POLICE STANDPOINT

A police spokeswoman said frontline police staff were often required to respond to incidents involving drones, although the CAA was the enforcement agency under the remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) safety rules.

Flying a drone over people or private property without prohibited, she said.

If drone operation caused a safety risk to persons, property, or other aircraft – potentially breaching the rules – police would respond by taking all the details for forwarding them to the CAA.

If a drone was used in the commission of a criminal act, police might consider charging the operator with an appropriate criminal offence. consent was

The CAA recommended people contact the local police immediately in situations where they were followed by a drone, and then report the incident to the Privacy Commissioner.

‘‘Civil Aviation Authority’s business is primarily concerned with aviation safety and ensuring that operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) fly their aircraft within the appropriate rules without harm to people, other aircraft or property,’’ the spokeswoman said.

‘‘If the UAV is being used to invade people’s privacy then that’s a privacy concern.

‘‘If it’s being operated outside the Civil Aviation Rules then that’s a safety concern. The main risks with them being flown outside the rules is that they could collide with other aircraft, or hit someone or some property.’’