CNN, FAA are working together to advance drone usage in professional journalism

Shawn Knight

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cnn faa natw drones news reporting

Drones are typically associated with hobbyists and geeks but the reality is that there are a growing number of industries that could benefit greatly from the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Companies like Amazon and UPS are already researching ways to deliver packages to your doorstep using drones. The Federal Aviation Administration, however, may have other plans but they aren’t totally against the commercialization of drones as they recently issued permits that allow for the use of UAVs in real estate and agricultural industries.

We can now add news reporting to the list of potential uses as CNN has signed a research agreement with the FAA that will advance efforts to bring more UAVs into the news-gathering and reporting process.

cnn faa natw drones news reporting

Specifically, the agreement will integrate CNN’s existing research involving the Georgia Tech Research Institute with that of the FAA. In fact, the coordination between the partners have already begun with the FAA hoping to come up with guidelines that’ll allow UAVs to be safely integrated into news-gathering operations.

CNN Senior Vice President David Vigilante said the aim is to get beyond hobby-grade equipment and to establish what options are available and workable to produce high quality video journalism using various types of UAVs and camera setups.

The push to get drones involved in news reporting has been going on for quite some time. Last May, more than a dozen top news organizations filed a brief with the National Transpiration Safety Board in support of their cause. The agencies claim that restrictions violate first amendment protections afforded to journalists and curbs their ability to report the news.

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Stock tip: the next big thing will anti-drone drones. I guess they won 't stop proliferating this nightmare tech until drones start blowing up buildings in the US. I give it two years, tops.
 
I just wish they would stop calling them drones. Because of the lack of understanding, lack of education of the bulk of the population (I'm just speaking for USA), when people here the word "drone" they thing something that carries bombs or missiles. What these hobbyist devices are, is nothing more than an advanced version of what I've screwed around with since I was a kid... and "RC" remote controlled airplane.
Ever since this "drone" crap started, every time you get your plane or helicopter out to fly it, someone will usually ask, "is that a drone?"...no, if it was a drone, I would be dropping bombs, not just flying around taking pictures of birds in trees, buildings etc...
 
Not to be mistaken with one segment of a bee colony, aka: drones. So if it runs into you and chops off an ear, would that be like getting stung .... just different?
 
Meanwhile cops across the country are confiscating people's quadcopters, and threatening to file criminal charges against people for taking aerial video as a hobby. The FAA also just reclassified them as aircraft subject to faa regulations, so professional aerial photographers can expect to pay fees out the wazoo.
 
Of course, leaches (FAA) gotta make their money somewhere. As if police don't already have enough to do as it is.
 
I just wish they would stop calling them drones. Because of the lack of understanding, lack of education of the bulk of the population (I'm just speaking for USA), when people here the word "drone" they thing something that carries bombs or missiles. What these hobbyist devices are, is nothing more than an advanced version of what I've screwed around with since I was a kid... and "RC" remote controlled airplane.
Ever since this "drone" crap started, every time you get your plane or helicopter out to fly it, someone will usually ask, "is that a drone?"...no, if it was a drone, I would be dropping bombs, not just flying around taking pictures of birds in trees, buildings etc...
lol poor hobbyists
 
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