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Last reviewed: 16 August 2026

Drones and Māori GIS

Drones can produce exceptionally useful local spatial data.

A short flight can create current imagery of a marae, whenua block, erosion site, restoration area, flood impact or coastline at a level of detail far beyond most public basemaps.

That same detail can capture people, private activity, wāhi, access routes, buildings and information that was never intended to become a permanent digital record.

Drone governance starts before take-off.

Current aviation rules come first​

In Aotearoa New Zealand, drone operations are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Under Part 101, current rules and associated transport instruments include requirements such as:

  • aircraft generally being under 25 kg for Part 101 operations
  • minimising hazards to people, property and other aircraft
  • checking airspace restrictions before flying
  • obtaining consent before flying over people and property, subject to the detailed rule conditions
  • maintaining visual line of sight except where specific permitted conditions apply
  • generally remaining at or below 120 metres above ground level unless operating under the specified exceptions
  • meeting additional requirements near aerodromes, at night and for particular types of operation

If an operation cannot meet Part 101 requirements, Part 102 certification may be required.

Do not rely on an old drone checklist. The aviation framework was updated in 2025 and is supported by current transport instruments and advisory material.

Check the CAA guidance before each programme of work.

CAA compliance does not answer every Māori governance question.

A flight may still need discussion about:

  • mana whenua
  • marae authority
  • landowners and occupiers
  • whānau using the whenua
  • wāhi tapu or urupā
  • cultural events or practices
  • whether imagery should be retained
  • whether a contractor may keep a copy

Permission to fly over property is not the same thing as authority to build a permanent high-resolution spatial record of everything visible there.

Decide what you need to capture​

A drone camera often collects much more than the project needs.

Before flying, define:

  • the area required
  • resolution required
  • whether oblique imagery is needed
  • whether video is necessary
  • whether buildings or people can be excluded
  • what time of day reduces unwanted capture
  • how long raw imagery will be retained

If the project only needs an erosion face, do not automatically create a centimetre-resolution orthomosaic of the entire marae and neighbouring homes.

Privacy applies to organisations​

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner advises organisations using drones to consider:

  • lawful purpose
  • what is being recorded
  • how footage will be used
  • how people will be informed
  • who can access the information
  • retention
  • security
  • how access requests will be handled

The Privacy Act 2020 applies where organisations collect personal information, and a new indirect-collection notification principle, IPP 3A, took effect on 1 May 2026.

Aerial imagery aimed at topographic features may not ordinarily be personal information, but close or detailed capture can identify people or link them to property and activities.

Plan for that possibility before the flight.

Tell people what is happening​

For marae, papakāinga, kāinga or community settings, a simple notice can prevent confusion.

Explain:

  • why the drone is flying
  • approximate area and time
  • what will be captured
  • who is operating it
  • where imagery will be stored
  • whether it will be published
  • who to contact with concerns

Where a small group or event is involved, direct kōrero may be more appropriate than relying only on a sign.

Raw imagery is often more sensitive than the final map​

A final orthomosaic might be cropped, blurred or restricted.

The raw flight set can still contain:

  • high-resolution photographs beyond the final project extent
  • people and vehicles
  • private yards
  • building details
  • image timestamps
  • GPS coordinates
  • flight paths
  • camera metadata

Govern the source imagery as well as the published product.

Drone platforms can create hidden copies​

Many drones and processing workflows interact with:

  • mobile apps
  • manufacturer accounts
  • cloud synchronisation
  • online flight planning
  • cloud photogrammetry services
  • contractor storage

Before collecting Māori-held or sensitive imagery, check:

  • whether the controller or app uploads logs
  • whether photos sync automatically
  • where processing occurs
  • whether files are retained by the service
  • which accounts control access
  • whether local/offline processing is available

A local flight can become an international cloud-data workflow without anybody deliberately choosing that architecture.

Orthomosaics​

Orthomosaics are useful for:

  • marae site planning
  • restoration monitoring
  • flood and storm damage
  • coastline and erosion change
  • forestry or vegetation work
  • access and infrastructure
  • construction progress

Keep the source and processing information with the output:

  • flight date
  • operator
  • drone and camera
  • processing software
  • coordinate reference system
  • ground control or RTK method where used
  • approximate ground sampling distance
  • known gaps or artefacts

Do not imply survey accuracy unless the capture and processing method supports it.

3D models​

Photogrammetry can create dense point clouds, meshes and 3D models.

These may expose more detail than a conventional overhead image, including:

  • building facades
  • roof details
  • access routes
  • memorials or carvings
  • private spaces

Review the 3D output separately before sharing it.

A model approved for internal asset planning is not automatically suitable for a public website.

Wāhi and sensitive places​

Avoid routine drone capture over culturally sensitive places simply because the aircraft can fly there.

Questions include:

  • Is imagery appropriate at all?
  • Is vertical imagery less intrusive than close oblique photography?
  • Should the place be excluded from the flight plan?
  • Who should decide?
  • Is the raw imagery more sensitive than the derived contour or measurement?

Sometimes the best technical answer is to create the measurement without retaining or publishing the most revealing visual product.

Contractors​

When using a drone contractor, specify:

  • approved flight extent
  • aviation compliance
  • data ownership and permitted use
  • storage location
  • whether cloud processing is allowed
  • whether imagery can be used in the contractor's portfolio
  • return of raw and processed data
  • deletion of contractor copies
  • security expectations
  • handling of accidental capture outside the required area

Do not assume commissioning the flight means every downstream data right is clear.

A practical workflow​

  1. Define the mapping question and minimum capture area.
  2. Check current CAA Part 101 requirements and airspace.
  3. Confirm property, people and local authority requirements.
  4. Review privacy and tikanga considerations.
  5. Decide where raw imagery and flight logs will be stored.
  6. Configure devices and apps to avoid unwanted synchronisation where necessary.
  7. Fly and document the capture.
  8. Process the data in the approved environment.
  9. Create separate internal and public derivatives where required.
  10. Review whether raw imagery still needs to be retained after the kaupapa is complete.

Sources​

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