The Tararua District Council has moved into the hi-tech world of drones, but they're not toys, rather essential business tools.
"The council is embarking on its long-planned drone project to build capacity around the new technology," Peter Wimsett, council's manager of strategy and district development, said.
"Other councils have noted quick paybacks with inspection work in bridges and buildings being particularly effective, while use in emergencies will provide fundamental improvements in how we assess issues and make appropriate response decisions."
Council will have access to four trained people from its IT team and Tararua Alliance to operate the drones.
"We've purchased three drones and spent as much on their cameras as the drones themselves, but they'll be invaluable in a wide range of circumstances," Mr Wimsett said.
One camera is heat sensing and can be used for fire and people detection, with a high-resolution camera.