Bring My Drone To New Zealand?

[RC5728]

We have 3 weeks in New Zealand split between the North and South islands.

Should I bring my Mavic 2, or are the laws too restrictive for it to be worthwhile?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Take it.
Doing both islands, you will find plenty of opportunities to fly, there are many places away from people, national parks etc.
This page will have all the info you need to check what the rules are, there are no licence requirements for hobbyists (as yet).

Drones | aviation.govt.nz

www.aviation.govt.nz

You'll find the Airshare map link in there for NFZs etc.
Not shown on that is a ban on drones in all DOC (Dept of Conservation) National Parks, which are extensive on the south island west coast, Fiordland NP etc.
A shame, but then plenty of people go to those regions to escape.
There are no drone signs at many popular places to reinforce this.

Probably some local councils through NZ may have bans on drones operating from land under their authority, local parks etc, worth checking if you want to avoid any council ranger problems . . . but if you fly early, no people etc, you'd probably be ok with quick flights in coastal parklands etc.

Enjoy your trip, it's a bit of a nice place

 

[johnnylang]

100% bring it! Regional parks on the most are no fly zones, but there are some spectacular places to drone and shoot! The north island seems a little more drone friendly to be honest, but do your research and you’ll be fine!

 

[RC5728]

Thanks, but if regional and national parks are no fly zones, what does that leave me with?

Can you guys recommend some places that are good for flying? Are any of the good hikes outside of national park boundaries?

Thanks

 

[Meta4]

Thanks, but if regional and national parks are no fly zones, what does that leave me with?
Can you guys recommend some places that are good for flying? Are any of the good hikes outside of national park boundaries?

Your questions have been answered and commented on many times before.
A little searching brings up several relevant threads.
Here's one to get you started: New Zealand (Leaving my drone home)

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Thanks, but if regional and national parks are no fly zones, what does that leave me with?

Can you guys recommend some places that are good for flying? Are any of the good hikes outside of national park boundaries?

Thanks

Heya, drones are not banned in all Nat Pks in NZ.

You can apply for a 'concession' to fly a drone, but there are some restrictions . . .

Recreational drone use

You must have a concession (permit) from DOC to fly a drone on public conservation land for any reason, including private and non-commercial use.

www.doc.govt.nz

Just under NZ$75 for up to 3 months, isn't too bad.

Lots of links there, but basically these pages tell you what parks there will allow flight . . .

Areas we recommend you apply to use a drone

Areas on public conservation land where DOC has assessed the effects of using a drone. If you want to fly a drone we recommend you apply at one of these locations.

www.doc.govt.nz

And what parks will not likely be allowable (some here are possible still) . . .

Using drones in national parks

You must have a permit from DOC to fly a drone of any size in national parks, including for recreational and commercial purposes.

www.doc.govt.nz

Fiordland NP is obviously a big one to miss out on (one of the off limits parks), so many iconic 'great' walks there.

But you can certainly plan to do some of the other parks, and hey, it's an island !!
There is so much coast to fly outside parks, and you can bet there will be some awesome places to fly.

 

[Meta4]

Heya, drones are not banned in all Nat Pks in NZ.

You can apply for a 'concession' to fly a drone, but there are some restrictions . . .

Recreational drone use

You must have a concession (permit) from DOC to fly a drone on public conservation land for any reason, including private and non-commercial use.

www.doc.govt.nz

Just under NZ$75 for up to 3 months, isn't too bad.

If you think that's not too bad, you haven't read it properly.
The DOC rules are quite impractical and totally unworkable for a tourist.
But there are loads of places to fly anyway.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

If you think that's not too bad, you haven't read it properly.

Without your elaboration on what, I can't assume what you mean, as yes there are procedures to go through.
So, the OP can read it themselves, and decide how bad they want to plan around this countries rules.

Sure as I posted before, take it, there are plenty of places to fly.

 

[johnnylang]

Thanks, but if regional and national parks are no fly zones, what does that leave me with?

Can you guys recommend some places that are good for flying? Are any of the good hikes outside of national park boundaries?

Thanks

In my very limited experience, north of Auckland is pretty good to fly with little restrictions around and some absolutely stunning beaches and coasts, it really depends on what you have planned for while you are in NZ and where you are going.

No fly zones are clearly signed around the parks, so you will know not to fly in places, but having the drone will take away the 'i wish i had my drone for this' moments you would get by leaving it at home, in my opinion anyway

 

[Davros007]

What’s the go in NZ with flying from a ‘drone zone’ over a ‘no drone zone’ (not a nfz). For example, here in Australia, I could take off from a road reserve operated by Main Roads WA, and fly over a shire that has no-drone rules, or private property that does not allow, as they don’t control the airspace. The only rules I need follow are CASA and some vague rules about “taking pictures of a person in a place they could reasonably assume to be private” - developed for change-rooms etc -, but the onus is on them to prove you took the pictures. Marine parks in WA have a height limit, but not national parks. I see in New Zealand you cannot fly over private property? Sounds odd - is it the same for hang gliders etc.?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

What’s the go in NZ with flying from a ‘drone zone’ over a ‘no drone zone’ (not a nfz). For example, here in Australia, I could take off from a road reserve operated by Main Roads WA, and fly over a shire that has no-drone rules, or private property that does not allow, as they don’t control the airspace.

I'm pretty sure it's the same there for overflight . . . but a lot of the beaut spots in parks there like Fiordland NP are way inside park boundaries, generally many would be too far for a consumer drone.

Also, NZ has the VLOS rule (as we do here), so effectively by banning use on / from land under their authority, they are probably limiting it to 500m or so flight distance, maybe 1km if clear LOS with good strobes fitted.

Councils are the same, a coastal park where a council bans model aircraft from use in the park . . . you can park 100m away on the road and fly over to a beach etc, but effectively if out of VLOS, you are outside the rules.
If you choose to fly out anyway (we all know just how easy / safe UAV FPV flying on device screens can be), then their policy effectively makes your drone flight LESS SAFE by not allowing you to be closer to your flight, and within VLOS.