Photo via Good Free Photos
The New Zealand Government has set out a vision of how drones can be integrated into the transport system, saying it believes this to be a $NZ7.9b ($A7.6b) opportunity over the next 25 years.
It has detailed is vision in a paper Taking Flight: an aviation system for the automated age.
Transport minister Phil Twyford said drones would deliver economic benefits by doing tasks that are time intensive, expensive, and risky such as monitoring crops, inspecting power lines and helping with emergency operations.
“New Zealand has an opportunity to be at the forefront of drone technology with sectors like forestry, agriculture, and conservation already harnessing their abilities,” he said.
According to Twyford there are already over 77,000 drones in use in New Zealand (however this number would include consumer ‘toys’) and the Ministry of Transport is consulting on potential new powers for law enforcement agencies to seize or detain drones that are breaking the rules.
The paper says the government will consider what investment may be needed to support its vision and who should fund this investment: local and central government, drone operators, third party or public-private partnership.
“The drone sector is R&D intensive, with a focus on technology areas (eg automation, energy management, noise and configuration, positioning, detect and avoid systems, and air traffic management) that are also applicable to a range of other sectors.
“To fully realise the benefits of the regulatory interventions and investments in infrastructure and technology, governments also have a key role to play in supporting the development of domestic R&D capabilities and talent.”
The paper says integration into the transport system will require a coordinated cross-government (local and central) and industry approach to fully consider and address all the potential benefits and risks.
Leadership group planned
“The UA Integration Leadership Group [Made up of senior officials from the Ministry of Transport, CAA, Airways and MBIE] will provide strategic guidance and oversight of the work to achieve the safe integration of drones into New Zealand’s aviation and transport systems.
“Supporting this will be a cross-government group which provides a forum for agencies collaborate and coordinate on drone integration issues, and also regular engagements with the industry to provide operational and technical advice on drone integration matters.”
It claims New Zealand is already a world leader in drones as a result of its good reputation as a safety regulator, its ‘open for business’ mentality and its risk-based regulatory regime.
Aiming for first air taxi service
Twyford gave one example of drone innovation in New Zealand. “Zephyr Airworks have partnered with Air New Zealand to test and develop its self-piloted, electric air taxi here in New Zealand.”
The partnership was announced in October 2018 when the two said they had signed an agreement “to work collaboratively on bringing the world’s first autonomous electric air taxi service to market in New Zealand.”
No timeframe was given and the claim was at odds with the description of Zephyr as “the operator of Cora, the world’s first autonomous electric air taxi.”
That was not correct. Cora is a product of US based Kitty Hawk and Zephyr Airworks is “the operator of Cora in New Zealand.” And according to the Cora website, the vehicle is still in development, not operating as a taxi service.
Domino’s drone first delivery
In August 2016 pizza chain Domino’s announced plans for what it said would the New Zealand’s and world’s first commercial drone delivery service, with approval from the Civil Aviation Authority. The company made its first commercial delivery in November that year.
The service was being developed in conjunction with US-based Flirtey, a startup formed to commercialise drone delivery.
