Unmanned Aircraft or drones include multi-rotor helicopters and other remotely piloted aircraft systems. If your drone is over 25kg maximum weight you will need to hold a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate. If your drone is 25kg or under, operation is governed by Civil Aviation Rule Part 101 unless you hold a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate. 

Civil Aviation Rule Part 101

• Allows you to operate during daylight hours. For practical purposes, this means after sunrise and before sunset.  (At night, you may operate a drone indoors or as a "shielded operation", which means within 100m of a structure and below the top of the structure.) 
• You must fly your drone below 400FT Above Ground Level (AGL) except if meeting specific conditions in the Civil Aviation Rules.  The aviation industry measures height in feet.  
• You must not operate a drone: 
• In a manner that creates a hazard to aircraft or to persons or property, including by dropping any object; and that creates a risk or hazard  
• Beyond visual line of sight of the aircraft 
• On or within 4 km of an aerodrome, unless the operation is undertaken in accordance with an agreement with the aerodrome operator; or under direct supervision of an approved person or organisation.

Two key requirements

• You must obtain consent from anyone you want to fly above; and
• You must have the consent of the property owner or person in charge of the area you want to fly above.

Council Guidelines for Drone use

As Kawerau District Council is the landowner of roads, reserves and other public places in Kawerau, in most cases you will need Council consent to fly a drone here.

Council permits the use of drones as set out in the table below: