Western Bay of Plenty District Council has given permission for the operation of drones on Council-owned land, provided operators obey all Civil Aviation rules and that drones do not cause annoyance, hazard or inconvenience to other users of Council's reserves.
Councillors made the formal decision after an increasing number of requests and queries from residents wanting to know what rules or restrictions were in place for flying drones in the District.
Drones - or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems - can be fitted with cameras and are a popular choice for filming landscapes, wildlife, cities and towns, concerts and events, extreme sports, private properties and promotional footage.
In New Zealand, Civil Aviation receives about 40 enquiries weekly from people working with drones and there are about 60 commercial operators and 12 companies developing the technology for industrial use.
Council's Reserves and Facilities Manager Peter Watson says the most important consideration for drone operators is to take a common sense approach and to comply with CAA regulations - including gaining the permission of landowners and the consent of any person they may fly over.
"Another key component of the CAA regulations relates to the exclusion zones and controlled airspace that apply in the District," he said.
Exclusion zones apply within 4km of any aerodrome.
There is only one exclusion zone in the Western Bay around the Waihi Beach airfield. In Tauranga City, there are exclusion zones within 4km of Tauranga Airport and Tauranga Hospital.
But drone operators should also be aware the controlled airspace for Tauranga Airport extends over a large part of the Western Bay, including Omokoroa, Te Puna and some of Papamoa.
"Some flying can occur in exclusion zones and controlled airspace if the operator has obtained the appropriate permissions from the Tauranga Airport control tower," he said.
Parks and reserves in the Western Bay considered the most suitable for the operation of drones are:
· South End Reserve, Bowentown
· Moore Park, Katikati
· Tetley Road Landing Reserve, Katikati
· Western Ave Sports Ground, Omokoroa
· Maramatanga Park, Te Puna
· Centennial Park, Te Puke
· Lawrence Oliver Park, Te Puke
· Paengaroa Domain
· Midway Park, Pukehina
Council will be reviewing its Reserves and Facilities Bylaw and may reconsider its approach in the revised Bylaw, intended to be adopted in 2017.