UAVs or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones as they’re commonly known, are suddenly everywhere. Conservationists and academics are using them to map our rivers; engineers surveyed the interior of the earthquake damaged Christchurch Cathedral with one; and then, of course, there's the military drones used to such lethal affect in Pakistan and Yemen. Ideas visits Palmerston North's Skycam UAV – New Zealand's leading manufacture of UAVs; talks to the interim president of the Association of Unmanned Operations – a union of US drone pilots; and Professor James Cavallaro tells us about the findings of a report he co-authored: 'Living Under Drones: Death, Injury, and Trauma to Civilians from US Drone Practices in Pakistan'.
A truck that simulates earthquakes to test soil quality is being tried out in Christchurch today.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister says he's instructed government agencies to prosecute any fraudulent activity during the Christchurch rebuild, to the full extent of the law.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister says he's instructed government agencies to prosecute any fraudulent activity during the Christchurch rebuild, to the full extent of the law.
The company that has the main contract for repairing houses in Christchurch, Fletcher Earthquake Recovery, is assuring taxpayers it's doing everything it can to avoid any fraudulent behaviour.
The man who received Earthquake Commission files detailing claims by 83,000 Christchurch people says he's appalled the slip-up has become a political football.
It now seems unlikely that engineers involved in the most serious building collapse of the Christchurch earthquake will face any external action, with the profession's administrators telling the Government there's nothing more they can do.
It is unlikely engineers involved in the most serious building collapse of the Christchurch earthquake will face any external action, with the profession's administrators telling the Government there's nothing more they can do.
The president of the Structural Engineers' Society, John Hare, says since the Christchurch earthquakes, engineers have been too conservative in evaulations for fear of liability.
John Key farewells Parliament by remembering the funny and the proud moments of being Prime Minister, but also the heartbreak of the Christchurch earthquakes, the Pike River disaster and the deaths of troops in Afghanistan.
The Christchurch City Council has confirmed the demolition of the earthquake-damaged Lancaster Park sports stadium will begin this year. Lancaster Park Cricket club was one of the sports ground's first tenants when it was established in 1881. An act of parliament means the ground has to be used for sport and recreation. "We're certainly looking foward to being able to get back on the ground and for it to be turned back into green space," Ric Horsfall from the cricket club says.
Christchurch residents whose houses have sunk since the earthquakes want to know who will pay to raise and remediate their land to prevent flood risk.
After the magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Canterbury on 4 September 2010, most media reports claimed that no lives had been lost. But In fact, this first earthquake killed at least 3000 chickens, eight cows, one dog, a lemur and 150 aquarium fish. University of Canterbury associate professor Annie Potts, along with co-author Donelle Gadenne, wrote Animals in Emergencies: Learning from the Christchurch Earthquakes, revealing what happened to the animals during and after the series of quakes. Annie Potts will give a public lecture, 'Animals and natural disasters: Learning from recent earthquakes', on Thursday 16 March, 7pm at UC Ilam campus, Christchurch. Register to attend free at: www.canterbury.ac.nz/ucconnect
As a three-year-old in China, Quin Tang's mother was shot in front of her and her father taken away. After moving to Christchurch 25 years ago, she walked out of an abusive marriage with two young children, no money and speaking little English. Tang then attended Canterbury University, teaching herself to read English from the text books there. She attained four degrees with an A+ average, and began working as a psychiatrist and counsellor. Quin was working in the CTV building when it collapsed. She took two weeks off work to recover, then came back and began counselling other victims of the Christchurch earthquakes. She has written and self-published the story of her life, called Half a Walnut Tree.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister is giving the Christchurch City Council until this morning to approve a major land development plan otherwise he'll force it through himself.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister has given the Christchurch City Council until this morning to approve a development plan, or else he says he'll do it for them.
The Christchurch City Council says it has reached a compromise with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, and voted unanimously to support a plan to intensify housing in the city.
Three years on from the February 22nd Christchurch earthquake hundreds of businesses are still waiting for their insurance claims to be settled.
Three years on from the earthquakes that crippled Christchurch's infrastructure, the city has yet to see costings and timeframes for the delivery of a revamped transport system for the central city.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, has described a 'state of the city' speech by the Christchurch mayor, Lianne Dalziel, as deeply disappointing.
The 6.7 magnitude earthquake which struck Christchurch three years ago didn't just destroy large amounts of the city's infrastructure, it also had a profound effect on the natural environment.
Peter Marshall is managing director of architectural firm Warren and Mahoney, part of the team selected to carry out the task of the redesign of Christchurch after the earthquakes.
Peter Marshall is managing director of architectural firm Warren and Mahoney, part of the team selected to carry out the task of the redesign of Christchurch after the earthquakes. (This version of the audio does not include music)
Three years on from the Canterbury earthquakes there is a huge focus on getting the central city back up and running, but some suburban shopping areas are also struggling to attract customers.
A report into why Statistics House failed in the November earthquake has revealed a design flaw in the building, and the Government says all buildings nationwide like Statistics House will now need checking. Christchurch man Jeremy Teaguea wants to overturn the law making wearing a bike helment compulsory. Former cyclone Debbie will make her presence felt here over the next week. Weatherman Richard Green tells us what to expect. Going up for Labour and a downward turn in the polls for National. Is it really because of Jacinda Ardern and Bill English?
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority spent more than three million dollars on communications staff and consultants in the last financial year, up by a third on the previous year.
A property expert says a dramatic shift in the population north and west of Christchurch after the earthquakes has serious implications for council's rate take.
A former Earthquake Commission assessor is accusing the agency of manipulating its customer satisfaction survey in Christchurch.
A sharp earthquake was felt in Christchurch and Canterbury last night, jolting residents awake just before midnight.
More than 18 months since the Canterbury earthquakes the rental property shortage continues to worsen, and there are predictions it won't be easing anytime soon.
