He mahere mahi | Action plan
The action plan outlines our plan to work towards and realise the 2030 Future State. To implement the Strategy, we have designed a 3-phase approach to work on the goals and pillars.
On this page
Take off | Ka rere
Setting up governance arrangements and workstreams, assessing current conditions, conducting feasibility assessments, developing project proposals and planning future work.
Acend | Ka piki
Establishing collaborative research programmes, developing proof of concept technologies in testing environments and investing in critical infrastructure.
Expand | Ka whakawhānui
Cementing our capabilities and successes by scaling up tested prototypes and securing Aotearoa New Zealand's niche in aerospace.
Action under each of the pillars will focus on cross-cutting enablers that support development of the sector and create the foundations for implementing the Goals.
Implementing the strategy will involve close collaboration between government, the aerospace sector and other interested groups. We will report on the progress of initiatives throughout the lifetime of the strategy to inform future planning by government and the sector.
Funding for investments in later phases of implementing the strategy will be considered over time and will be subject to government decision-making processes.
Photo credit: Tāwhaki and Dawn Aerospace
This action plan summarises current and planned actions supporting implementation of the Aotearoa New Zealand Aerospace Strategy. Funding for investments in later phases of implementing the Strategy will be considered over time and will be subject to government decision-making processes.
Cross-cutting actions
Actions supporting sector development across the pillars and goals of the strategy
2023-2030:
- Explore opportunities to increase Māori engagement and participation in the aerospace sector
- Work with the sector to attract and retain start-up activity and investment and support Aotearoa New Zealand businesses to scale up and access international markets
- Partner with industry to promote aerospace career pathways to diverse groups and address barriers to greater diversity and inclusion in the sector for Māori, Pacific, women and other under-represented population groups
- Support New Zealand universities and advanced trades to create curricula and targeted programmes that meet industry demand
- Partner to offer high-quality educational resources and support to enable students to seek careers in the space sector
- Work with industry to support activities that promote our aerospace industry on the global stage and leverage our international partnerships to accelerate uptake of new technologies
- Work with industry and international partners to extend regulatory recognition, cooperation and interoperability to ensure Aotearoa New Zealand’s regulatory and policy environment is responsive, supportive,
- future-focused and at the forefront of emerging technologies
- Adopt aerospace technologies and services to meet government needs
- Develop infrastructure to accelerate sector innovation, connectivity and commercialisation
Investments:
- Up to $3 million to expand Aotearoa New Zealand’s aerospace scholarship and internships programme and other workforce initiatives (2023-2025)
- $24 million to enable Tāwhaki to develop world-leading aerospace research and development infrastructure (2021-2024)
- Up to $250,000 to fund studies on Māori interests and participation in aerospace (2023-2024)
- Up to $250,000 to fund an economic study on the aerospace sector (2023-2024)
Goal 1: Build a sustainable air passenger journey | Whāinga 1: Te waihanga i te hāereere rererangi a te tāngata kia toitū
Relevant agencies:
- Ministry of Transport
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Callaghan Innovation
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Actions
2023-2030
- Work with international partners to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuels and build consensus on international standards for its safe use
- Support promising applied research pathways through to commercial application of clean aviation technologies, including high-density energy storage systems
2023-2024
- Partner with international aerospace firms to support clean technology development
- Identify infrastructure needs to support emerging clean aviation technologies
- Identify and assess options to establish clean energy supply chains for aviation
- Demonstrate alternative energy sources for aviation propulsion
2025-2027
- Scope and commission infrastructure to support sustainable air passenger journeys
- Harness cleaner energy resources to become a world leader in production of next generation green fuel supplies
2028-2030
- Increase pre-commercial use of alternative energy sources for aviation propulsion
Investments
- $15 million for a research programme in high power electric motors for large-scale transport at Paihau–Robinson Institute (2020-2027)
- $0.6 million for the delivery of Sustainable Aviation Fuel feasibility studies in partnership with Air NZ (2022-2023)
Goal 2: Safely integrate autonomous aerial vehicles | Whāinga 2: Te whai wāhi mai o ngā rererangi kaitaraiwa kore kia haumaru
Relevant agencies:
- Ministry of Transport
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Callaghan Innovation
Actions
2023-2024
- Explore enhancements to certification pathways for novel aviation technologies
- Identify and progress improvements to the regulatory system that support development of emerging technologies
- Establish industry partnerships for emerging aviation technologies
2025-2030
- Identify and implement sustainable funding models for certification of novel aviation technologies
- Maintain regulatory settings that enable innovation while maintaining the security and safety of New Zealanders
- Partner with industry to support safe and secure development and deployment of new aviation technologies
2023-2030
- Demonstrate the use of autonomous aerial vehicles for applications such as heavy cargo routes, delivery of lightweight, time-sensitive cargo and passenger transport flights
- Use autonomous aerial vehicles with advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to ensure faster and more successful search and rescue operations and to support post-disaster recovery and impact assessments
- Increase the use of automated aerial technologies in forestry, conservation, agriculture and horticulture for the management of natural ecosystems, pests and diseases, and to enhance productivity and efficiency and improve safety
Investments
