The use of lightweight drones or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), is allowed in most parks and reserves managed by the Council, but there are some important rules and guidelines to follow.

Request permission to fly over Council property

You must have Christchurch City Council's permission to fly:

  • Over Council permission-required areas (see map below).
  • Over Council roads or buildings.
  • Over a permitted event taking place on public land. Applications must be received at least 10 working days before the event begins setting up.
  • An RPAS that weighs more than 1.5 kilograms over any Council property.

For Council properties that are not permission-required, you can fly a lightweight drone (1.5 kilograms max) without asking the Council's permission. 

All RPAS operators must be aware of, and comply with, Civil Aviation Rules at all times.

Most of Christchurch City is located within Civil Aviation Authority controlled airspace.

To provide for safe and legal operations, RPAS operators are referred to the following sources of information: 

For all RPAS flights, regardless of weight, permission must always be sought from the Council for the following areas:

  • Heritage and garden parks, and cemeteries
  • Within 10 metres of an open-air public pool or playground, or the boundary of any park
  • The Council's legal road corridor on the coast – Scarborough Boat Ramp to Godley Head, and on Banks Peninsula
  • Over Council property at Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere), Birdlings Flat, Brooklands Lagoon, Travis Wetland, Charlesworth Reserve, McCormack's Bay, South Shore Spit, Bromley Oxidation ponds, Bexley Wetland, Ferrymead Wetland and Linwood Paddock.
  • Council roads. The Council may consent to RPAS flights over Council roads once you provide:
    • CAA Part 102 certification.
    • Evidence of public liability insurance cover and aviation insurance covering the use of the RPAS.
    • A flight plan, including a hazard and/or traffic management plan.
  • Council buildings. The Council may consent to RPAS flights over Council buildings once you provide:
    • CAA Part 102 certification.
    • Evidence of adequate safety assessments and controls.
    • A flight plan, including a hazard and/or traffic management plan.

The map below shows Council parks and reserves where small drones may be flown without permission.

Any drone or RPAS that weighs more the 1.5kg will still need to request permission, however.

Please also check Airshare(external link) for information on Civil Aviation Authority-controlled airspace.

Council parks and reserves


You may wish to operate your drone away from more developed areas. Look for 'preferred area' in the pop-up descriptions on the map for more remote locations.

If there is an urgent risk to public safety, contact the police.

If a drone flies above your property without permission or you feel your privacy has been breached, you can make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner(external link) or the Civil Aviation Authority(external link).

Any breaches of civil aviation rules must be referred to the Civil Aviation Authority(external link).