Surprised to see Small plane from New Zealand Surveying Mount Abu.

Light Aircraft (planes) Surveying Mount Abu Terrain.

I first observed this aircraft making sorties on 24 Nov 2017. I took a few snaps as I became curious as to its flying pattern. It appeared to be surveying the terrain of the Abode. I thought its probably some rich dude making sorties over our small town to impress the locals of Abu. Once in a way we do get one of these solo flights coming our way.

This incident would have become a hazy memory but for the fact it surprised me to see another tiny aircraft making quite a few sorties three days later, i.e the 27 Nov 2017. This time, on snapping the aircraft, it surprised me to see that this plane was not Indian in origin but had a distinct marking on it that it was a plane from New Zealand. Wow, what was this aircraft doing in our space surveying the terrain for Google Maps? It plagued me with a host of questions, so to find answers, I googled it.

Aircraft from a New Zealand company.

On googling, this is what I found.

The planes with high-tech sensors and photography equipment have been hired by Macfar aerial survey company to seek mineral reserves in the western districts of Rajasthan. The report will be submitted to the Geology Department of the Government of India.

An update 

Seem the survey is still in full swing. Yesterday, i.e 10 Dec 2017, the plane was flying pretty low, making sorties over the Mount Abu sanctuary area. 

The New Zealand team making sorties