Blog
Show your support for use of drones in newsgathering
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 02/18/2016 09:58:05
- In: General
Legislation pending in the House of Representatives could loosen restrictions on the use of micro UAS (UAS weighing under 4.4 pounds, including payload). HR 4441, the Aviation Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization Act, passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last week. As Goldberg explains in a post on his firm's CommLawBlog, the AIRR Act would, among other changes, remove two big rules that inhibit our members' potential to gather news via UAS: 1. the requirement that a commercially licensed pilot operate the drone and 2. the restriction on flying above people.
News media have shown a great interest in the possible use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (more often referred to as drones). In fact, two sessions at the 2015 ASNE-APME conference at Stanford University in Palo Alto discussed the use of UAS for newsgathering purposes. Although the session titled "Drone Journalism, a New Perspective on the News" highlighted the possibilities offered by UAS, ASNE Legal Counsel Kevin M. Goldberg threw some cold water on the subject in his "Five Cardinal Sins and Five Legal Issues to Bear in Mind" presentation by noting that heavy restrictions mean that you won't really be able to engage in meaningful newsgathering.
Legislation pending in the House of Representatives could loosen restrictions on the use of micro UAS (UAS weighing under 4.4 pounds, including payload). HR 4441, the Aviation Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization Act, passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last week. As Goldberg explains in a post on his firm's CommLawBlog, the AIRR Act would, among other changes, remove two big rules that inhibit our members' potential to gather news via UAS: 1. the requirement that a commercially licensed pilot operate the drone and 2. the restriction on flying above people.
Because even micro UAS can effectively gather video content, we support the AIRR Act and ask that you let your representatives (and senators) know that you support it, as well. Next stop is the House floor where your voices and editorials will be crucial. Please don't hesitate to contact Goldberg at goldberg@fhhlaw.com or 703-812-0462 if you have any questions about this bill.