When you need a research drone permit

You will need this permit if:

• you’re using a drone for research purposes, such as academic use
• your drone will take off, hover, or land on public conservation land or water.

Maximum drone weight

With this permit, you can fly a drone that weighs up to 25 kg.

Related processes

• Apply for a commercial drone permit
• Apply for a recreational drone permit
• Aircraft activities

Why we have drone permits

Drones are aircraft. All aircraft operating on public conservation land need a permit.

Drone permits ensure we:

• protect the local wildlife
• respect Māori cultural values
• consider people’s privacy and let them enjoy the outdoors too
• prevent accidents and interference by following New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority rules
• follow relevant policies and plans.

Drone permit zones

We’ve divided public conservation land into three zones based on how well drone use aligns with the Conservation Act 1987.

To find out what zone you would be flying in, use our drone zone map.

View research drone map

How to use the map to identify drone zones

1. Open the DOC map: Discover the Outdoors.
2. Click DOC features, and select the category of drone permit zone you want to see from the features list (research, recreation or commercial).

3. A colour layer is applied to the map to show what drone zone each area of public conservation land is in (green, orange or red). Click on an area to see more information.

Things to note when using the map:

• Zones may change depending on whether you're applying for recreational, research, or commercial use.
• If the public conservation land you want to fly on doesn’t have a drone colour assigned, contact permissions@doc.govt.nz with the name of the conservation land. We can review and update the drone map with the correct colour. 

Get a permit to fly in green-zoned locations only

1. Check the drone zone map to confirm all areas are green.
2. Apply online for a green zone permit.

Your permit will be issued immediately and is valid for one year.

Apply for a permit to fly in orange- or red-zoned locations

1. Check the drone zone map to confirm the zone.
2. Download and complete the application form:
   • Drone use – orange and red category (DOCX, 96K)
   • Drone use – orange and red category (PDF, 145K)
3. Email your form to: permissions@doc.govt.nz.

What happens next

• For orange and red zone applications, we’ll contact you to give you a cost estimate for the processing fee. Fees can be higher than the minimum fee if your application is complex or if you apply for multiple locations.
• Once processed, we’ll let you know the outcome and send you an invoice for the processing fee.
• If approved, your permit will be emailed to you.

If you withdraw your application, you’ll be charged for any work already done.