North Auckland - FPV spots

Best for: Twenty kilometres of empty white sand with dunes and no one on it. The best 'alone' flying in the region.

Hazards: Private farmland behind the beach (no crossing without permission), surf and rips, no phone coverage, very exposed to wind.

Airspace is clean - 10.9 km from Omaha Flats. Take water, tell someone where you are, and don't stray onto the farm.

Best for: Two completely different looks in one village: sheltered harbour with boats and bush, and open surf beach with cliffs north.

Hazards: Charter boats and divers at the harbour, swimmers at the beach, the Leigh cemetery is a no-fly polygon inside the village.

7.3 km from Omaha Flats so no aerodrome consent needed. Log the flight on AirShare.

Best for: Quiet bay, moorings, bush-clad points and Kawau Island across the water - good long-range line of sight.

Hazards: Moorings and dinghies, swimmers in summer, tide

No permit needed. 8 km from Warkworth heliport, so airspace is clean. Dawn is flat calm.

Best for: River, bush valley, the old stone church and the bridge - tight, scenic flying with real character.

Hazards: Kayak traffic on the river in summer, dense bush limits LOS, narrow valley wind.

No permit. Fly the river corridor early; the valley is shaded and calm before 9am.

Best for: Sheltered harbour bays, bush headlands, tidal flats and boats - classic Mahurangi postcard, almost nobody there.

Hazards: Tide (the flats are mud at low water), regional park permit conditions, narrow gravel road.

Mahurangi is not on the banned list, so a regional-park drone permit is available through council. Apply first.

Best for: Bush, beach and the Puhoi river mouth - a compact, sheltered spot with great light in the evening.

Hazards: Permit conditions, popular picnic spot on weekends, estuary birds, no flying over the campground when occupied.

Regional park permit required. One of the few north parks where the permit is actually worth the paperwork.

Best for: Quiet beach with a rocky northern end and the Orewa estuary behind - the overflow option when Orewa is packed.

Hazards: Highway-adjacent, small parking, shorebirds at the estuary.

No permit. Pairs with Orewa or Waiwera in one run.

Best for: Small beach at the mouth of the Waiwera river, cliffs either side, easy parking off the highway.

Hazards: Highway noise and traffic, swimmers, small beach so keep clear of people.

No permit. Quick stop on the way north rather than a destination.

Best for: Sheltered beach with a headland at each end and Whangaparaoa harbour behind - good for smooth coastal passes.

Hazards: Swimmers and boat ramp traffic in summer, residential overlooks.

No permit. Clean airspace, 10 km from North Shore aerodrome.

Best for: Small sheltered bay with a tidal inlet - quiet, pretty, limited space.

Hazards: Residential bay with houses close on both sides, swimmers, small launch area.

No permit, but it's a small stage - good for a 30-minute session, not a full day.

Best for: Estuary, marina masts, sandspit and the Matakana river mouth - lots of interesting structure to fly.

Hazards: Marina is private property (don't launch from the pontoons), ferry and boat traffic, estuary birds.

5.9 km from Omaha Flats - just outside the 4 km ring. Launch from the reserve, not the marina.

Best for: Long beach, rocks at the northern end and a big open park behind - easy launch with room to breathe.

Hazards: Busy in summer, sports fields and playground, swimmers.

No permit. The northern rocks are the interesting end.

Best for: Beach, reef at low tide and the islands offshore - the best North Shore option if you're not certificated.

Hazards: Inside Whenuapai CTR but within the Whangaparaoa VFR transit lane: no ATC authorisation needed in daylight, but you must be on the ground before dark.

This one is a daylight-only exception. The transit lane is uncontrolled during daylight hours - night ops need ATC authorisation. Busy beach in summer.

Best for: Three kilometres of beach, estuary mouth and the Whangaparaoa headland in the distance - the easiest big-stage beach in the north.

Hazards: Busiest beach in the north: swimmers, kite surfers, events, estuary shorebirds.

No permit, clean airspace, but you'll be flying around people. Dawn or a weekday evening.

Best for: White sand, surf, dunes and the inlet - the most photogenic beach in the north.

Hazards: Inside the Omaha Flats aerodrome 4 km ring: needs a Part 101 certificate and aerodrome operator consent. Also busy in summer.

Legal only with a qualification and consent; without it, drive 10 minutes to Leigh instead.

Best for: Long sandy beach, cliffs and the regional park headland at the northern end.

Hazards: Inside the Whenuapai CTR (outside the transit lane) and a regional park - two separate permissions.

Not worth it when Browns Bay is 4 km south and needs neither. Skip unless you're doing the paperwork anyway.

Best for: The best city skyline and harbour shot in Auckland - cliffs, gun emplacements, Rangitoto and the CBD across the water.

Hazards: Inside the Mechanics Bay and Auckland Harbour 4 km rings, plus North Shore Hospital. North Head itself is DOC land needing a separate concession.

Sits in the Northern Automatic Authorisation Area: automatic approval ONLY with a Part 101 qualification from a Part 141 provider plus an observer. Without the cert, no.