The man who stole a helicopter and crashed it into a hotel in Cairns had a New Zealand pilot's licence

The helicopter was flown unauthorised and collided into a hotel roof early Monday morning, killing the pilot.

Helicopter tour company Nautilus Aviation says the pilot was one of its employees.

It says the person had only begun working for it about four months ago and was not authorised to fly helicopters for the business.

Queensland Police have named the pilot as 23-year-old Blake Wilson.

The company says although Wilson held a New Zealand pilot's licence, they'd never flown in Australia.