Henry Piet Drury van Asch

Henry Piet Drury van Asch , most commonly known as Piet van Asch (4 May 1911 – 27 October 1996, in Hastings, New Zealand) was a New Zealand aviator, aerial photographer and surveyor. Van Asch is most notable for establishing New Zealand Aerial Mapping Ltd (NZAM), and was one of the primary figures responsible for establishing the use of aerial photography to create topographical maps.

Family and early life

Childhood Piet van Asch (born Henry Piet Drury van Asch) was born on 4 May 1911 in Waitotara, Whanganui, New Zealand. He was one of six children to William and Mattie van Asch (née Jameson). In 1912, when Piet was an infant, the family relocated to a site called Cave Station, outside Havelock North due to the rocky land at Kapara making it difficult to farm. Piet's mother, Mattie rechristened the farm Craggy Range, of which the property and surrounding area is still known.

Piet and his siblings (4 brothers and 1 sister) were predominantly raised by their mother, as William died during the Depression.

Honours and legacy Van Asch was awarded an honorary membership of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors in 1949. In the 1953 Coronation Honours, van Asch was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to civil aviation, especially in connection with aerial survey. He was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to aerial mapping, in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Other professional accolades and contributions

Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society Patron of the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club Alfred O. Glasse award of the New Zealand Planning Institute (1975) Council member of the Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand

Van Asch died on 27 October 1996, in Hastings. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. New Zealand Aerial Mapping continued until it was sold in 2005. The Company went into liquidation in 2014.