO Global Ambassadors Programme
  • ICAO Training
  • Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
Events
Featured Events
  • ICAO/AWG Joint Regional Workshop on Cross-Border Transferability of Aircraft (XBT) and Compliance with the Cape Town Convention (CTC)
  • ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium 2026
  • Fourteenth Meeting of the Facilitation Panel (FALP/14)
  • 4th Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum (CALAF/4)
  • View the Full List of Coming and Past meetings and Events
  • Host your event at ICAO
Resources
Resources
  • ICAO E-Library
  • Publications
  • Annual Reports of the Council
  • Safety Audit Results - Interactive
  • Aviation Benefits Report
  • Economic Facts and Figures
  • Global Aviation Safety Plan
  • Safety Reports
  • Global Air Navigation Plan
  • Air Navigation Reports
  • ICAO Partnership Programme
  • ICAO API Data Service
  • ICAO Data+
  • ICAO iSTARS
  • Air Transport Monthly Monitor
  • Compendium: Competition Policies/Practices
  • Economic Analyses and Forecasting
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Special Authorization

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Page Content

Special Authorization

Please click here to download an Authorization Form: 

Additional documents to consider as part of an authorization process could include the following:

  • Operations: Checklists and operational processes
  • Maintenance manuals will often be provided by the manufacturer

Certifications

When do you need a license? Does the remote pilot have sufficient knowledge of the UAS? Items to consider are:

  • ​The operational limitations of the UA
  • ​UA specifications, for example, the temperature impact on battery life
  • The capabilities of the UA
  • Normal/emergency procedures

RPAS Operators Certificate (ROC): Operators, whether private, professional or commercial, are responsible for anyone flying their UA and staff training.

Should You Issue a Special Authorization?

Below are samples of Questionnaires that could be completed to determine if a special authorization is required.

- Operators (pdf)

- Regulators (pdf)

Airspace Coordination

- Communication/Deconfliction (pdf)

- Flight Plan (pdf) 

 

Accident/Incident Reporting

In order to ensure the safe development of the UAS industry as well as effective regulatory procedures, National Authorities require data. Therefore, the new dynamic industry of UAS is encouraged to report incidents and accidents to the regulatory authority. A non-punitive mechanism will best support reporting and data collection.

Procedures for submitting a hazard report should be clear, well documented and should include details of where and to whom reports should be submitted. This will reduce confusion over where safety reports go and will ensure that all events are brought to the attention of the appropriate authority.

Keeping official statistics on types of UAS activities and incident and accident rates will help decision makers develop informed policies that impact the regulated community. An accident report system coupled with a non-punitive, de-identified incident reporting system is essential to assessing the effectiveness of the regulation. 

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