No more certificates needed for some farm drones — but is it safe?

The government has announced it will scrap certification requirements for lower-risk routine drone operations such as pest and fertiliser spraying. The change, announced on Thursday, means affected operators will no longer need to apply and wait for certification before starting work (Beehive).

Associate Transport Minister James Meager said farmers had reported routine spraying operations being held up by costly and complex regulatory roadblocks. Critical public safety and environmental protections would remain in place, Meager said (RNZ).

From mid-2027, operators will only need to notify the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) — the government agency that oversees airspace — ahead of time for the drone operations covered by the reform (RNZ).

New Zealand had already loosened rules on drones under 25kg. The reform extends this to heavier drones, bringing the rules closer to Australia's, where 150kg machines operate under simple licensing (RNZ).

Regulation Minister David Seymour said his ministry investigated red tape hindering farmers, made recommendations to the government, and worked alongside Meager's civil aviation reform (RNZ).

The announcement builds on a longer programme of aviation rule changes. A Beehive release in November 2025 outlined a "global-first" Civil Aviation rule to cut red tape, clarifying that drones could be used for low-risk work such as surveying and mapping without certification (Beehive). Updated Civil Aviation Rules for drones and advanced aviation took effect on 22 December 2025, introducing a new Part 107 to support research and development. The updated rules are technology-agnostic — they do not single out particular drone types — and no longer require regulatory approval each time a design change is made (CAA). An April 2026 Beehive release said the accelerated aviation rules programme would better enable drone use in agricultural operations while avoiding unnecessary compliance costs on the sector (Beehive).

Under existing rules, drones and unmanned aircraft in New Zealand must follow the Civil Aviation Act 2023. Part 102 covers certification for drone operators, and a certificate is required to fly outside the standard Part 101 rules — for example, spraying agrichemicals or dispersing pest poisons (CAA). A Civil Aviation rules update project scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2026 will review the latest international standards on drones, including airworthiness and communication (CAA).

Industry response has been mixed. Aviation Industry Association vice president Dr Isaac Henderson said agricultural spray drones can be the size of a dining room table, travel at more than 70km/h, and weigh more than 100kg when operating, raising concerns about a drone flying out of control or its systems failing. The association's Simon Wallace said it had been working with the government for months on careful rule changes and called the reform hasty (RNZ).

Drone consultancy Fenix UAS director Dr Andrew Shelley said using a drone without proper training endangers the public and environment. He called for pilot licences after a week's basic training, another week for big drones, and a third week for spraying chemicals (RNZ).

The broader context here is the tension between making things easier for farmers and keeping people safe when the machines involved are large and fast. Henderson's description of spray drones weighing more than 100kg and travelling at 70km/h puts the stakes in concrete terms. Overseas incidents add weight to those concerns: a farm-spray drone reportedly hit and killed a motorcyclist in China last year, and a farmer was reportedly seriously injured using one in Korea (Korea Herald).

The government's framing is that lower-risk routine operations should not face the same regulatory burden as higher-risk activities. Seymour's involvement signals this is part of the broader regulatory reform agenda. The mid-2027 start date gives the CAA and operators time to adjust to the notification-based system.

What remains unresolved is whether simply telling the CAA you plan to fly will be enough to address the safety concerns Henderson, Wallace and Shelley have raised. Wallace's contention that the association had been working with the government for months on careful rule changes, only for the reform to be called hasty, suggests the industry and ministers may not be fully aligned on the pace or shape of the change. The international standards review starting in the third quarter of 2026 may also affect how the new rules work in practice.