WASHINGTON and ATLANTA CNN said federal regulators have cleared it to test newsgathering with drones. According to the cable news network, it entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to integrate unmanned aerial vehicles colloquially known as drones into newsgathering and reporting.
The agreement encompasses CNN's existing research partnership with the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta. GTRI tests a variety of unmanned systems, including aircraft and maritime submersibles. In November, GTRI demonstrated formation flying by multiple drones. The Institute also develops technology that enables drones to fly themselves, from pre-loaded auto-pilot programs to full autonomy.
We're doing the highest level of unmanned vehicle autonomy and collaborative control, said Lora Weiss, chief scientist at GTRI.
CNN said coordination with the FAA and GTRI has begun. It said the FAA would use the resulting data to formulate a framework for various types of UAVs to be safely integrated into newsgathering operations.
Our 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, said CNN Senior Vice President David Vigilante. Our hope is that these efforts contribute to the development of a vibrant ecosystem where operators of various types and sizes can safely operate in the U.S. airspace.
Current FAA rules define drones as model aircraft and limit them to an altitude of 400 feet and a weight of no more than 55 pounds. They are also prohibited to fly within five miles of an airport unless otherwise authorized. Congress has directed the FAA to establish rules for commercial drone usage by September, 2015. In the interim, the agency had issued several waivers for their use in filmmaking, agriculture and real estate. CNN's agreement represents the FAA's first official OK for drone newsgathering, even though some stations are quietly experimenting with it.
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said, Unmanned aircraft offer news organizations significant opportunities. We hope this agreement with CNN and the work we are doing with other news organizations and associations will help safely integrate unmanned newsgathering technology and operating procedures into the National Airspace System.
January 7, 2015
Dronecam Captures Tech Changing Bulb at 1,500 Feet
The UAV we used is a DJI Phantom 2 that has been modified for higher performance. It has more powerful motors (AntiGravity) than the stock motors and balanced carbon fiber props. We control it with a Futaba T8FGS transmitter that gives us more flexibility and functions
November 11, 2014
First Annual NYC Drone Film Festival Planned
A film festival dedicated exclusively to drone cinema, NYCDFF will showcase the most famous viral drone videos alongside original content, offering the only opportunity to see the best of the best in drone and unmanned aerial vehicle cinema on the big screen.
November 6, 2014
RTDNA Needs Journo-Drone Stories
The organization representing broadcast news operations is itself seeking stories about newsgathering drones. The RTDNA is urging members to send us examples of drone uses, so the organization can take them before the FAA in its bid to get a waiver for their use.
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Video Production With UAVs: A Conversation With Tom Hallman
The FAA recently cleared the way for six companies to use unmanned aerial vehicles for shooting film and television projects. Pictorvision was one of the companies that received approval from the FAA for commercial drone applications, so BE Extra thought it would be good to find out what this means to film and television producers.
September 29, 2014
Wristband Drone Prototype Unveiled
A team of devs have created a wristband drone. The Nixie wearable drone targets folks who want to capture themselves doing something amazing, or at least not captureable in the normal selfie mode.
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FAA Approves First Commercial Drone Flight Over Land
The FAA has given approval for energy corporation BP and unmanned aircraft systems manufacturer AeroVironment to fly an AeroVironment Puma AE for aerial surveys in Alaska the first time the FAA has authorized a commercial UAS operation over land.
April 24, 2014
Choppers v. Drones for ENG
The double-fatality crash of the KOMO-TV news helicopter in Seattle in March is just the latest in a series of deadly news helicopter crashes in recent years. At least 18 people have died in U.S. news copter crashes since 2000, with another 19 injured, according to data compiled by New York Magazine.
April 17, 2014
Drones Over NAB
Every year at the annual gathering, one or more technologies create a significant buzz among attendees. This year that buzz could be heard loud and clear--coming from four (or more) propeller blades attached to a flying drone, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or UAVs, as they are known in the industry, with miniature HD cameras on board.
May 29, 2012
Drone Journalism
Matt Waite, a professor of journalism at the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is one of a handful of journalists studying the concept of drone journalism, and recently established a drone journalism lab in late 2011.
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WASHINGTON and ATLANTA CNN said federal regulators have cleared it to test newsgathering with drones. According to the cable news network, it entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to integrate unmanned aerial vehicles colloquially known as drones into newsgathering and reporting.
