Drone guidelines welcomed

BUZZ: Drone operator Grant Morrell, of Clareville, supports the new drone guidelines adopted by the Carterton District Council. PHOTO/FILE

A Carterton drone enthusiast fully supports new rules governing the use of the machines over council reserves.

Carterton District Council recently adopted a set of guidelines for using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones above its reserves, which introduces additional rules to those already set out by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The guidelines stipulate drones must not be used over playgrounds, pools or sports fields which are being used by sporting groups, anyone using a drone for commercial purposes must have council permission, flying is only permitted during daylight, supervision is required for operators under 16, and the operator will liable for any damages or injuries caused.

The guidelines also set out what types of aircraft are permitted and asks operators to be courteous and considerate to other park users.

Carterton hobby drone operator Grant Morrell said the guidelines were excellent, and he was pleased council had consulted with drone users to come up with the new rules.

"It's exactly what we are hoping it would be. And if other councils around the district take on the same rules that would be cool."

The rules were "common sense" and most responsible drone operators were already behaving accordingly, he said.

"It's sort of like having a 90-foot selfie stick - as long as you take in the situation and are sensible then there's no issue.

"It's common sense operation."

However, it was always good to have rules for those newer to the hobby and those "weaker" operators who liked to push boundaries, he said.

"It's really more about awareness and getting the information out there ... it's about being proactive."

Mr Morrell and other drone operators have set up a Facebook group, Wairarapa Drone Pilots, to provide information and support to enthusiasts in the district.

The council's community facilities manager Brian McWilliams said establishing guidelines was necessary.

"If you don't have guidelines it becomes open slather."

He had previously received about half a dozen queries from residents wondering what the rules were, but so far there had been no complaints made to council about drones, Mr McWilliams said.

South Wairarapa District Council amenities manager Helen McNaught said it was in the process of drawing up guidelines similar to those imposed by Carterton.

"We're aiming to be drone-friendly to responsible operators, making sure that they are aware of and operating under the CAA rules, and also that they are aware of the aircraft low-flying zone at the south end of Lake Wairarapa, and the airfields at Martinborough and Papawai.

"Our biggest concern is not so much the commercial users, but that entry-level drones are relatively cheaply available and are the sort of thing likely to end up under the Christmas tree this year. People need to be aware that they're not toys and they are subject to Civil Aviation rules."

It was hoped the council's drone guidelines would be approved by council before the end of the year, she said.

In the meantime, both South Wairarapa and Masterton District Councils were applying a joint bylaw which restricted people from flying aircraft over public spaces without prior permission.

Public places includes local roads, footpaths, parks and reserves and council-owned buildings.

Spokesman for Masterton District Council Sam Rossiter-Stead confirmed it was also in the process of drafting drone guidelines, although much of Masterton falls within the Civil Aviation 4km exclusion zone due to the locations of Hood Aerodrome and the Wairarapa Hospital helipad.

Drone users were encouraged to view the CAA regulations, the Wairarapa Drone Pilots Facebook page and to familiarise themselves with the regulations on the website https://www.airshare.co.nz/.

The Wairarapa Drone Pilots group will also be organising a drone expo to be held at the Wairarapa A&P Show at Clareville.