Part 102 Certification: The Complete Guide for NZ Companies

Commercial drone operations are transforming how New Zealand companies work - from construction site monitoring and infrastructure inspections to agricultural surveying and emergency response. But if your organisation wants to do more than basic drone flying, you need Part 102 certification.

This guide covers everything decision makers need to know about Part 102 drone certification in New Zealand: what it is, what it enables, how to get certified, and what it costs.

Part 101 vs Part 102: What's the Difference?

Understanding the difference between Part 101 and Part 102 is the starting point for any company considering commercial drone operations.

Part 101: The Basic Rules

Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Rules sets out the default operating conditions for unmanned aircraft in New Zealand. Under Part 101, you can fly a drone without any certification, but you must comply with a set of restrictions including:

• Fly only in daylight, unless it's a shielded operation or you hold a Night Rating
• Maintain visual line of sight at all times
• Stay below 120 metres above ground level
• Get ATC clearance before flying in controlled airspace
• Do not fly over people who aren't part of your operation
• Stay 4 km from aerodromes unless you hold a pilot qualification and have the aerodrome operator's agreement
• Give way to all manned aircraft

For a lot of everyday flying, paid or not, Part 101 is enough. But for companies that need their drones to do real work in real-world conditions, these restrictions quickly become limiting.

Part 102: Beyond the Limits

Part 102 certification allows your organisation to operate drones outside the standard Part 101 rules. With Part 102 certification, your company could:

• Fly over people without their consent: needed for construction sites, events and urban work
• Fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS): large-area surveys, pipelines and corridor work
• Fly a drone over 25 kg: bigger payloads and longer flights
• Spray, spread fertiliser or drop bait: agricultural and pest-control work
• Fly over property without the owner's permission: linear infrastructure and wide-area work
  

Part 102 doesn't give you a blanket permission to do anything. Your operations are governed by the scope defined in your organisation's exposition document - the operations manual that the CAA reviews and approves as part of your certification.

Why NZ Companies Are Getting Part 102 Certified

The Competitive Advantage

Across New Zealand, the drone industry is maturing rapidly. What was once a novelty is now a serious operational tool, and the market is increasingly separating certified operators from uncertified ones.

Government agencies, councils, and large corporates are writing Part 102 certification into their procurement requirements. If your company can't demonstrate Part 102 certification, you're excluded from these contracts before you even submit a proposal.

Industry Applications

Part 102 certification is enabling more capable drone operations across multiple sectors:

Construction and Infrastructure

• Progress monitoring of active construction sites (requires flying over workers)
• Bridge and building inspections at heights exceeding 120 metres
• Night-time thermal imaging for leak detection and energy auditing

Agriculture and Horticulture

• Large-scale crop health monitoring beyond visual line of sight
• Precision spraying operations over extensive farmland
• Livestock monitoring across large pastoral operations

Surveying and Mapping

• High-altitude photogrammetry for topographic mapping
• Corridor surveys for roads, railways, and pipelines
• Volumetric surveys in active quarries and mining operations

Energy and Utilities

• Power line and transmission tower inspections
• Wind turbine blade inspections
• Solar farm monitoring and thermal analysis

Local Government

• Coastal erosion monitoring
• Stormwater and flood assessment
• Asset management across council infrastructure
• Emergency response and search operations

Film, Media, and Events

• Aerial cinematography over populated areas
• Live event coverage
• Real estate and event filming over people

How to Get Part 102 Certified: The Step-by-Step Process

Part 102 certification involves two parallel tracks: certifying your organisation and certifying your pilots.

Track 1: Organisational Certification (UAOC)

Your company needs an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate (UAOC) - the CAA-issued certificate confirming your organisation meets the standards for Part 102 operations.

Step 1: Exposition Writing

The exposition is your organisation's comprehensive operations manual. It details every aspect of how your company will conduct drone operations safely and in compliance with aviation rules. A well-written exposition covers:

• Organisational structure and responsibilities
• Standard operating procedures for each type of operation
• Risk assessment and mitigation methodologies
• Equipment maintenance and airworthiness management
• Emergency and contingency procedures
• Pilot training, competency, and currency requirements
• Record-keeping, reporting, and documentation systems

Writing an exposition to CAA standards is a significant undertaking. Many companies choose to work with specialists - DroneTrust's exposition writing service handles this process end-to-end, ensuring your document meets CAA expectations and maximising the chances of approval without extensive revisions.

Step 2: CAA Review and Approval

Once submitted, the CAA reviews your exposition in detail. Expect a thorough review process with queries, clarification requests, and potential amendments. The review period is typically several months.

