What certification do you need to fly an agricultural drone in New Zealand?
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If you're looking at getting into agricultural drone operations in New Zealand — whether that's spraying, fertiliser spreading, bait dropping, or other work across agricultural, horticultural, or pest control sectors — understanding the certification pathway is the first step.
Part 101 vs Part 102
Part 101 covers the foundation rules for drone operation in New Zealand — airspace, airports, altitude limits, and safe flying practices. It allows you to fly within 4km of an aerodrome and is the starting point for most drone pilots.
Part 102 is the professional certificate required for operations that go beyond the standard rules. Critically for ag operators, the CAA specifies that Part 102 is required for agricultural operations including spraying, fertiliser application, and bait dropping. It is also required for drones with a combined weight exceeding 25kg, flying over people without permission, and other conditions the CAA may impose.
In practice: if you're operating an agricultural spray drone in New Zealand, you need Part 102.
The Agricultural Rating
Beyond Part 102, operators working in spray application, fertiliser spreading, and pest control require an Agricultural Rating. This is a CAA-certified rating that covers the specific skills and knowledge required for agricultural drone operations — autonomous flight planning, spray systems, chemical handling, and operational competency.
The full ag pilot pathway includes:
- Exposition writing (for your UAOC)
- Part 102 Pilot Certificate
- Operational Competency Assessment (OCA)
- Chemical Handling Qualification
- Agricultural Rating assessment
- Supervised and unsupervised flight hours
DroneTrust advises that pilots should allow 8-12 months to complete all qualifications, consolidation training, and assessments.
The UAOC and exposition
To operate an agricultural drone under Part 102, you need to be operating under a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate (UAOC). Obtaining a UAOC requires submitting an exposition to the CAA — a safety document that outlines your procedures, key personnel, risk management approach, and compliance systems.
The Agricultural Drone Association has developed an exposition builder tool, built with the support of Aerolab and DroneTrust, specifically designed for agricultural operations. ADA members receive a discount on the service.
Find out more about the ADA exposition service
The Operational Competency Assessment (OCA)
The OCA is a practical assessment that confirms you can operate safely and competently under your UAOC. For agricultural operators it's a required part of the pathway and typically completed after your Part 102 assessment and before or alongside your exposition submission. The OCA is also used for ongoing currency — most UAAOCs require pilots to complete regular competency checks to maintain their operating authority.
Getting your Part 102 certificate
The theory and exam component of Part 102 can be completed entirely online through DroneTrust — ADA's preferred training partner. The Part 102 course includes all Part 101 content, so there's no need to complete them separately. Once theory is complete, a practical flight assessment is completed with a DroneTrust examiner.
ADA members receive $100 off the Part 102 course.
Part 102 training through DroneTrust
ADA membership
ADA membership gives you access to discounts across training, exposition writing, and equipment — as well as a community of operators working through the same challenges. For anyone on the ag pilot pathway, the exposition and training discounts make membership pay for itself.