Part 101, explained the way operators actually experience it.
SACAA's Part 101 sets the rules for remotely piloted aircraft systems in South African airspace. Here's the shape of it, and where most ROCs run into trouble.
What Part 101 actually requires.
Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Regulations governs remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) in South Africa. It draws a line between private, recreational flying and commercial operation — and the obligations change sharply once money changes hands.
Aircraft registration
Any RPA used commercially must be registered with SACAA and carry a valid certificate of registration before it flies.
Remote Operator Certificate (ROC)
Commercial operators need an ROC, which sets out the operations manual, safety management system and the postholders accountable for running it.
Remote Pilot Licence (RPL)
Pilots flying commercially need an RPL, earned through theoretical exams, practical assessment and medical fitness requirements.
Operating rules
Line-of-sight flight, altitude limits, and minimum distances from people, property and aerodromes apply to every commercial flight, logged or not.
Recordkeeping obligations
Flight logs, maintenance records, training records and safety briefings all need to be kept and produced on request — this is where most operators feel the pressure.
The compliance load falls on a handful of people.
An ROC isn't compliant because a certificate exists somewhere — it's compliant because the accountable manager, safety officer and quality officer can show, at any moment, that the operations manual is being followed. That's a recordkeeping problem as much as a flying one, and it tends to outgrow spreadsheets fast.
Scattered records
Flight logs on paper, maintenance in a spreadsheet, certificates in someone's inbox. Nothing is wrong until an audit asks for all three at once.
Quiet expiries
RPLs, insurance and equipment certifications lapse quietly when there's no single place tracking every date across the fleet.
Unclear accountability
Without role-based sign-off, it's hard to show an auditor exactly who approved what, and when.
Talk through your ROC's specific setup.
Every operations manual is a little different — we'll show you how SkyAudit fits yours.