MEDIA RELEASE
6 May 2016
Air Line Pilots’ Association Welcomes Guilty Verdict of Drone Operator
The New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association (NZALPA) welcomes the decision of the Christchurch District Court earlier
today, in finding a drone operator guilty of flying in restricted airspace and endangering a helicopter pilot at Pines
Beach, near Kaiapoi.
RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems), or ‘drones’, offer incredible opportunities to carry out tasks that
conventional aircraft currently cannot do, or can only accomplish at high risk to the pilot and others. However, when
RPAS/drones are not operated in a responsible manner and come into close proximity of conventionally piloted aircraft
they can pose a significant risk to aircraft, crew and passengers, both in terms of the consequences of an impact and
also due to the ingestion of toxic materials into aircraft air systems.
“It is therefore essential that government and stakeholders work together to integrate RPAS/drones safely into New
Zealand airspace,” said NZALPA Senior Technical Officer Dave Reynolds. “Operators of these devices, no matter how small, need to fully understand the rules and their responsibilities.
Education is vital, as is operator responsibility, and this is why we are advocating for mandatory registration of all
RPAS above 0.22kg (0.5lb) in weight, as is currently required in the USA. It is also NZALPA’s view that large RPAS above
25kg (55lb)) should be operated in accordance with the same or equivalent requirements applicable to other aircraft
sharing the same airspace, including operator competency and medical standards.”
NZALPA remains committed to its call for government, aviation safety regulators and the aviation industry to have a
collaborative approach to the safe integration of RPAS/drones into New Zealand airspace.