New Zealand NZ
New Zealand regulates by operation type, not drone weight or purpose. Almost all flying — recreational or commercial — happens under Part 101, which has no registration, licence or exam: just follow the rules. Higher-risk operations (BVLOS, flying over people, controlled airspace, most night flying) need a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate. There is still no mandatory drone registration system as of 2026, though voluntary registration on AirShare is widely encouraged.
Your plan
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You're good to go, just follow the local rules
- No registration needed
A 249 g drone with camera doesn't need to be registered in New Zealand.
- Bringing your drone in
NZ Customs generally does not collect duty or GST on a shipment/item valued under NZD 1,000 (GST on many such lower-value online purchases is instead collected at checkout by the overseas retailer). A drone carried in personal luggage by a visitor for their own temporary use is not treated as an import and attracts no duty or GST. Radio-transmitting drones must meet Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) rules and carry a compliance label (RCM or R-NZ); RSM can hold non-compliant imported wireless equipment at the border. Batteries: Carry-on only for spare lithium batteries. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares); over 160 Wh not permitted on passenger aircraft.
- Before each flight
Fly at or below 120 m (400 ft) AGL and keep the drone within visual line of sight · Get consent from the landowner/occupier before flying over private property · Stay clear of aerodromes; within 4 km of one you may only do a 'shielded operation' (close to and no more than 10 m above a structure) without air traffic control authorisation
Open official page
Flying
- Fly at or below 120 m (400 ft) AGL and keep the drone within visual line of sight
- Get consent from the landowner/occupier before flying over private property
- Stay clear of aerodromes; within 4 km of one you may only do a 'shielded operation' (close to and no more than 10 m above a structure) without air traffic control authorisation
- Night flights need either a Part 102 certificate or a shielded operation — otherwise daylight only
- Flying over national parks or other Department of Conservation (DOC) land needs a DOC permit/concession
- No mandatory drone registration exists yet, but the CAA has flagged a future registration scheme with no confirmed start date
Commercial use: New Zealand doesn't split rules by commercial vs recreational use — Part 101's standard limits apply to both. Only operations that exceed Part 101 limits (BVLOS, flying over people, controlled airspace access, most night flying, etc.) need a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate, which requires an application, an operations manual and demonstrated competency.
Official airspace mapRegistration & classes
| Registration | No There is no CAA drone registration requirement as of this writing. Voluntary, free registration/flight-logging on the AirShare platform (run by Airways New Zealand in cooperation with the CAA) is strongly encouraged and used as the de facto identification standard. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | No None for Part 101. Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate for higher-risk operations.. Part 101 (the vast majority of flying, recreational or commercial) has no knowledge test or licence. Part 102 has no fixed public fee schedule — cost depends on the operations manual/certification pathway used. |
| Remote ID | No No broadcast Remote ID requirement. Voluntary AirShare registration and flight logging serve as the main identification/traceability tool instead. |
| Insurance | Depends (min. NZD 2-5 million public liability is typical for Part 102 operators) Not legally required for Part 101 (recreational or standard commercial) flying, though strongly recommended since pilots are personally liable for damage or injury. Public liability insurance is commonly required as a Part 102 certificate condition and by commercial clients. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No There is no registration system for anyone, resident or visitor, so nothing needs to be arranged in advance for standard Part 101 flying. Visitors intending to fly over DOC-administered land (national parks, reserves) need a DOC permit/concession — apply via the Department of Conservation before your trip if this applies to you. Visitors needing Part 102-level operations (BVLOS, over people, controlled airspace) would need to go through the same certification process as a resident operator; this is unlikely for a short tourist visit. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Part 101 — standard operations | any weight, within standard limits | No registration, no licence, no exam. Follow the standard rules: 120 m altitude, VLOS, landowner consent, daylight only (unless shielded), 4 km clear of aerodromes (unless shielded). |
| Part 102 — certificated operations | any weight, operating beyond Part 101 limits | Requires a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate: CAA application, operations manual, and demonstrated competency. Covers BVLOS, flying over people, controlled airspace, and most night flying. |
Import & export
- NZ Customs generally does not collect duty or GST on a shipment/item valued under NZD 1,000 (GST on many such lower-value online purchases is instead collected at checkout by the overseas retailer). A drone carried in personal luggage by a visitor for their own temporary use is not treated as an import and attracts no duty or GST.
- Radio-transmitting drones must meet Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) rules and carry a compliance label (RCM or R-NZ); RSM can hold non-compliant imported wireless equipment at the border.
- Batteries: Carry-on only for spare lithium batteries. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares); over 160 Wh not permitted on passenger aircraft.
- Exact customs duty rate (dutyPct) for drones was not confirmed against the current NZ Customs Working Tariff Document — verify before a commercial import.
- Above the NZD 1,000 threshold, standard duty and 15% GST are assessed by NZ Customs on the declared value.
Export
- Military-grade or dual-use UAV technology can fall under the strategic goods/export controls administered via the Customs (Prohibition of Exports) framework; ordinary consumer/prosumer camera drones are not affected.
Costs
| Operator registration | Not needed Validity: N/A — no mandatory registration system is currently in force |
|---|---|
| None for Part 101. Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate for higher-risk operations. | Not needed |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 15 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying in New Zealand as a tourist Visitors
- Check you're within Part 101 limits
Simple recreational or standard photography flying needs no CAA registration, licence or exam at all.
- Get landowner consent
Ask permission before flying over any private property, including farms and stations.
- Check DOC land rules
Planning to fly over a national park or other conservation land? Apply for a DOC permit/concession first. Open
- Check airspace and register (optional but recommended)
Use AirShare to check controlled airspace, aerodrome 4 km zones, and to voluntarily register your drone and log flights. Open
- Follow the core rules
Stay at or below 120 m, keep the drone in sight, fly in daylight only (unless doing a shielded operation), and get permission before flying over people.
Sources
- CAA NZ — Drones · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- CAA NZ — Intro to Part 102 certification for unmanned aircraft · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- AirShare — Information for tourists · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- Radio Spectrum Management NZ — Buying overseas or online · accessed 23 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Night flight restricted−3
- Duty + VAT ≈ 20 %−12
- Radio / type certification−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works