East Auckland - FPV spots

Best for: 50-60 m cliffs, WWII radio-station buildings, harbour + Rangitoto/Waiheke backdrop. Best cinematic and long-range site east of the city.

Hazards: Cliff edge, onshore sea breeze, salt spray, golfers on Pakuranga GC (keep clear), no recovery if you ditch in the harbour.

Reserve + point are public; the golf course is a lease, so launch from the esplanade/point grass, not the fairways. Log the flight on AirShare.

Best for: Coastal farmland, regenerating bush, coves and ridges - the most wild flying inside an hour of the city.

Hazards: Exposed ridgelines = strong wind, stock, MTB riders, patchy phone coverage in gullies.

Not on the council's banned list, so a regional-park drone permit is obtainable - apply through council 'Make an enquiry online' before you go.

Best for: Beach, rocky headlands, bush edge and moored boats - coastal freestyle and cinematic.

Hazards: Boat ramp traffic in summer, shorebirds on the sand, tidal currents, salt.

Quietest easy-access east coast beach. Weekday mornings you will often have it to yourself.

Best for: Bush valley and mangrove estuary - tight technical lines and a completely different look to the beaches.

Hazards: Dense canopy means LOS and video dropout, mud, no retrieval in the mangroves.

Genuinely quiet. Bring a spotter - the bush swallows quads and sightlines.

Best for: Small quiet bay, moored boats, pine and pohutukawa, flat water at high tide.

Hazards: Boat moorings, shellfish beds at low tide, and nobody around if you need help retrieving a quad.

Low-key local spot - combine it with Maraetai/Te Puru in one trip.

Best for: Long pohutukawa-backed beach, rocks at the north end, Rangitoto across the water.

Hazards: Swimmers in summer, shorebirds nesting Sep-Mar at the north end, salt.

Better than Bucklands for flying because you can walk away from the crowd at the northern rocks.

Best for: Pohutukawa-fringed beach, headland, farmland and Waiheke views - postcard FPV.

Hazards: Farm animals, beachgoers, permit conditions.

Only worth it if you are already getting a regional-park permit for Waitawa - do both in one application.

Best for: Water, wharf and pohutukawa coastline with Waiheke and Ponui across the strait.

Hazards: Beachgoers and kids in summer, ferry/boat traffic, shorebirds.

No permit needed (local park). Best at dawn - the beach gets busy from about 10am in summer.

Best for: Forest blocks, rolling hills and long-range cruising with nobody around.

Hazards: Private land, forestry operations, and no legal launch without the landowner's OK.

Only fly here with landowner permission - Part 101 also forbids flying over private land without consent. Good for long range if you have a contact.

Best for: Huge flat park - good for tuning, GPS tests and race practice when the fields are empty.

Hazards: Sports fields in use, netball and pool crowds, cricket nets.

Not scenic. Useful as a test-and-tune field, not a destination.