Australian NOTAM — frequently asked questions
How to write and submit a NOTAM in Australia, and how iNOTAM helps you draft one.
What is a NOTAM?
A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen / Notice to Air Missions) is a formal notice that tells pilots about a hazard, change or condition that affects flight safety — for example a drone operation, a runway closure, blasting, or a NAVAID outage. In Australia NOTAM are issued by the Australian NOTAM Office and distributed through the NAIPS briefing system.
How do I submit a NOTAM in Australia?
NOTAM are filed with the Australian NOTAM Office through the Airservices NAIPS NOTAM Web Service, and must be lodged by a registered NOTAM Authorised Person. iNOTAM prepares the compliant ICAO text and the ATS-FORM-0018 request form for you; you then submit that request through the NOTAM Web Service. iNOTAM does not submit NOTAM on your behalf.
Does iNOTAM file my NOTAM for me?
No. iNOTAM is a drafting tool — it builds the NOTAM text and the ATS-FORM-0018 PDF, but you (or your NOTAM Authorised Person) lodge it with the Australian NOTAM Office. Always verify the issued NOTAM for accuracy before relying on it.
What is ATS-FORM-0018?
ATS-FORM-0018 is the Airservices Australia NOTAM request form used to originate a NOTAM. iNOTAM fills in the form from the operation details and operating area you enter, and exports a completed PDF you can submit to the NOTAM Office.
Who can be a NOTAM Authorised Person?
A NOTAM Authorised Person is an individual registered with Airservices to originate NOTAM through the NAIPS NOTAM Web Service. Registration and the exact requirements are arranged with the Australian NOTAM Office and depend on your originator category (RPAS, aerodrome, blasting and so on). Check the relevant Airservices “NOTAM Data Quality Requirements” guide for your category — iNOTAM links the correct guide on each generator page.
How do I write a NOTAM for a drone (RPAS) operation?
Open the RPAS NOTAM generator, choose your operation kind (area, corridor, tethered or model aircraft), enter the aircraft type, height limits, times and frequencies, then set the operating area from a KMZ or a map pin. iNOTAM computes the reference point, bearing and distance and produces the compliant ICAO NOTAM and ATS-FORM-0018 PDF.
Is iNOTAM free, and do I need an account?
iNOTAM is free to use and needs no account or sign-in. It runs entirely in your browser, so the operation details you enter are not uploaded to a server.
Can I read or decode an existing NOTAM?
Yes. Paste any ICAO NOTAM into the iNOTAM decoder and it explains the Q-code in plain English, works out whether the NOTAM is active right now, shows the vertical limits, and plots the affected area on a map.
How is iNOTAM different from inotam.com?
iNOTAM (inotam.net) is a NOTAM generator — a tool for originators to draft and export a compliant Australian NOTAM. inotam.com is a separate, unrelated product that provides intelligent NOTAM briefing summaries for reading NOTAM. The two are not affiliated.