- Hon Judith Collins KC
Canterbury's Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre has been allocated permanent test flight airspace, giving advanced aviation companies the freedom to safely trial next-generation technologies, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today.
"The Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) permanent special use airspace designation for Tāwhaki anchors Canterbury's growing reputation as a national hub for space and advanced aviation innovation."
Ms Collins announced the Tāwhaki designation at the launch of the Waitaha Canterbury Aerospace Strategy, which aims to position Canterbury as a global leader in aerospace innovation by 2035.
"Canterbury is an ideal launchpad for the space and advanced aviation sectors due to its combination of location, test-bed facilities, research and innovation capability, manufacturing capability and workforce.
"We know New Zealand's space and advanced aviation sectors are growing rapidly. The space sector has grown 53 percent in the five years to 2023-24 to contribute more than $2.47 billion to the economy. The advanced aviation sector contributed $480 million in the same period, with some overlaps with the space sector.
"The Government sees space as having huge potential, and that's why we're working towards delivering a world-class regulatory environment for advanced aviation by the end of this year, as signalled less than a year ago.
"The CAA is currently consulting on proposed changes to the Civil Aviation Rules to make it easier to test and deploy new aerospace technologies.
"A new rule will, in most cases, allow advanced aviation companies to freely develop their product without needing to seek further approvals."
"The upcoming New Zealand Aerospace Summit in Christchurch in October will draw an international audience, providing an opportunity to showcase Canterbury's unique attributes to advanced aviation innovators.
"Overall, this is an exciting opportunity to grow advanced aviation in New Zealand," Ms Collins said.
Tāwhaki will manage the permanent Special Use Airspace by activating areas when required for operators, while minimising the effect on other airspace users.
Public consultation about the proposed changes to the Civil Aviation Rules closes on 27 July.
