360 New Zealand partners with Flightcontroller on South Island exclusive aerial imagery

A Queenstown and Wanaka-based digital media company has become one of a select few South Island aerial imagery businesses recently qualified to provide the highest level of services to clients across New Zealand.

360 New Zealand Ltd is excited to announce a new partnership with Flightcontroller Ltd, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recognised company which holds the necessary approvals to conduct flights in a wider range of special situations, not otherwise allowed under standard rulings.

360nz has been training with Flightcontroller for the past six months to pass stringent new tests enabling them to commit to providing a safe and extensive range of aerial imagery services.

The new partnership enables 360 to operate under the CAA’s Part 102 legislation, permitting them to fly remotely piloted aircraft systems (more commonly known as UAVs or drones) in a wide variety of scenarios. This includes operations higher than 120m above ground level, at night, within 4km of an aerodrome or heliport, and over populated areas.

“Working with Flightcontroller under their strict operation procedures gives us much greater scope for shooting photography and videography wherever and whenever we’re needed,” says Keith Stubbs, Director of 360 New Zealand.

“We can now shoot at public events and in many areas of Queenstown or Wanaka, as well as other locations around the country, that are typically off-limits for UAV operators.


360 New Zealand Ltd operating their Inspire 1 UAV alongside Flightcontroller. Photo courtesy of Southern PR

“The drone laws changed dramatically last August, providing a much needed level of safety and privacy for the general public. We immediately embraced these changes, operating under another CAA area of operation (Part 101) initially, but found restrictions too great for some of our clients.

“Working with Chris Knight from Flightcontroller has changed the landscape dramatically for us.”
360nz are specialists in virtual tour creation, as well as a variety of other digital medias, and are the team behind the local information website 360queenstown-wanaka.com. This new partnership will raise their aerial filming services, making them very attractive to many regularly-occurring public events in the region, as well as commercial film crews requiring aerial filming in specific locations.
However that is not the limit of services on offer.

“Over the past eight months we’ve been working hard to create a new 360 degree virtual reality product, shot from the air,” explains 360nz business partner Richie Johnston. 

The new service is called 360 Sky Tours, combining current 360-degree technologies with more recent aerial operations. 360skytours.com is aimed at tourism offices, large real estate developments, golf courses and other large recreation/entertainment areas such as theme parks and resorts.

“The new 360 degree elevated perspective is unreal,” says Mr Johnston. “It engages your audience far beyond traditional imagery, especially when they’re using a VR headset.”


360nz and Flightcontroller working together to plan a flight route. Photo courtesy of Southern PR

“We follow a strict set of approved Standard Operating Procedures in the Flightcontroller Operations Manual, which has been specifically assessed and approved by the CAA,” explains Chief Pilot, Chris Knight. “It means all the right checks have been completed and the correct procedures followed to ensure everyone’s safety.”

While all media services go through 360 New Zealand, Flightcontroller is providing more specific search and rescue operations, as well as drone surveying services.

“My background as a commercial helicopter pilot gives me a great basis for operating UAVs (or RPAS as they’re known as in the industry) in search and rescue scenarios”, says Mr Knight. 

“Serious accidents that happen in the Southern Lakes or Fiordland areas, for example, can often be in hard-to-reach locations, so drones are an ideal way of assessing the situation and providing vital support and information to emergency services.”

All flights, no matter what service is provided, are conducted by Flightcontroller. In accordance with their Part 102 Unmanned Aerial Operator Certificate, issued by the CAA.

For information around 360 New Zealand and Flightcontroller’s services, please visit their websites:
360newzealand.com
360skytours.com
flightcontroller.co.nz

To learn more about the UAV operation laws in New Zealand, refer to airshare.co.nz