- Up to $5 million to support policy and regulatory stewardship in the Civil Aviation Authority and Ministry of Transport (2023-2026)
- $0.6 million for the delivery of Sustainable Aviation Fuel feasibility studies in partnership with Air NZ (2022-2023)
Goal 3: Be at the forefront of global sustainable space activities | Whāinga 3: Te noho whakaihuwaka ki ngā mahi o te ao mō te ātea-ā-rangi toitū
Relevant agencies:
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Callaghan Innovation
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Actions
2023-2030
- Partner with other governments to extend regulatory recognition, cooperation and interoperability to enable technologies such as active debris removal and on-orbit servicing
- Partner with leading commercial and research organisations on space safety and sustainability to build capability and capture a growing proportion of the global clean space market
- Integrate policy, regulation, monitoring and international coordination
- Build capabilities in fundamental areas of active debris removal operations, sustainable space access, space situational awareness and space traffic management
- Promote development of international norms and principles for responsible and sustainable space activities
- Develop reusable launch vehicles that reduce the impact of aerospace activities
- Continue to build on Aotearoa New Zealand’s reputation as a leader in space sustainability to position Aotearoa New Zealand as global leader in this area through international engagement
- Support research and development on novel space propulsion and space situational awareness technologies
2025-2027
- Support demonstration of novel space propulsion technologies
2028-2030
- Support mission utilisation of new space propulsion technologies
Investments
- $8.9 million Catalyst funding for a joint Research Programme with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) that includes advanced propulsion as a focus area (2022-2025)*
- $11.6 million Endeavour funding for magnetic field propulsion research at the Paihau–Robinson Institute (2020-2025)
Goal 4: Actively support exploration in space | Whāinga 4: Te āta tautoko i ngā mahi ki te toro i te ātea-ā-rangi
Relevant agencies:
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Callaghan Innovation
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Actions
2023-2030
- Encourage industry involvement in and development of fit for purpose guidance and standards for space activity
- Strengthen international partnerships to develop technologies and regulatory frameworks that support global efforts for a sustained off-Earth presence
- Make strategic investments in research to support capability development
- Create opportunities for Aotearoa New Zealand to participate in international space exploration programmes, leveraging connections with our Artemis Accords partner space agencies and international commercial space companies
Investments
- $9 million Catalyst funding for joint research, including in support of NASA’s Artemis Program (2023-2026)*
- $8.9 million Catalyst funding for a joint research programme with the German Aerospace Centre DLR that includes space communication as a focus area (2022-2025)*
- $3.35 million Strategic Science Investment Funding for the establishment of the Mission Operations Control Centre at Te Pūnaha Ātea – Auckland Space Institute (2020-2025)
- Up to $3.5 million for new space research and development projects to build national capabilities (2023-2025)
- $760,000 for Axiom Space to test a University of Canterbury prototype module on the International Space Station (2023-2024)
Goal 5: Enhance decision-making using aerospace-enabled data | Whāinga 5: Te whakapai haere i ngā mahi whakatau take mā te whakamahi i ngā raraunga ka hua mai i te ātea-ā-rangi
Relevant agencies:
- Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand
- Statistics NZ
- Callaghan Innovation
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
- Department of Conservation
- Ministry for the Environment
- Ministry of Defence
- New Zealand Defence Force
Actions
2023-2030
- Partner internationally to collect aerospace data that will support government decision making on key issues
- Support access to and better use of modern positioning services in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand
- Support an all-of-government approach to aerospace-related investment and capability development and influence government procurement to consider space-based options
- Drive greater application of remote sensing data for Aotearoa New Zealand researchers, industry and government
- Facilitate sharing of information, tools, data and knowledge between end users such as councils, government, Māori, businesses and research institutes and improve public access to analysis-ready data
- Strengthen the Earth observation sector, including promoting Earth observation science, building capability, sharing and aggregating data, enhancing compliance with standards and improving accuracy
- Partner in Earth observation initiatives that unlock data of specific value to Aotearoa New Zealand, including to help with climate adaptation and mitigation efforts
- Identify priority areas across government for collection and use of aerial and satellite data
- Conduct a stock take of Earth observation data purchasing and use across government
2025-2027
- Consolidate and streamline access to and use of Earth observation data across government
2025-2030
- Leverage aerospace technologies to enhance environmental monitoring, pest-management, maritime domain awareness and meet other government priorities
2028-2030
- Explore new ways the government can use aerospace-enabled data to tackle challenges facing Aotearoa New Zealand
Investments
- $750 million investment with Australia in SouthPAN to improve accuracy and reliability of satellite-based positioning services in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Antarctica (2022-2032)
- $26 million for MethaneSAT mission to monitor methane emissions, including mission operations control centre in Aotearoa New Zealand and research project and atmospheric science research project to understand applicability of satellite’s measurements to agricultural methane emissions (2020-)
- $9 million Catalyst funding for NASA joint research supporting Earth Observation science (2023-2026)*
- $8.9 million Catalyst funding for a joint research programme with the German Aerospace Centre DLR that includes Synthetic Aperture Radar as a focus area (2022-2025)*
*Catalyst funding for joint research with NASA and the German Aerospace Centre is shared across implementation of the relevant goals.