Good morning Stan

 

Your request below has been received and a decision on your request will
be provided as soon as possible and no later than 27 February 2026.
Responses to requests for information that are considered to be in the
wider public interest will be published on the New Zealand Defence Force
website ([1]www.nzdf.mil.nz).

 

Regards

 

Corporate and Ministerial Services
Office of the Chief of Defence Force
New Zealand Defence Force | Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa

[2]www.nzdf.mil.nz

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Stan smith [mailto:[FOI #33607 email]]
Sent: Thursday, 29 January 2026 12:31 a.m.
To: Ministerial Services <[NZDF request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Official Information Act Request –
Coordinated Aerial Systems and Associated Technologies

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization.

Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If in any doubt, please
forward the email to [3][email address] and then delete the email from
your Inbox. Thank you

 

 

Dear New Zealand Defence Force,

Tio 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

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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

 

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

[4][FOI #33607 email]

 

Is [5][NZDF request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to New Zealand Defence Force? If so, please contact
us using this form:

[6]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:

[7]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.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The information contained in this Internet Email message is intended for
the addressee only and may contain privileged information, but not
necessarily the official views or opinions of the New Zealand Defence
Force.  If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disclose,
copy or
distribute this message or the information in it.  If you have received
this message in error, please Email or telephone the sender immediately.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/
2. http://www.nzdf.mil.nz
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[FOI #33607 email]
5. mailto:[NZDF request email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections