Drones over Waiouru: Responders join forces for drone pilot training

Training at Waiouru has provided emergency and defence personnel with some next-level drone piloting skills. Photo / Supplied

As the use of drones has been rapidly evolving over the past decade they are proving to be invaluable in emergency situations.

Around 25 people from Fire and Emergency, New Zealand Police, and New Zealand Defence Force have been improving their drone operating skills at the Army Training Centre in Waiouru over the past week.

Fire and Emergency district manager Jeff Maunder said drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), are an important asset in emergency response.

"We use them to detect hot spots at a vegetation fire, complete rapid disaster assessments in a natural disaster, locate people and animals in need of rescue and they also help us gain situational awareness," Maunder said.

The exercise was the first time the three agencies came together in one place to advance their drone operating skills.

"Fire and Emergency, Police, and NZDF work together in emergencies, and have been working together in the drone space for some time," he said.

"It made sense to complete the training together, leveraging off the capabilities and skills of each organisation and building our response capability on common platforms.

"The collaborative training will allow us to better support each other and work together when we need to respond to an emergency or undertake humanitarian aid and disaster response work here in New Zealand and in the Pacific."

Inspector Darren Russell, NZ Police's manager of aviation, maritime, and border operations said the training provides officers operating drones with enhanced skills for better outcomes in high-risk situations.

"Having our people training alongside counterparts in Fire and Emergency and NZDF to develop their skills with other highly skilled operators is of great value.

"Police appreciate the work of Fire and Emergency in this area and leading this training," he said.

The training was facilitated by Aviation Safety Management Systems and chief executive Andrew Shelley said the course was designed to build on the initial operator qualification and provide practical skills for real-world operations.

"We're grateful to the NZDF for hosting the course at the Waiouru defence area," he said.

"It enabled the course participants to be exposed to different climates and fly the drones in a controlled area where we could simulate different operational environments."

Staff Sergeant Daniel Klaassen, of the Regiment Royal New Zealand Engineers, said it was an opportunity to leverage the experience and lessons learned from industry partners.

"This is invaluable in this fast and ever-developing capability."

Maunder says the course was a combination of lots of hard work, vision, and exploring new ways to better support communities in an emergency.

"The drone operators are now well prepared and keen to get back and take the new skills they have learned out to the field," he said.