New Zealand’s leading drone training and consultancy provider Fenix UAS has welcomed the Government’s programme announced today to modernise New Zealand’s civil aviation rules but warned against rash deregulation.

Fenix UAS Director Dr Andrew Shelley says there is a strong need for rule changes to ensure New Zealand keeps up to date with rapidly developing drone technology that is revolutionising sectors including agriculture, defence, policing, civil defence and search and rescue.

Dr Shelley says two enhancements that would enhance safety and security in aviation are drone pilot licencing for commercial operators and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) permission for New Zealand drone training companies to provide flight radio telephony operator (FRTO) training and certification for drone operators. CAA currently restricts FRTO training for drone operators to an Australian company with a limited New Zealand presence.

However, Dr Shelley said ill-considered deregulation to free up drone operation without training comes with considerable risks.

“For example, aligning our drone training with other jurisdictions like Australia – which has taken a hands-off approach to farm use of drones – is very risky because Australia’s often flat terrain and wide open space is so different from New Zealand’s hill country and pockets of farms, lifestyle blocks and orchards.

“We have seen an orchard sustain $20 million of damage from spray drift that is more likely if we have a proliferation of untrained and unlicenced drone operators.”

Dr Shelley said when proposed changes to civil aviation rules were mooted last year they would allow flight over Parliament, prisons, private property and embassies without anyone having assessed the suitability of the pilot.

“The proposals then included a dangerous change of allowing flight on or within two kilometres of heliports without the agreement of the heliport operator.

“The proposals also relied on training as a risk mitigation, but training is currently poorly regulated and of variable standard. The proposals do not address the core problem of the lack of a remote pilot licence for drone operators.

Dr Shelley said drones are currently subject to Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Rules which are restrictive but assure a reasonable level of safety.

“Operators who need to operate outside of the restrictions of Part 101 can apply to the Civil Aviation Authority for a Part 102 certificate. The CAA will grant the certificate if it is satisfied that the operator’s proposed operating procedures will adequately control the risk of the operation.

“A combination of high demand for Part 102 certification and inefficient processes adopted by the CAA have resulted in a certification bottleneck and at times seen wait times as long as 18 months. While the wait time has improved, this has created political pressure for change,” explained Dr Shelley.

Dr Shelley said FENIX UAS looked forward to engaging with the Government on the reform process to ensure the reforms remove barriers for growth and enhance safety and security in aviation as intended.