Tēnā koe Amy,

I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request below.

Your reference number is IR-01-26-7726.

You can expect a response to your request on or before 1 April 2026 unless an extension is needed.

Ngā mihi

Jonelle|Advisor: Ministerial Services |(she/her)
Policy & Partnerships |Police National Headquarters |

-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Ferguson <[FOI #33956 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 4 March 2026 2:12 pm
To: Ministerial Services <[email address]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Official Information request - Updated information regarding operational drone/surveillance technologies

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the New Zealand Police Network. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and are assured that the content is safe.

Tēnā koutou,

Under the Official Information Act 1982 I request updated information relating to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), commonly referred to as drones, used by New Zealand Police.

This request follows previous Official Information Act responses provided to me regarding Police RPAS capability and pilot training, including responses dated 18 November 2019 (IR-01-19-28946) and 8 July 2021 (IR-01-21-18597).

Those responses outlined the number of RPAS held by Police and the number of trained RPAS pilots at that time. I am seeking updated information to maintain an accurate and consistent public record of how this capability has developed since those responses.

Please provide the following information as at the most recent date available.

1. RPAS fleet

The current number of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) owned, leased, or otherwise operated by New Zealand Police.

Please include:

the number of RPAS systems available nationally

the Police organisational units authorised to deploy RPAS.

2. RPAS operators

The number of individuals currently authorised to operate RPAS for Police purposes.

Please provide the number of operators who are:

sworn Police officers

non-sworn Police employees

contractors or externally engaged operators.

3. Aviation certification

Documentation confirming the regulatory basis under which Police RPAS operations are conducted, including:

whether New Zealand Police currently holds Civil Aviation Authority Part 102 certification, or

whether RPAS operations are conducted under another organisation’s certification.

4. RPAS operational deployment

Records showing the number of RPAS deployments conducted by New Zealand Police in each calendar year since 2021.

5. Imaging sensors and analytical capability

Information describing the types of imaging capability attached to RPAS used by Police, including but not limited to:

standard visual cameras

zoom or long-range optical systems

thermal or infrared imaging

mapping or scene-reconstruction capability

software or systems used to analyse imagery captured by RPAS.

Please also provide documentation describing any automated image analysis, object detection, or identification capability used in connection with RPAS imagery.

6. Image processing and data systems

Documents describing the systems or software used to process, store, or analyse imagery captured by RPAS.

7. Governance and oversight

Documents identifying the organisational body or governance group responsible for oversight of RPAS capability and associated data management.

8. Auditing and compliance

Documents describing any audit, review, compliance, or privacy assessment processes relating to:

RPAS operations

imagery or data collected through RPAS systems.

Please provide the information in electronic form where available.

If any part of this request is refused, please provide the relevant section of the Official Information Act relied upon and the reasons those withholding grounds apply.

Ngā mihi,
Amy Ferguson

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