Those who believed that CNN‘s january 12th announcement that they’d begin testing drones for journalism would pave the way for many more news outlets to do the same didn’t have to wait long to prove they were right, with 10 more slated to begin testing the use of drones.
Big names populate the list, with the New York Times, the Associated Press, and NBC Universal atop a list of 10 total news outlets.
An important caveat in the allowance of news outlets to test drones is the timeliness of news reporting versus the amount of time the FAA requires to have advance notice of drone piloting. The FAA has required 3 days advance notice of drone flights, whereas news outlets plan to use drones to break news as it happens.
It is certainly a positive sign that the United States may finally be moving towards regulations that allow businesses to use drones that could be a great cost saving, effective technology in journalism, one that has been all the rage lately, especially in the wake of the recent CES 2015 and the Golden Globes featuring a DJI Inspire 1.
Sooner that later, drones will be legally flying in our skies.