Remote pilot competency in New Zealand

What the rules say

Each line is resolved from published facts of New Zealand. "Not resolved" means the corpus does not answer it in a machine-checkable way — never that the law is silent.

• Competency requiredYes
• Training requiredConditional
• Examination requiredConditional
• Proof of competency issuedConditional
• Operation-specific qualificationNot resolved
• Validity periodNot resolved
• Renewal or recurrent trainingNot resolved
• Minimum ageNot resolved
• Weight-based triggerNot resolved

What changes the answer

The published rules distinguish the part 102 category of operation.

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Approved Functions for Pilot Qualifications and Instruction

  The specified functions of an approved person or organisation under Civil Aviation Rule 101.202 include issuing a pilot qualification for operating remotely piloted aircraft, appointing persons to give instruction to operators of remotely piloted aircraft, and authorising a person to notify the aeronautical information service provider, for the issue of a NOTAM, of remotely piloted aircraft operations.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Night operations requirements

  A person must only operate a remotely piloted aircraft or free flight model aircraft at night if they have completed approved night training, completed a 30-minute shielded night flight if they have not flown at night in the last 90 days, equipped the aircraft with orientation lighting, and operate only one aircraft at a time.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Night operations training and recency requirements

  To operate a remotely piloted aircraft or free flight model aircraft at night, the pilot must complete an approved night training course, perform a 30-minute shielded night flight if they have not flown at night in the last 90 days, equip the aircraft with orientation lighting, and operate only one aircraft at a time.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Personnel notification and compliance

  The certificate holder must ensure that all operators and other personnel involved in operations conducted under the certificate are notified of and comply with the certificate conditions, Part 101, and the exposition.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Required contents of the operator exposition

  The operator exposition must address key operational matters, including personnel responsibilities, physical locations, a hazard register with risk mitigations, reporting procedures, training requirements, aircraft specifications, maintenance procedures, and inflight procedures.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• GuidanceNational rule

  Approval for In-House Pilot Training and Assessment

  CAA NZ requires operators seeking to conduct in-house pilot training or Operational Competency Assessments (OCAs) to demonstrate that their instructors have appropriate skills and experience, such as prior experience as a UA flight instructor and examiner.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• GuidanceNational rule

  Assessment of Prime Person Knowledge and Competency

  CAA NZ states that a prime person does not need to be an unmanned aircraft pilot and does not require aviation experience, but does need a practical understanding of the relevant risks and of relevant aviation concepts, and that the prime person's knowledge is evaluated during the CAA's assessment process.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• Civil Aviation Rules Part 101 — Gyrogliders and Parasails, Unmanned Aircraft (including Balloons), Kites, and Rockets — Operating Rules (consolidation) — Airways New ZealandOpen
• Civil Aviation Transport Instrument (CATI) 101-1 — technical standards for Part 101 operations — Airways New ZealandOpen
• Civil Aviation Rules Part 102 — Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certification (consolidation) — Airways New ZealandOpen
• Advisory Circular AC102-1 — Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certification — Airways New ZealandOpen
• CAA NZ — How to be a prime person (Part 102) — Airways New ZealandOpen

Known limitations

• Binding law and official guidance disagree on pilot_competency.competency_required; the binding position is published.
• 5 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE.

Other drone rules in New Zealand

• Do I need to register my drone in New Zealand?Registration in New Zealand depends on the aircraft and the operation: it applies once the published conditions below are met, each cited to the rule that sets it.
• What is the maximum drone altitude in New Zealand?Drone flights in New Zealand are held to a published general height limit of 121.92 m AGL. The limit is not absolute: the published conditions that change it are cited below.
• Can I fly a drone near an airport in New Zealand?Drone flights near aerodromes in New Zealand are governed by airspace and aerodrome restrictions: whether permission is needed depends on the airspace, distance or aerodrome type published below.
• Can I fly a drone at night in New Zealand?No. A published rule in New Zealand prohibits night operations for the operations covered here.
• Is BVLOS drone flight allowed in New Zealand?BVLOS in New Zealand runs through a defined authorisation pathway rather than an open permission: the published conditions below set out what that pathway requires.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in New Zealand?Whether an operation in New Zealand needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.

All drone laws in New Zealand