Drone Services
A CAA Part 102 certified operator, flown by surveyors rather than photographers.
Scope
Most drone operators in New Zealand fly under Part 101, which is the general rule set anyone can operate under. We hold a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate, which is the certificated tier. It requires an approved exposition, documented procedures, trained and assessed pilots, and CAA oversight, and it is what allows an operator to seek approval for work that Part 101 simply does not permit. If your site has an airspace problem, that is usually the conversation.
- CAA Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate, No. UAOC105815NZ.P102..0366-0
- Certificate in force from 14 July 2026 to 10 July 2031
- Approved exposition, documented operating procedures and trained pilots
- Site-specific risk assessment and airspace planning before every job
- Public liability cover and documented safety case for client prequalification
- Flown by a licensed surveying practice, so the data is tied to survey control
Need site levels and contours rather than imagery? See topographical surveys.
Who it is for
Surveying and mapping
Topographic capture, volumes, contours, orthomosaics and 3D models, all tied to ground control so the output is measurable rather than merely pretty.
Inspection
Roofs, building envelopes, structures, tanks, towers and solar arrays. Close visual inspection without scaffolding, a cherry picker or anyone working at height.
Construction and progress
Monthly progress capture, earthworks volumes, stockpile measurement and site-wide imagery your whole team can use.
Marketing and media
Aerial photography and video for development marketing, project records and property listings.
What we can fly
Survey and mapping
- Topographic and site surveys
- Volume and stockpile measurement
- Earthworks progress, cut and fill
- Orthomosaic imagery
- Digital surface and terrain models
- Contour generation
- Photogrammetric point clouds
- Corridor mapping: roads, rail, pipelines, transmission
- Coastal, river and catchment mapping
Inspection
- Roof and building envelope inspection
- Structural inspection: bridges, retaining walls, wharves
- Tower, mast and antenna inspection
- Tank, silo and chimney inspection
- Solar array inspection
- Powerline and transmission line inspection
- Facade and cladding condition survey
- Post-storm and damage assessment
- Visual inspection of hazardous or hard-to-reach areas
Construction and asset
- Monthly progress capture and reporting
- As-built aerial records
- Site logistics, access and lay-down planning
- Crane and lift planning imagery
- Dilapidation and pre-condition photography
- Stockpile inventory and reconciliation
Media and marketing
- Aerial photography for development marketing
- Video and site flyovers
- Construction time-lapse
- Property and subdivision marketing imagery
- Project record and milestone photography
Operations Part 101 does not allow
- Flying within 4 km of an aerodrome
- Operating in controlled airspace, with ATC clearance
- Night operations
- Beyond visual line of sight
- Flying over people or property without individual consent
- Operating above 120 m above ground level
The last group is the reason Part 102 exists. Exactly which of those we can carry out on your site depends on the Operations Specifications attached to our certificate and any clearance required on the day. Send us the location and the job and we will give you a straight answer before you plan around it.
How a Part 102 job runs
Tell us the site
Address, what you need captured, and any constraints. Airspace, aerodrome proximity and overflight are ours to sort out, not yours.
Airspace and risk assessment
We check the airspace, identify what approvals or clearances are needed, and complete a site-specific risk assessment under our exposition.
Approvals
Where the operation needs a CAA approval, an ATC clearance or landowner and overflight consent, we obtain it before we mobilise.
Fly
Capture flown to a planned mission, with ground control established where the deliverable needs to be measurable.
Process and deliver
Imagery, orthomosaics, surfaces, volumes or models, in the format you asked for and in the right coordinate system.
Frequently asked questions
What is CAA Part 102 and why does it matter?
Part 101 is the standard rule set that any drone operator flies under, with fixed limits: within visual line of sight, daylight, below 120 metres, not near aerodromes, not over people or property without consent. Part 102 is the certificated tier. It requires an approved exposition, documented procedures, assessed pilots and ongoing CAA oversight, and it is what allows an operator to apply for approval to work outside those Part 101 limits. If a job cannot be flown under Part 101, a Part 102 operator is the only lawful way to do it.
What is your certificate number?
UAOC105815NZ.P102..0366-0, issued to GeoSurvey Limited, in force from 14 July 2026 until 10 July 2031. Happy to provide a copy for your prequalification file.
Can you fly near an aerodrome or in controlled airspace?
This is exactly the kind of operation Part 102 exists for. What we can do on a given site depends on the privileges in the Operations Specifications attached to our certificate, plus any air traffic control clearance required on the day. Send us the location and we will tell you straight away whether it is possible and what it takes.
Can you fly at night, beyond line of sight, or over people?
Those operations sit outside Part 101 and require specific approval. Tell us what the job actually needs and we will confirm what is covered under our certificate and what would need a further CAA approval, before you commit to anything.
Do you carry insurance and documentation for prequalification?
Yes. Certificate, exposition summary, insurance and site-specific risk assessments are all available for your prequalification and health and safety systems.
Is drone data accurate enough to build from?
It is if it is tied to ground control and checked, which is what a surveying practice brings that a media operator does not. For measurable deliverables we establish control and QA the output. For marketing imagery none of that is needed, and we will not charge you for it.
Can you inspect a roof or structure without scaffolding?
Usually yes, and it is one of the better uses of a drone. Close visual inspection with high-resolution stills, delivered as a report or as raw imagery, without anyone going up a ladder.
Do you do aerial photography and video for marketing?
Yes. Development marketing, project records, progress time-lapse and property imagery. It is straightforward work and priced accordingly.
What aircraft do you fly?
Our primary platform is a DJI Mavic 3E. Where a job needs a different sensor or endurance we will say so up front rather than making do.
Need a surveyor?
Send the site address and what you need delivered.