I received a very pleasant surprise this morning in the form of an email from our beloved New Zealand Government. The regulatory body in New Zealand that governs all things that fly is called the CAA. We also have a government department set up to explore and advise the CAA on UAV's. This department is called Callaghan Innovation. Callaghan Innovation has prepared a report which looks likely to be adopted by the CAA that approves BLOS (Beyond Line of Sight) UAV flight. Currently, BLOS flight is actually technically legal here but this new ruling looks likely to clarify that grey area and actually promotes the use of BLOS as good for the economy.
For those of you who don't know much about NZ its primary industries are exporting foods and timber. NZ is covered with farms and forestry and the report states that by approving BLOS, UAV's can be adapted for use to monitor farms and forests for a whole host of things that needs to be checked regularly that currently require a farmer to jump in his truck or motorbike and travel to, or forestry staff to use a helicopter to check. The savings to the economy are being touted in the $150m- $200m mark by fully adopting BLOS with some conditions attached.
While many countries are reacting in a typical 'knee-jerk' fashion to UAV technology, I'm very pleased that our leaders are actually assessing UAVs for what they are and how they can help our rural and primary industries to grow, make more money and pay more taxes. New Zealand, the drone friendly country!!
https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/sites/all/files/UAV-benefits-study.pdf
For those of you who don't know much about NZ its primary industries are exporting foods and timber. NZ is covered with farms and forestry and the report states that by approving BLOS, UAV's can be adapted for use to monitor farms and forests for a whole host of things that needs to be checked regularly that currently require a farmer to jump in his truck or motorbike and travel to, or forestry staff to use a helicopter to check. The savings to the economy are being touted in the $150m- $200m mark by fully adopting BLOS with some conditions attached.
While many countries are reacting in a typical 'knee-jerk' fashion to UAV technology, I'm very pleased that our leaders are actually assessing UAVs for what they are and how they can help our rural and primary industries to grow, make more money and pay more taxes. New Zealand, the drone friendly country!!
https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/sites/all/files/UAV-benefits-study.pdf
