Formal police warning after drone flown in helicopter flight path at Franz Josef

Franz Josef Glacier. Photo / File

Police have issued a warning to drone operators after a drone was flown in a helicopter flight path at Franz Josef.

On Sunday afternoon, a drone was spotted about 300 metres in the helicopter flight path at the Franz Josef Glacier Country Heliport.

The heliport manager immediately contacted police, given it was being flown directly over the landing pads.

The owner of the device told authorities he did not know about the controlled airspace or the rules about flying a drone.

Police said the incident was the second time a recreational drone was used inappropriately within a week.

"On top of that, another four sightings have been noted by members of the public in the two weeks leading up to yesterday's occurrence,'' police said.

"On this occasion, the drone was stopped before it caused any problems.''

Police have since spoken to the owner of the drone.

The man has been given a formal warning.

The Glacier Country Heliport has about 15 helicopters operating at any one time, police said, making it one of the busiest heliports in the country.

"Our whole community needs the heliport to operate safely and the unauthorised use of drones is potentially a huge risk to that."

In August, 2015, new rules came into force for anyone using an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone.

Among the rules is that the operator of a drone must first seek permission of people below the airspace they are wanting to fly in, before doing so.

An operator must also not use an airspace before getting permission from the person or body who owns that particularly property.