New Zealand’s leading drone training and consultancy provider Fenix UAS says the Government’s drone reform announced today is not safe for the public or environment.

Fenix UAS Director Dr Andrew Shelley agrees the current reliance on agricultural drone operators being required to have a manual of procedures (Part 102 exposition) which typically takes eight months to complete with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is far too slow and no guarantee of safe operation.

“However, enabling anyone to use a drone without proper training endangers public safety and creates a risk to the environment,” says Dr Shelley.

“An agricultural drone is like four large, upturned lawnmowers in the sky weighing 180 kilograms when fully loaded – and they are getting bigger all the time. An out-of-control drone can fly sideways into traffic on a road or even take out an aircraft. Fatalities have occurred in other countries.

“And spray drift from an unknown source reportedly caused $20 million damage to root stock in a Gisborne vineyard a few years ago so it is critical that agricultural drone operators are well trained in the application of chemicals.”

Dr Shelley calls for a pilot licence for commercial drone operators and farmers with a one-week training course for a basic qualification, a further week’s training for large drone operation and at least a week for the safe application of chemicals.

“High-quality pilot licensing backed with training is an absolute necessity to ensure safe drone operation from both a public and environmental perspective. The current review of pilot licensing provides an opportunity to take the time to get this right.”

Dr Shelley says drone training organisations should be authorised by CAA, but he is concerned that the current standard of approvals provides no confidence that training programmes would adequately address the safety and environmental risks.

“The CAA needs to step up and provide regulated minimum standards for training courses.”