More people buying and flying drones in New Zealand
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) senior communications adviser Mike Eng said there had been 29 reported incidents involving drones this year.
DESPITE ties with war and terror, drones are gaining popularity among civilians in New Zealand.
The remotely piloted aircraft can be equipped with multiple rotors, GPS and gyro sensors, and small video cameras.
Google and Amazon in the United States are seeking government approval to trial drone-based deliveries, and Nasa is using high-altitude versions to help meteorologists better understand tropical storms.
They are also finding uses in site inspection, search and rescue, commercial filmmaking, policing, and agriculture. Plus, ‘‘dronies’’ have been dubbed the new selfies.
Online retailer Rubber Monkey, based in Wellington, sells drones nationwide.
Hugh Day, in sales and support, said he’d sold about 30 drones to ‘‘prosumers’’ and consumers over the last four or five months.
‘‘Last year we were selling one or two a week, now we’re selling two, three, four.’’
‘‘It’s totally ramped up in the last year, the last six months. It’s gone from being a specialist item to being a commodity almost anyone can own.’’
Hong Kong-based company DJI Innovations made the most popular and prevalent products on the market, he said. Top-selling models sold between $1500 and $2500.
‘‘DJI released Phantom to the masses. Now, we mainly sell the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+.
‘‘If you can fly a little helicopter from ToyWorld, you can fly one of these.’’
Many of his customers were filmmakers, and used drones for aerial footage.
‘‘Before drones, you’d have to hire a helicopter, and a camera operator. But with this you can spend just $1600 and get aerial shots from a camera that’s not as great, but it’s stable, and you can do it on a budget.’’
Authorities are developing new rules to try to catch up with the rapid increase in recreational, commercial, and public use of drones. Aircraft weighing between 15kg and 25kg may only be used if constructed and operated under the authority of Model Flying NZ, the national association for RPAS (remotely piloted aircraft system) and model aircraft enthusiasts.
But aviation regulators around the world are grappling with how to integrate the lighter and more common RPAS into existing aviation safety systems. Proposed changes in New Zealand were available for public consultation until January 30 next year.
Day has been following the regulation proposals, and tells his customers to consult with their local council and the police, ‘‘just in case. They don’t need permission for a model under 5kg, but just for a heads up’’.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) senior communications advisor Mike Eng said there had been 29 reported incidents involving drones this year, up from 12 in both 2013 and 2012, and just one in 2010. Breaches of civil aviation rules could lead to a fine, written warning, or prosecution by the CAA.
‘‘They are lots of fun but it’s important that users are aware of their safety obligations.
‘‘Sticking to the rules helps improve safety for other aviation operations, as well as for people and property on the ground.’’