Jackson Unmanned Aerospace

22/10/2026

16/10/2026

If you are looking at buying a building wash drone, please call/email first!

We are seeing an influx of problematic and generally just really poor quality UAVs from China/America/Australia. Unfortunately a lot of these companies are clueless when it comes to the tech and are actually just setting up a trap for the uninitiated getting into the UAV space.

More than happy to offer free, independent, advice on who to talk to, what questions to ask and how avoid the headaches and wasted money.

23/09/2026

New Zealand’s UAV sector needs better regulation, not deregulation.

The foundation should be simple: pilot licensing and ratings.

Licensing provides nationally consistent competency standards, proper training and examination, and meaningful regulatory accountability.

Once pilots are appropriately licensed and rated, and aircraft meet appropriate standards, UAV operations can move into simpler prescriptive rules. Reducing unnecessary Part 102 workload without removing safety oversight or accountability.

Notification is not a competency standard or safety tool.
A training certificate is not a licence.
Deregulation is not modernisation.

Support better regulation and a professional pathway for our industry.

Read and sign the petition -

Petitions are addressed to the House of Representatives and ask that the House do something about a policy or law, or put right a local or private concern.

01/09/2026

Jackson UAS's employee of the decade is doing more dumb things to raise money for worthy causes.

600 and something pushups to go, easy peasy (with no cartilage in one shoulder....)

The NAPA Network legends are matching donations all day, so throw some money at the The Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ and make me regret my life decisions.

I'm raising money for a cause close to my heart and would love your support.

26/08/2026

UAVNZ responds to proposed changes for routine agricultural drone operations23 August 2026UAVNZ has submitted its response to the Government’s proposal to establish a simplified regulatory pathway for “routine” agricultural drone operations.UAVNZ supports the objective of making regulation mor...

20/08/2026

The Ministers anouncements today are concerning.

There is certainly an argument to be made for a prescriptive method of operating agricultural drones, but using terms like "routine" and "low risk" only displays the lack of knowledge and consultation that has happened on the topic they are supposed to be regulating.

If a JHA has potential outcomes in it that includes things severing limbs, its pretty hard to argue that the job is "low risk". Even ignoring all the chemical risks etc, flying agricultural UAVs is never "low risk", claiming otherwise is ignorance, wilful or not.

The industry has been lobbying successive governments for the same thing for many years: UAV pilot licensing. Little traction has been had as it requires investment of resources to establish. However, when combined with other controls such as standards and SOPs, it is the only way to achieve aviation and chemical application safety with a prescriptive method.

This image may be confronting, but it is the reality of what happens when you combine easy access to hardware, poor training and poor regulatory oversight. Luckily this person didn't die, there are many now that have.

We need smarter regulation, not deregulation. Do better.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/1067016/government-scraps-certification-requirement-for-some-drone-operations

https://aianz.org.nz/aviation-industry-warns-rushed-drone-reforms-risk-safety-and-environment/

12/08/2026

Great to have more good people in the maintenance sector!

AgSmart UAV is now pleased to offer DJI Maintenance Services to our DJI Clients. Not only are we CAA approved for DJI repairs and 12 monthly checks, we can also provide CAA approved monthly maintenance training.

11/08/2026

Don't forget to get your nominations in!!
https://www.uavnz.org/current-initiatives/awards-2026

06/08/2026

Smarter Regulation, Not Deregulation is whats needed!

Everybody agrees the current system is wanting, however UAVs are now serious hardware and have very serious consequences when things go wrong, as evidenced by the numerous injuries and deaths that have occured world wide.

Taking it back to first principles: If somone proposed taking four ride on lawn mowers and strapping them together, taking all the gaurds and safety systems off them, and then said we are going to make this fly and pump out 100l of chemical.... people would raise their eyebrows. Then lets propose to do it with less regulation...?

Everyone wants a succesfull and flourishing UAV industry in NZ, but without trained and competent operators, that is put in jeopardy.

24/06/2026

Free T-Shirts!

🚨 WIN AN SPS TEE 🚨

We’re planning spray drone demos across NZ and want your input 👀

Where do you reckon we should come?
Hill country? Dairy? Forestry blocks?

To enter:
✅ Follow our page
✅ Comment your region or toughest spray job
✅ Tag a mate who’d want to see this in action

🎁 Win an SPS tee
📅 Winner announced Friday 24th of July