Drones
Drone repellent
An Australian tech company called DroneShield develops technology to identify drones and then take them down. No shots are actually fired, but its drone detection system uses high-powered microphones… Audio, Gallery
Digital mapping of Antarctica
Professor Barbara Bollard-Breen is an associate professor at AUT. She is about to feature in the new National Geographic series Contintent 7: Antarctica. Using drones she is working with a group to… Audio
Mapping natural disasters with digital technology
Patrick Meier uses a blend of publicly available data, eyewitness accounts. social media posts and drone technology to build up detailed pictures of places after earthquake, tsunami or other natural… Audio, Gallery
Drone crashes into Otago albatross colony
A drone has crashed into a protected albatross breeding site, sparking a warning from conservation officials.
Avoiding mid-air collisions: the Budgie Paradox
Professor Mandyam (Srini) Srinivasan from the University of Queensland has recruited a high-flying team of 10 budgies and is flying them down tunnels to try to make them bump into each other. He's… Audio
The takeaway from a low-fact flying fast food yarn
Was it really news that a pizza was dropped onto a picnic blanket by a drone in a field outside Auckland? Is an age of food-by-air for the needy and greedy really upon us? Mediawatch looks for the… Video, Audio
Auckland the first to try out pizza delivery by air
Domino's has partnered with a drone company to become the first in the world to launch a commercial drone delivery service. The service will begin later this year in Auckland. Audio
Queenstown drone forces plane to divert
An incident where a plane in Queenstown had to change course to avoid hitting a drone was extremely dangerous, the Civil Aviation Authority says.
Drone Racing
A New Zealand team is heading to the World Drone Racing Championships taking place in Hawaii in October, and the sport seems poised to hit the big time, with ESPN broadcasting live coverage of the US… Audio, Gallery
Saving lives with drones
Keller Rinaudo of Zipline is using drones to save lives. Its fixed-wing drones are delivering critical medical supplies and blood into remote parts of Rwanda. Audio
This Way Up: Drone Worlds
Eight New Zealanders are heading to the World Drone Racing Championships aka the Drone Worlds that will be taking place in Hawaii in October this year. Simon Morton dropped in to a RotorCross event in… Audio, Gallery
Drone operator told to pay $1000 to charity
A Christchurch man has been discharged without conviction in New Zealand's first prosecution of someone for flying a drone.
Drones tech company flies into new Xone home
A drone technology company is one of 10 fledgling startups getting a boost to develop their products and services in a new Christchurch business hub.
New rules proposed on large drones flying over Chch parks
People wanting to fly large drones over council-owned parks and reserves in Christchurch may soon have to seek permission. Councils around the country have been introducing policies on drones after...
Drones to commandeer more human work
More human worker bees will be replaced by drones by 2020. Audio
Drone buyer's guide
George Block of consumer.org.nz has been testing drones. So what are the best models on the market, and what regulations do you need to comply with if you want to fly one here in New Zealand? Audio
This Way Up for 30 April 2016, Part 2
Drone buyer's guide; tech news: chatbots, PledgeMe, and Spark's Lightbox offer; and science: new contraceptives and genes that make you look older. Audio
Drone-Intercepting Raptors - Debbie Stewart
Police in the Netherlands are experimenting with the use of Eagles to bring down illegal drones. Could our New Zealand birds of prey offer a similar service? Audio
Drone Patrol
The Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club is one of the oldest in the country but amongst the first to adopt new technologies. Club patrol captain Matt Wade has spent the summer trialling a surveillance drone… Audio