Flying in New Zealand - Queenstown

[adiru]

Consider yourself lucky. The NZ CAA (equivalent to the FAA in the US) has fined tourists two have posted YouTube videos of illegal drone flights in NZ. (Last year, a British YouTuber got fined after making a flight (similar to yours) in downtown Auckland.) Once you've left NZ, you're probably OK. But it's still not a good idea.

Realistically folks, the FBI still hasn't been able to get NZ to extradite the pirate Kim Dot Com (biggest fish in the sea) so I'm going to laugh really hard if them NZ folks think they can fine me after I'm already back state side.

 

[finlayson]

As I said, now that you've left NZ, you're probably OK. But your flight was still reckless and dumb.

 

[Ziggy01]

I was on vacation from the US. I thought worst case, I lose the Mavic by it getting blown away from the wind (windy that day at high alts, so much so that they canceled the skyjump/skywalk a while later that day) . I doubt anyone would have found/fined me, but I was okay with paying the fine. It doesn't show in this clip, but later I actually flew a close in to get some good shoots of the people in orange jumpsuits on the skywalk thing. A poster on here said someone in Auckland was threatened with jail time? I would have high tailed it to the nearest US embassy if that was the case and I thought it might have happened to me. This isn't something I'd do in the US back at home btw, but seeing as how I was on vacation to Auckland, I decided to chance it. Not like they will extradite me or anything lol.

Jesus, what an attitude.

Are you aware of how arrogant you sound and how stupid your behaviour was (and probably is)?

 

[adiru]

As I said, now that you've left NZ, you're probably OK. But your flight was still reckless and dumb.

Why the "probably"... its more like "beyond a reasonable doubt" Ok.

Jesus, what an attitude.

Are you aware of how arrogant you sound and how stupid your behaviour was (and probably is)?

FYI, for what it is worth, I was staying at the Skycity hotel, and was in one of the rooms that had access to the courtyard or whatever it was called, which gave me straight up access to the skytower itself. No body complained. Besides the 400ft rule was within any structure, so I wasn't flying 400 feet higher than the skytower and plus last I checked FAA has no jurisdiction in New Zealand. (not to mention FAA got it handed to them today in the recent rulings and I'm not even asking for my $5 back)