The Ultimate Guide to Drones
A curated Kiwi edition of IndustrialDay news, analysis, interviews, reviews, job moves, and related resources for Drones.
What to know about Drones
Drones represent a rapidly evolving technology sector with applications across diverse fields such as forestry management, parcel delivery, agriculture, conservation, and public safety. Innovations include drones capable of beyond-line-of-sight operation, autonomous flights for surveillance, and sophisticated imaging for industrial and environmental use.
Exploring the latest stories and developments in drone technology offers insights into how they are transforming industries, enhancing efficiency, and contributing to environmental and humanitarian efforts. Readers can learn about the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced imaging in drones, as well as regulatory and safety considerations vital to their expanding use.
Whether interested in cutting-edge drone designs, applications in commercial and medical contexts, or the future possibilities such as drone swarms, urban air mobility, and AI-enabled operations, this index provides a comprehensive overview of what drones mean today and where they are headed.
Kiwi Drones News
Regional stories with direct local relevance
Deloitte warns NZ firms to redesign work for AI era
Deloitte says NZ firms must redesign jobs and systems for the AI era as robotics, cyber risk and labour shortages reshape work.
Enhanced safety potential and lower maintenance costs
Airlines could cut repainting and downtime as the new drone system measures coating wear more precisely in about 30 minutes.
Microsoft says NZ contribution hits NZ$9.4bn in FY25
Local firms and agencies are using Microsoft's AI and cloud tools to lift productivity, as the company's NZ impact reaches NZ$9.4 billion in FY25.
TEKEVER & EPE join forces on NZ autonomous systems
New Zealand defence and security buyers could get faster access to uncrewed aircraft and intelligence tools through the new partnership.
Deloitte forecasts AI, data centres & media shifts by 2026
Deloitte predicts agentic AI boom, surging data centre and sovereign compute spend, and fast-shifting media habits by 2026.
AI & data sharing unite NZ power firms to boost grid resilience
Four major New Zealand power firms unite with Google X's Tapestry project to use AI for smarter grid inspections, boosting resilience for 510,000 customers.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to Drones
Workplace safety market set to hit USD $42.96 billion
Akkodis named specialist in Gartner physical AI services
Global handheld smart camera shipments jump 83% in 2025
Gartner warns misconfigured AI could halt G20 power
Forrester maps ten edge & IoT trends set to shape 2025
Recent Drones News
Aimer Farming secures NZD $750,000 to accelerate global growth
New Zealand's Aimer Farming has secured NZD $750,000 from Cultivate Ventures to expand its AI-driven pasture management tech and grow globally.
AI worksite safety for small business
Cheap AI tools are helping small firms cut worksite risks, from forklift collisions to hazardous inspections, while lifting compliance.
Logistics sector 18,000 workers short by 2028
New research warns freight delays and higher consumer prices loom as New Zealand’s logistics worker gap is projected to quadruple by 2028.
Three reasons to be worried about AI
Doctors and public health experts say AI should be paused until tougher rules are in place, warning of surveillance, lethal weapons and job losses.
Are ‘Crystal Battery’ cells an EV breakthrough?
Sulphur-based cells could cut EV battery costs sharply, with Theion claiming triple the range and far less energy use in production.
New caretaker for communications infrastructure
The eight-year deal will keep 2,600 Chorus sites running and support more than 100 jobs across Programmed’s service network.
Police drone data risks ending up on servers Chinese government can access - reports
Police drones used in trials are at risk of data ending up in Chinese cloud servers, but benefits outweigh risks, reports say.
Management of Agrichemicals – have your say
New rules could change spray planning, training and storage for farmers and contractors after a draft agrichemicals standard opened for comment.
New robotics technology improves bridge inspections
Bridge checks could become cheaper and more consistent as Waterloo researchers use autonomous robots, cameras and lidar to spot defects.
Five trends in facilities management you should know about
Sensors, drones and automation are reshaping building upkeep, with smarter systems promising lower costs and better occupant comfort.
Air NZ recruits drones for aircraft maintenance checks
Air New Zealand will now use drones to inspect its aircraft fleet as they undergo heavy maintenance checks in Singapore.
UAV specialist completes first oil tanker survey
The survey cut inspection time to a day per tank and reduced scaffold-related risks, as the ship sat in Singapore for ABS checks.
PhD student's wildlife-monitoring drone wins award
A Massey University PhD student's innovative drone for monitoring New Zealand's endangered yellow-eyed penguins has won the Innovate 2018 competition.
Commercial drones will only take off if safety is paramount
New Zealand's commercial drone services could be ready within the next two years, but only if enough research is done to make certain that the public is safe.
The Kiwi company driving commercial drone tech growth
Dotterel Technologies, a New Zealand drone technology company, has raised NZ$1.06m in a capital raising round led by Jelix Ventures, and has partnered with MIT.
Australian infrastructure projects make prestigious competition finals
Their software use has put six Australian infrastructure projects among 57 global finalists in Bentley Systems’ Year in Infrastructure 2018 Awards.
Airbus successfully trials self-piloted eVTOL aircraft
Urban air mobility took a step closer as the all-electric craft rose 5 metres in a 53-second self-piloted test flight in Oregon.
Drones are lifesavers in disaster zones
Researchers say the technology could triage disaster victims and monitor patients remotely, without touching them, in seconds.
NZTech's top three tech trends impacting the wellbeing of Kiwis
CEO Graeme Muller says these major tech developments will significantly impact lives of New Zealanders for the better.
Drones in disaster zones could prove a lifesaver
The technology could help rescuers triage casualties remotely, after UniSA scientists showed drones can read heart and breathing rates from three metres away.