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Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
Question
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What meetings or consultations regarding regulatory options for agricultural drone operations, if any, took place between him, his officials, or the Civil Aviation Authority and each of the following before 20 August 2026, and on what dates: the New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association; the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association; Airways New Zealand; Fire and Emergency New Zealand; the Agricultural Drone Association; Federated Farmers; Horticulture New Zealand?
Answered by
Hon James Meager
Member for Rangitata · National Party · Associate Minister of Transport
Answer
Officials from the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority engaged with the following industry bodies during development of the 30 June 2026 advice on policy options for better enabling agricultural drone operations: • Aviation Industry Association of New Zealand (8 June 2026) • UAVNZ (8 June 2026) • New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association (8 June 2026) • Federated Farmers (10 June 2026) • Airways New Zealand (26 June 2026). Officials did not engage with the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association, Fire and Emergency New Zealand or Horticulture New Zealand before 20 August 2026. I met with the President of the Agricultural Drone Association on 6 August 2026. The meeting was attended by a Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport official.