Aerospace and future transport
With clear airways, proximity to international air and seaports, and access to infrastructure and talent, Ōtautahi Christchurch is a hub for aerospace and future transport innovation – the opportunities and growth are endless. A mix of startups and entrepreneur-driven companies are fuelling the transition from fossils to renewable, improving the way we move, and using data to create a better future that is out of this world.
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Christchurch's unique aerospace advantages
Test-bed facilities
Christchurch provides a range of public and private environmental testing facilities. The responsive regulatory environment makes rapid development and testing possible.
Physical attributes
Christchurch’s low air traffic, access to desirable orbits and favourable atmospheric conditions allow the development and testing of aerospace technology.
Manufacturing capability
With a strong electronic manufacturing industry Christchurch offers access to aerospace adjacent value chains for international business.
Deep collaboration
Christchurch promotes collaboration across education, private sector, entrepreneurs, and investors. The region has a focus on sustainability and utilising aerospace for good.
Talent and research capability
The universities here have a strong research base and have seen strong enrollment growth, providing R&D capability and a robust talent pipeline.
Cost of doing business
Christchurch offers cost advantages and low labour and material costs.
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Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre
Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre is unleashing limitless possibilities from one of the world’s best locations for aerospace and space launches.
At Tāwhaki you have access to:
- Clear skies, seas and desirable orbits
- Vast, unpopulated, flat 25km long stretch of land
- 1km-long sealed runway, fuel pad, hangar facilities, drone areas and digital infrastructure
- Multi-use facilities to enable advanced aviation, AAM, RPAS, horizontal launch, engine testing and weather balloon deployment and meterology
- Technical expertise and support.
Aerospace New Zealand
Aerospace New Zealand is an industry body that promotes the interests of the New Zealand aerospace community including aviation, space flight, rocketry, manufacturing, engineering, geospatial mapping, data analytics, education, training, and services.
Aerospace New Zealand is headquartered in Christchurch and works across Aotearoa New Zealand to build an inclusive and sustainable aerospace industry that aligns with New Zealand's values in enabling environmental and social outcomes that improve wellbeing.
Success stories
Read about Christchurch businesses, entrepreneurs and talent in the country. Find out more about why they've chosen this as their base and how Christchurch has helped them thrive.
Contact
Emma Renowden, Aerospace Sector Lead
Emma is an experienced strategic partnerships manager who is passionate about the role of innovation and technology in addressing some of the world's most significant challenges. In her role at ChristchurchNZ, Emma is responsible for developing an ambitious city strategy for the Aerospace sector, with the goal of harnessing the economic opportunities it presents.
Prior to her current role, Emma's career focused on health tech, where she held various positions in NZ and the UK, all centred around innovation within the health and disability sector.
Emma has always loved supporting innovators, especially those that help people, so her ChristchurchNZ role ticks all right the boxes.
Get in touch with Emma if you want to learn more about the Aerospace Sector in Christchurch.
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Explore our growth sectors
Growth sectors
Tech services
With an international reputation for producing the smartest service tech, Christchurch provides the best value brainsw to the largest companies and boasts a dynamic tech ecosystem offering excellent support for start-ups and investors.
Growth sectors
Health tech
With a centralised health precinct fostering close connection between research, testing and commercialisation, Christchurch can accelerate research into analytics and machine learning, virtual healthcare, bio metrics and wearables and insurance tech.
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Christchurch Antarctic Gateway
Ōtautahi Christchurch is proud to be an Antarctic Gateway city, one of only five in the world.The Christchurch Antarctic Offrice co-ordinates the opportunities presented by Christchurch's Antarctic Gateway status and to explore our historic and modern connections with the icy continent.