## 3 Results
### Part 2: Drone Use in Regional Local Government Areas  
NSW is home to 93 rural and regional councils, each with unique challenges and opportunities shaped by their local contexts. These city councils play a pivotal role in regional governance, and their adoption of drone technology offers valuable insights into how emerging tools are being utilised to address environmental, social, and infrastructural needs across diverse communities. Council information was reviewed between November 2023 and December 2024. Figure 3 depicts the NSW regional councils with evidence of drone use and discussion of drone uses in their publicly available material. Figure 3: Drone uses in 93 NSW local councils. In reviewing the available material, we observed that it fell into five different categories for discussion. These included the following: Drone safety rules and policies are set by local councils but adhering to a broader CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) framework. This is essential for the safe and lawful operation of drones, safeguarding both operators and the public. Council uses demonstrate the versatility of drones in tasks such as monitoring infrastructure, managing land use, and supporting environmental conservation. As educational resources, drones play a key role in promoting skill development and raising awareness about their wide-ranging capabilities. In the area of research and partnerships, collaborations between councils, academic institutions, and industry are driving innovation and expanding the scope of drone uses for public benefit. Finally, future considerations address challenges and explore opportunities for advancing drone technology and integrating it into broader community and organisational strategies. Table 3 and Figure 3 demonstrate the presence of the five category areas: (1) drone safety rules and policies, (2) council uses, (3) educational resources, (4) research and partnerships, and (5) future considerations. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Major Responsibilities** & **Detailed Aspects** & **NSW Regional Council Uses** \\ \hline Economic & Tourism & •  
In this figure, the numbers ranging from 0 to 5 represent the varying levels of drone uses across LGAs. A value of 0 indicates no drone use in an LGA, while 5 represents drone deployment in five different application categories. A colour gradient from grey (lowest use) to dark green (highest use) visually represents this variation. Notably, no LGA has implemented drones across all five potential application categories. Based on the analysis of the drone usage across 93 regional councils in NSW, a diverse picture emerges regarding the integration and use of drone technology in local governance and services. Firstly, drone safety rules and policies for drone operators are prominent. Some councils have established specific guidelines and policies governing drone usage, particularly in sensitive areas near airports. The use of drones across the councils varies, encompassing activities like environmental monitoring, community updates, and more specialised uses. Albury City Council has set out distinct drone usage rules around Albury Airport reflecting a growing consciousness and requirement for regulation in drone operations to ensure safety and compliance with national aviation standards. Councils like Armidale Regional Council and Ballina Shire Council actively utilise drones for environmental purposes. This trend indicates a move towards leveraging drone technology for more efficient and effective local governance, especially in tasks that necessitate aerial views or are otherwise challenging to access. Furthermore, councils are engaging beyond operational use of drones by taking that knowledge to community members. For example, Balranald Shire Council integrates drones into their educational programmes to incorporate new technology into community learning and skill development.