New NZ Rules for Drone Building Washing
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Good news for commercial drone operators in the building-washing business The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has confirmed a key regulatory update: when you wash buildings with drones using chemicals classified as cleaning products (not agrichemicals) by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), you won’t need to get an Ag rating.
What Changed and Why It Matters
Cleaning Agents vs. Agrichemicals: The EPA now classifies common building-wash solutions (e.g. diluted bleach or Benzalkonium Chloride mixes) as “cleaning products” rather than agrichemicals, provided they’re not being used on crops or food-processing sites. If your detergent or cleaner falls under an EPA Cleaning Products Group Standard (for example, EPA Approval HSR002526 for Cleaning Products – Corrosive, as noted in the chemical’s Safety Data Sheet), then it’s considered a cleaning chemical – not an agrichemical.
No Ag Ratings Needed: When using such EPA-approved cleaning chemicals, you do not need a pilot chemical rating or a UAV agricultural rating for your drone operator. Those certifications were previously required for aerial agrichemical spraying, but they’re not required for spraying cleaning solutions on buildings under the new interpretation
Agrichemical Use: If you ever intend to spray true agrichemicals (e.g. fungicides, pesticides, or certain biocides often included in moss or mold treatments), those chemicals are regulated as agrichemicals. In such cases, the operation would not qualify under the cleaning-products exception. You’d need the pilot chemical rating, UAV agricultural rating, and Part 102 certification for those jobs – essentially following all the standard aerial spraying rules.
Tips for New Wash-Drone Businesses
For entrepreneurs starting a drone cleaning service, these changes make it easier and cheaper to get started: - Check Your Cleaning Product: Always verify the EPA approval on your cleaning solution’s SDS (see Hazard Identification or Regulatory Information sections). If it lists a Cleaning Products group standard (HSR number), you’re using a bona fide cleaning product – meaning you can take advantage of the relaxed rules. (For example, a Safety Data Sheet mentioning “EPA Approval No: Cleaning Products (Corrosive) – HSR002526” indicates it’s approved under the cleaning products standard, not an agrichemical permit.). Avoid overspray or “chemical trespass” onto neighboring properties; if your cleaning runoff or mist drifts and causes damage (e.g. kills someone’s plants or lawn), you could be liable for it. Even non-caustic cleaners can spot-burn vegetation or affect surfaces if misused. Plus, most cleaning agents are hazardous in their concentrated form (corrosive, irritant, etc.), so you must comply with all hazardous substances regulations for transport, handling, PPE, and storage.
Find group standard approvals | EPA