Department of Conservation ranger Lyndon Perriman said the drone was found within 5m of a potential nesting site last Thursday. The crash also could have resulted in the female bird abandoning the closest potential nesting site to the observatory. The crash was one of at least two occurrences of visitors flying drones in the last week. Despite being told drone flying was not allowed, it seemed they flew it anyway. A member of the public, Brynley Pearce, photographed a family, believed to be of Asian descent, flying a drone that afternoon.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 12, 2016 17:15 UTC