Droning on.......An investigation of New Zealand's environmental compliance regulatory processes via the ‘eye in the sky’

With the implementation of the Essential Freshwater policies that commenced in 2021, a greater understanding of the environmental compliance regulatory processes with New Zealand would be of benefit for all parties involved. As the majority of farms are required to have Freshwater Farm Plans, regional councils will need to explore efficient processes which could include drone use. This qualitative study revealed the importance of the environmental compliance officer-farmer relationship, as well as ways to enhance and challenges to the relationship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 respondents from five Regional Councils and one from Central Government, exploring their view on incorporating drone use in the compliance processes. Qualitative data was thematically analysed. Respondents reported that a positive relationship between environmental compliance officers and farmers was important. A positive relationship encouraged farmers to approach compliance officers for assistance with on-farm environmental management and hence enhanced compliance. Questions were raised as to whether it was appropriate for compliance officers to have a positive relationship with farmers, as impartiality may be compromised. Nevertheless, trust is required if drones are to be used to achieve greater efficiency in the processes. Ways to enhance this professional relationship included compliance officers spending time in a region and also spending time with individual farmers. It is beneficial for the compliance officers to have farm management experience and/or skills and knowledge that farmers considered useful. Challenges to building a positive relationship were compliance officers spending a short time in a region and needing to balance time spent between building trust and actual compliance tasks required. The research concludes that trust is essential if technologies such as drones are to be used to achieve greater efficiency in environmental compliance processes.