Delays threaten aerospace industry

• Published date: 17 December 2022
• Publication title: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)

Regulators say they are under pressure and adding resources, but the backlog for a burgeoning industry is daunting

Companies say it is taking 10 to 18 months to get approval from the Civil Aviation Authority, whether to test reusable rockets or commercialise drones to spray crops or weeds.

One consultant who RNZ is not naming said they had just sent two companies to Queensland rather than wait around here.

Separately, Syos Aerospace of Mount Maunganui is about to begin testing its black drone helicopter, able to lift 200kg, in the UK and open an office there.

Chief executive Sam Vye is considering whether to take that further.

‘‘Certainly there is an attractive route to going overseas permanently to actually have a faster regulatory sign-off,’’ Mr Vye said.

‘‘We could go to Australia, we could go to the UK.

‘‘The UK, it seems like they can approve things within two to three months, because we’re doing that right now. So it’s significantly faster than New Zealand.’’

President of Aerospace New Zealand Mark Rocket is fearful of an industry boom degenerating into a mass exodus.

‘‘We’re talking about just a few that I’ve heard about so far, but there’s a whole bunch of other companies that are looking to move if they can’t get the work done here,’’ Mr Rocket said.

‘‘So, yeah, we’re at a sort of tipping point.’’

Civil Aviation (CAA) said it was taking measures though its ‘‘regulatory functions are under considerable pressure as the aviation sector rebuilds’’.

Government ministers met CAA and the Transport Ministry a few weeks ago about the holdups.

RNZ is seeking comment from these bodies.

CAA is adding two more inspectors to its four-person team which assesses applications for a Part 102 safety sign-off for unmanned aircraft.

Dr Andrew Shelley of Aviation Safety Management Systems has helped dozens of drone operators apply for a Part 102.

One client who wanted to spray with a drone on farms, was told in June that they were 40th in the queue, Mr Shelley said.

By August they were 31st and in November they were 29th — ‘‘they’ve only moved two spots‘‘, he said, quoting CAA emails.

‘‘At the moment they can’t do anything.’’

CAA’s existing four inspectors should be able to clear 40 applications in 10 weeks, and it was not clear why they were so slow, he said.

He shot down CAA’s other recent efforts to streamline things using new software and templates, as largely duplicating what was already there.

Another client had a remote farm lined up to test a courier drone...