Kia ora Stan,

 

I acknowledge receipt of your official information request to the CAA for
the following –

 

“any official information held by your department relating to the
presence, operation, testing, monitoring, or authorisation of unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, satellites, aerial sensor platforms, or
other coordinated aerial or space-based systems operating over
Invercargill and elsewhere in New Zealand.

For approximately five years, I have continuously observed and recorded
persistent aerial activity in the Invercargill area. This activity is
ongoing, structured, and repeatable. I have captured extensive video
footage over this period using night-vision recording equipment,
documenting objects and light sources operating at varying altitudes,
including low-altitude activity below conventional aircraft levels.

The recorded activity demonstrates coordinated movement and behaviour
consistent with a networked system of aerial platforms. The scale and
persistence of this activity resemble a distributed system of drones,
satellites, and nodes operating in concert, and it does not correspond
with known civilian aviation or recreational drone activity.

I am seeking clarification as to whether this activity relates to
authorised government operations, contracted third-party programmes,
trials, research initiatives, or commercial technologies operating within
or over New Zealand airspace.

In particular, this request includes any information held by your agency
concerning:

Any involvement, authorisation, monitoring, or awareness of aerial or
satellite-based systems operated by, supplied by, or associated with
SpaceX, Starlink, Elon Musk–controlled entities, or their contractors; Any
agreements, partnerships, approvals, briefings, correspondence, or
assessments involving foreign aerospace or technology companies operating
aerial or space-based platforms affecting New Zealand airspace;
Coordinated or networked UAV or drone operations, including low-altitude
aerial platforms; Aerial surveillance systems, sensor networks, or
autonomous or semi-autonomous technologies; The use of telecommunications
infrastructure, including 5G or related systems, in support of aerial or
space-based platforms; Any reports, assessments, correspondence, or
incident records relating to persistent or unexplained aerial activity
reported by members of the public or other agencies.

I hold a substantial volume of recorded footage documenting this activity
and am prepared to supply this material if it assists in determining
whether relevant information is held by your agency.

If this request, or any part of it, is more closely connected with the
functions of another department or agency, I request that it be
transferred in accordance with section 14 of the Official Information Act.

If any information is withheld, please clearly state the grounds for
refusal relied upon under the Act.

Please provide the requested information in electronic form where
possible.”

 

We received your request on 29 January 2026. We will endeavour to respond
to your request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 27
February 2026, being 20 working days after the day your request was
received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

 

Your request is being handled by the Resolutions team. If you have any
queries, please feel free to contact us at [1][CAA request email] with the
reference 26/OIR/155.

 

If any additional factors come to light which are relevant to your
request, please do not hesitate to contact us so that these can be
considered.

 

Nga mihi,

 

Eti Moananu | Advisor Resolutions

Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand  Q Aviation Security Service

Te Mana Rererangi Tūmatanui o Aotearoa  |  Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi

 

Assurance and Governance | Resolutions  

T: (04) 460 4829  E: [2][email address]

* Level 14, Asteron Centre, 55 Featherston Street, PO Box 3555,
Wellington, 6011 New Zealand

P  Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Stan smith <[3][FOI #33606 email]>

Sent: Thursday, 29 January 2026 12:27 am

To: OIA <[4][email address]>

Subject: Official Information request - Official Information Act Request –
Coordinated Aerial Systems and Associated Technologies

 

Dear Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, To whom it may concern, I am
making this request under the Official Information Act 1982 for any
official information held by your department relating to the presence,
operation, testing, monitoring, or authorisation of unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs), drones, satellites, aerial sensor platforms, or other
coordinated aerial or space-based systems operating over Invercargill and
elsewhere in New Zealand.

For approximately five years, I have continuously observed and recorded
persistent aerial activity in the Invercargill area. This activity is
ongoing, structured, and repeatable. I have captured extensive video
footage over this period using night-vision recording equipment,
documenting objects and light sources operating at varying altitudes,
including low-altitude activity below conventional aircraft levels.

The recorded activity demonstrates coordinated movement and behaviour
consistent with a networked system of aerial platforms. The scale and
persistence of this activity resemble a distributed system of drones,
satellites, and nodes operating in concert, and it does not correspond
with known civilian aviation or recreational drone activity.

I am seeking clarification as to whether this activity relates to
authorised government operations, contracted third-party programmes,
trials, research initiatives, or commercial technologies operating within
or over New Zealand airspace.

In particular, this request includes any information held by your agency
concerning:

Any involvement, authorisation, monitoring, or awareness of aerial or
satellite-based systems operated by, supplied by, or associated with
SpaceX, Starlink, Elon Musk–controlled entities, or their contractors; Any
agreements, partnerships, approvals, briefings, correspondence, or
assessments involving foreign aerospace or technology companies operating
aerial or space-based platforms affecting New Zealand airspace;
Coordinated or networked UAV or drone operations, including low-altitude
aerial platforms; Aerial surveillance systems, sensor networks, or
autonomous or semi-autonomous technologies; The use of telecommunications
infrastructure, including 5G or related systems, in support of aerial or
space-based platforms; Any reports, assessments, correspondence, or
incident records relating to persistent or unexplained aerial activity
reported by members of the public or other agencies.

I hold a substantial volume of recorded footage documenting this activity
and am prepared to supply this material if it assists in determining
whether relevant information is held by your agency.

If this request, or any part of it, is more closely connected with the
functions of another department or agency, I request that it be
transferred in accordance with section 14 of the Official Information Act.

If any information is withheld, please clearly state the grounds for
refusal relied upon under the Act.

Please provide the requested information in electronic form where
possible.

 

Regards Stan Smith

 

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This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[5][FOI #33606 email]

 

Is [6][CAA request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand? If so, please contact us using
this form:

[7]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[8]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

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