A league of their drone

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it’s a super drone and its owners think its capabilities could be key in a crisis.

Skyworks owner operators Colin and Zoe Aitchison from Waikawa have one of just three DJI Flycarts in the country.

They hope the purpose-built cargo lifting drone could keep people living in isolated areas of the Marlborough Sounds connected with vital supplies in an emergency.

Food, water, medicines and even fuel could be taken by drone and distributed to people in need.

For Colin, who grew up visiting his family’s bach on Arapaoa Island, being able to help complement community emergency response efforts makes sense.

“We’d find out how we could best fit in with what’s already there.

“It’d be interesting to run some trials and see how it [the drone] fits into the already existing eco-system. “It’s a new capability in Marlborough, and as such we need to find the best fit for it”

“This isn’t about replacing helicopters, we’re not trying to replace them at all, it’s simply about having another tool in the toolbox.”

The experienced drone pilot, who has support from local business Picton Foursquare Freshchoice for trial deliveries, has been flying them for 14 years.

He first found drones after searching online how to stabilise his GoPro through his job as a skydiver.

“I was a freefall photographer tasked with capturing perfect imagery of what would be for many, a once in a lifetime experience as they tandem skydived from as high as 15,000ft. I was looking for something to stabilise the GoPro and ended up down an internet rabbit hole and discovered very early drones and could see their potential,” Colin explains.

Colin also recently became the first DJI Flycart Examiner in New Zealand.

“I started off learning in my living room in Queenstown,” he laughs. “There were a few scrapped walls.”

When Colin and Zoe moved from Queenstown eight years ago, Waikawa seemed like the perfect place for them.

With family in the area and the bach on hand, the move just made sense, Zoe says.

“Colin’s dad is here and it’s a great place to live.”

Capable of lifting up to 40kg and flying at speeds of up to 70kph, the drones are already being used to lift materials off barges and delivering goods, such as native saplings to steep slopes.

In another adverse weather event or other emergency, the drone could deliver to a central wharf from a barge or undertake deliveries to individual jetties, for example.

The only limitations are technological advances and regulations, Colin says. The company has a Part 102 Certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

This means that as suitably trained and qualified drone operators, they are exempt from many of the rules which apply to hobby drones.

“We can fly up to 3kms away, at night and as high as we need as long as notify other airspace users via NOTAM,” Colin explains.

Keeping the fragile supply chain going will take a team, he believes.

“It’s still in its infancy, but the possibilities are endless,” Colin says.

Marlborough Emergency Management Services Manager Matt Kerr agrees with Colin that drones in emergency responses warrant further exploration.

“The capability of lifting drones is of interest, although limited range and payload capacity present certain constraints in how that capability can be utilised in the field.

“Thermal cameras for wildfire management and human heat signatures in isolated environments are becoming increasingly prevalent, and improved lift capability emerging in the agriculture, horticulture and biosecurity sectors.

“Drones may be able to access impacted sites where helicopters cannot land to deliver essential items to those in need, cross-load emergency supplies if a road section is impassable; or deliver essential items from a barge ashore to isolated homes in our more remote Sounds communities.

“However, good emergency management practice emphasises that preparation and readiness ahead of any hazard event is where the real benefits lie”.