Step 3: UAOC Issued

When the CAA is satisfied, they issue your UAOC. Your organisation is now certified to conduct operations within the scope defined in your exposition.

Track 2: Pilot Certification

Each pilot who will fly under your UAOC needs a Part 102 Drone Pilot Certificate.

Part 102 Training Course

Pilots train with a CAA-certificated (Part 141) training organisation. DroneTrust's Part 102 Drone Pilot Certificate Course has the theory online and self-paced, so teams anywhere in New Zealand can do it, then a practical flight test with one of our examiners.

The course covers:

• Advanced flight planning and airspace management
• Regulatory framework for Part 102 operations
• Risk management and safety procedures
• Human factors and crew resource management
• Operational procedures and documentation

Competency Assessment

After passing the flight test, each pilot is inducted onto your UAOC through an Operational Competency Assessment (OCA) on the drones in your exposition.

The Smart Approach: Run Both Tracks in Parallel

Here's practical advice: start the exposition process and pilot training at the same time. Once the exposition is submitted, approval takes 8-10 months, mostly time in the CAA's queue, and pilot training fits inside that wait. This means your organisation and your pilots are ready to go simultaneously.

Timeline and Investment

Realistic Timeline

Phase	Duration
Exposition writing	4–6 weeks
CAA review and approval	8-10 months
Pilot Part 102 training	Flexible (online, self-paced)
Total end-to-end	About 9-12 months

Investment Breakdown

Component	Cost (excl gst)
Exposition writing (professional service)	$2,000-$3,500 (discounted for ADA members)
CAA submission fee	$568
CAA assessment	Hourly fee, billed by the CAA
Part 102 Drone Pilot Certificate	$1295 per pilot
Annual OCA assessment	$629 per pilot

For a company with three pilots not doing agricultural work, the first-year investment (excl gst) would typically be:

• Exposition writing: ~$2500
• CAA submission and assessment costs: ~$2000
• Three pilots × $1295: $3885
• Total first year: ~$8385
• Ongoing annual cost (3 × OCA): ~$1,887

When compared to the value of contracts that require Part 102 certification — which can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars — the investment in certification delivers a strong return.

Maintaining Your Part 102 Certification

Certification isn't a one-off event. To maintain your Part 102 status:

Annual OCA Assessments

Each pilot flying under your UAOC must pass an annual Operational Competency Assessment (OCA). Passing it also renews their Part 102 Drone Pilot Certificate for another two years from the OCA date. DroneTrust runs OCAs to keep your team current.

Exposition Updates

As your operations evolve — new equipment, new operation types, new locations — your exposition needs to be updated to reflect these changes. Keeping your exposition current is both a regulatory requirement and good operational practice.

Record-Keeping

Part 102 operations require diligent record-keeping: flight logs, maintenance records, incident reports, and pilot currency records. Your exposition will define these requirements, and the CAA may audit your records during routine oversight.

Common Questions About Part 102 Certification

Do I need Part 101 training before Part 102?

While Part 101 training provides a solid foundation, it's not a formal prerequisite for Part 102 certification. However, DroneTrust's Part 101 course is an excellent starting point for pilots who are new to drone operations, covering fundamental airmanship and regulatory knowledge before progressing to Part 102. Part 101 is covered in the Part 102 course, so they can skip straight to that if they will be doing so soon after.

Can my staff train while the exposition is being written?

Absolutely — and we recommend it. Running pilot training in parallel with the exposition process is the most efficient approach.

What if my company already has a health and safety system?

That's a great foundation. Your existing H&S systems, risk assessment frameworks, and incident reporting processes can inform and strengthen your exposition. However, the exposition must address aviation-specific requirements that go beyond general workplace health and safety.

Is Part 102 certification recognised internationally?

Part 102 is specific to New Zealand's civil aviation framework. However, the competencies and operational standards it represents are broadly aligned with international best practice, and having Part 102 certification demonstrates a level of professionalism that's recognised across the industry.

Getting Started With Part 102 Certification

Whether you're a construction company looking to bring inspections in-house, a council wanting to improve asset management, or an agricultural business scaling up precision farming — Part 102 certification is the pathway to capable, compliant commercial drone operations.

DroneTrust provides the complete Part 102 certification pathway for NZ companies:

• Exposition writing — We prepare your UAOC application to CAA standards
• Part 102 Drone Pilot Certificate Course — Online theory, then an in-person flight test, to get your pilots certified
• Annual OCA assessments — Ongoing competency assessments to maintain certification

Visit dronetrust.co.nz to explore our Part 102 certification options, or contact us to discuss how we can help your organisation get certified.