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FAA Clears Movie and TV Drones For Takeoff

Posted by timothy on from the rules-rules-rules dept.

alphadogg (971356) writes "The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is taking its first major step toward opening up the skies for commercial drone use, allowing six TV and movie production companies to use drones to shoot video. Commercial flight of drones has been effectively banned by the FAA as it grapples with how to integrate drone traffic into controlled airspace while not compromising the safety of existing air traffic. But as the months have passed, it has come under increasing pressure from U.S. companies to make a ruling."

7 of 50 comments (clear)

  1. I get it by slashmydots · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Oh, I get it. They finally made a centralized policy for drone use.
    Individual - OH HELL NO!
    Commercial - How much lobbying money do you have?

    1. Re:I get it by bobbied · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Keep it under about 200', and away from airports and you are free to move about the country. RC models have been operating under these conditions for a long time. So individuals CAN operate drones NOW as a hobby. What is being limited in COMMERCIAL use of drones, and drones that impact existing air traffic.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  2. Brilliant. Got to prioritize... by mellon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    After all, TV shows are way more important than structural evaluations, aerial photography for site planning, roof inspections, and the myriad other commercial applications that are actually useful and safer than the way we currently do it. Sigh.

  3. #Bias by Libertarian_Geek · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, the left leaning (Hollywood production) companies get a benefit from the executive branch that other companies do not.

    --

    www.facebook.com/DareDefendOurRights

    www.fairtax.org
    1. Re:#Bias by MondoGordo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      no ... the money gets the honey, bunny! It has nothing to do with political ideology and everything to do with what politicians you own.

  4. Re:Brilliant. Got to prioritize... by Nyder · · Score: 5, Insightful

    After all, TV shows are way more important than structural evaluations, aerial photography for site planning, roof inspections, and the myriad other commercial applications that are actually useful and safer than the way we currently do it. Sigh.

    Not to mention they grounded search & rescue drones. http://arstechnica.com/tech-po...

    It's obvious it's all about the money, not about anything else.

    --
    Be seeing you...
  5. Re:Brilliant. Got to prioritize... by dbc · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Indeed. Crop inspection drones are my favorite poster child for this. If a corn farmer in Iowa wants to fly a drone at 50 feet above his own farm consisting of 1200 contiguous acres of crops, I don't see how that in any way could be dangerous to anyone or anything. But the movie companies have lots of money to spend on lobbying and political donations.