This document discusses the growing use of drones in journalism and other fields. Drones are becoming more affordable and accessible, with models available for under $500. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 made it legal to fly drones for commercial purposes by 2015. The document outlines how drones can be used for tasks like monitoring crops, inspecting infrastructure, and covering news stories and sporting events. However, regulatory environment and privacy concerns may limit drone journalism in the US until further guidelines are established.

1. FLYABLES
Drone Journalism

2. When you hear drone, you think …
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper ($4 million)

3. Or worse …

4. But they also come in peace
dji Phantom - $450

5. Some are made of styrofoam
• A.R. Drone 2.0.
• Can fly up to 200
meters.
• Real-time high def
video feed.
• Promo video:
http://ardrone2.pa
rrot.com/ardrone-
2/hd-camera-
720p/

6. DJI Inspire
http://www.dji.com/product/inspire-1

7. Why are we talking about drones?
• FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 – “The
Drone law” – makes it legal to fly in federal air
space for commercial reasons by Sept. 30, 2015.
• FAA projects that 30,000 drones could be in the
nation’s skies by 2020.
• FAA working on rules and licensing procedures.

10. Sports
• Manley Field House flights
• http://youtu.be/N8mWTTSYt7s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQFqsPvI
-QA

11. Lots of other uses
• http://www.huff
ingtonpost.com
/2014/08/04/st
unning-drone-videos_
n_55791
99.html

12. UNL in India
• http://benkreimer.com/aerial-video-photography/
baroda-open-soccer-video/

13. GPS-aware drones
Plot course, send it off, collect footage.

14. 3D Mapping
• Sensefly
• https://www.sensefly.com/home.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvimQq1zvoM

15. What will drones be used for?
• Police: surveillance.
• Personal photography.
– Me: inspecting ice buildup on my roof.
– Sports teams: to cover games.
• Farmers: to monitor crops at lower cost.
• FedEx: unmanned planes delivering packages to
airports (not your back yard … yet).

16. FedEx’s plan

17. TV and Film
• On September, FAA announced it had
approved certain uses of drones for film and
television productions.
• Only 6 productions granted so far.

18. Keeping law
enforcement
accountable.
Occupy Wall Street’s
“Occucopter”

19. And journalism!
(with a few caveats)
Regulatory environment in U.S.
is murky, but apparently not in
Italy.

20. Good candidates for journalism
• Anything that currently requires a helicopter.
– Saves hundreds of dollars per hour.
• Aerial views of forest fires, storm damage.
• Aerial videos of government crackdowns on free
speech (protests).
• Sporting events.
• Environmental stories.
• What are your ideas?

21. 60 Minutes used drones for
a piece on salvage
operation of the Costa
Concordia cruise ship in
Italy in December, 2012.

22. 60 Minutes
http://cbsn.ws/VKzLrH

23. http://www.dronejournalismlab.org/post/34098205205/nebraska-is-seeing-a-drought-worse-than-the-dust
http://www.dronejournalismlab.org/post/34363827984/how-we-used-a-drone-to-cover-drought

24. University of Nebraska’s first story
http://bit.ly/RqSk48

25. Not in the U.S. YET …
• Within the U.S. there are ample opportunities
for drone journalism, but many will need to
wait until the FAA guidelines in 2015.
• The Daily got in trouble in 2011 after getting
some spectacular footage.

26. News Corp’s The Daily
• Series of new videos in 2011 as “Daily Drone.”
Prompted FAA investigation. They were grounded.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI2d3ui2vYw

27. But we can reasonably project what types of
stories drones will make possible after 2015.

28. From the air, you see the path.
Currently requires a helicopter. Could
technically (but not legally) be done by
a drone today. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tornado 5/7/2011
From the ground (typical coverage). (AP
Photo/Dave Martin)

29. Deepwater Horizon oil rig, April 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert).

30. Million Mom March, Washington DC, March 14, 2000. (AP
Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

31. Or they can be used for this
Source: University of Nebraska
Drone Journalism Lab

33. People value their privacy
“Steve Hindi, president of SHARK
(SHowing Animals Respect and
Kindness), said his group was
preparing to launch its Mikrokopter
drone to video what he called a live
pigeon shoot on Sunday …
…’Seconds after it hit the air,
numerous shots rang out … As an
act of revenge for us shutting down
the pigeon slaughter, they had shot
down our copter.’”
http://www.suasnews.com/2012/11/19754/activists-release-video-of-latest-drone-shoot-
down/

34. And don’t forget bees!
“CBS12 News crew attacked by bees during
Palm Beach Mall demolition”
West Palm Beach, Florida
http://bit.ly/Wt35os

35. FAA Hobbyist Guidelines
Indoors:
• No limitations.
Outdoors:
• Stay out of FAA air space (< 400 feet).
• Don’t fly over or toward people.
• If people show up, fly away from them.
• Don’t fly near or toward buildings.

36. Use common sense
If you stay under 400 feet, you can fly a drone
on your own property, or property of someone
else with their permission.
But be careful not to peek over a fence, scare
the neighbors and prompt a call to the FAA!

37. Speaking of hobbyists …
• A.R. Parrot has an SDK, and people are making
apps for it right and left.

38. Drone groups
• DIYDrones.com3
3,000 members
worldwide.
– Started by Wired
former editor
Chris Anderson
(now 100%
focused on
drones).

39. Australia is ahead of us

40. You are the drone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8mWTTS
Yt7s

41. Let’s fly a drone!
Arland Whitfield,
SkyWorks Project
@SkyWorksProject

42. THANKS!
Dan Pacheco, Chair
Journalism Innovation,
S.I. Newhouse School,
Syracuse University
@pachecod and
@JournovationSU
drpachec@syr.edu