Drone laws in New Zealand: flying there as a US tourist

Yes, you can fly a drone in New Zealand as a tourist, and there's no registration. New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority rules (Part 101) let you fly below 120 m, in daylight, in sight, and at least 4 km from any aerodrome, as long as you have consent from people you fly over and from the owners of the property you fly above. The big catch for visitors: national parks and other conservation land need a permit from the Department of Conservation (DOC).

The basic rules

Under CAA Part 101, you must:

Fly no higher than 120 m (400 ft) above ground
Keep the drone in your own line of sight (no binoculars)
Fly only in daylight
Stay at least 4 km from any aerodrome, unless you meet the extra conditions for flying closer
Get consent from anyone you fly over
Get consent from the owner or occupier of any property you fly over
Avoid controlled airspace unless you have approval
Keep your drone under 25 kg

Use AirShare, New Zealand's official drone app, to check airspace, find aerodromes and request approval in controlled areas. The CAA's drone rules page has full details.

The consent rule

Consent is where New Zealand differs most from the US. You need the property owner's consent to fly over land, and that includes public land: councils set rules for their parks and beaches, and some require a permit. Before flying in a town park or over a public beach, check the local council's drone rules.

Conservation land and national parks

DOC manages about a third of New Zealand, including all national parks. Flying a drone on or over conservation land needs DOC authorization. DOC uses a zoned approach: some areas are approved quickly online, others are assessed case by case, and some are rarely approved because of wildlife, cultural values or other visitors. Fees apply.

Popular places like Milford Sound in Fiordland, Tongariro and Aoraki/Mount Cook are in national parks, so plan your permit early or shoot from outside the park boundary.

Queenstown and cities

Queenstown has a busy airport and heavy helicopter traffic, which limits flying near town. See flying a drone in Queenstown. Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have controlled airspace around their airports; AirShare shows where you can fly.