Dawn Aerospace has joined the New Zealand Airspace Integration Trials Programme (AITP). The news was announced yesterday by Minister of Research, Science and Innovation, Hon Megan Woods.

The AITP’s mission is to:

• Realise the full potential of New Zealand’s existing regulatory regimes

• Accelerate the integration of remotely piloted aircraft that enable the development of innovative technologies

• Support research and development (R&D) in New Zealand.

The news follows Dawn’s announcement of successfully conducting five flights of the company’s Mk-II Aurora suborbital spaceplane in July. The campaign was run from Glentanner Aerodrome in New Zealand’s South Island and was licensed by New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Headquartered in Christchurch NZ, Dawn is creating reusable and sustainable space technologies – suborbital and orbital spaceplanes – that operate much like a fleet of aircraft; taking off and landing horizontally at airports and integrating seamlessly with other airspace users.

About the Airspace Integration Trials Programme

Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

We have established an Airspace Integration Trials programme to facilitate the safe testing, development and market validation of advanced unmanned aircraft, and accelerate their integration into our aviation system.

The programme builds on the potential for innovation under New Zealand’s current Civil Aviation Rules. It provides the mechanism for Government to work with leading, innovative domestic and international industry partners to test and demonstrate unmanned aircraft for a range of purposes including passenger transport, cargo delivery, agricultural services, and hazard management and monitoring services.

The programme will be centrally managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Innovative Partnerships' team, working alongside the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Transport and other key stakeholders to support industry partners to take their technology from testing to in-service operations.

Today, Dawn Aerospace and Merlin Labs joined existing participants in the AITP - Wisk New Zealand, Kea Aerospace, Envico Technologies, Aeronavics and Swoop Aero.

Read the statement from Minister Woods here.