Drones Can Help Us Tell News Stories

The rise of the smartphone puts the power to be a journalist in almost everybody’s pocket.

Now, the democratization of drone technology is adding a new perspective to the stories people can tell and to how they can record and share events. Lately there has been an uptick in people sending drones up to capture dramatic views of wildfires, the devastating impacts of tornadoes and the scale of mass demonstrations.

Yet, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations remain restrictive regarding the use of drones by traditional media companies. After the FAA announced it would consider altering its regulations earlier this month, CNN said it was initiating a research project with Georgia Tech aimed at understanding “the opportunities unmanned aerial vehicles present for media organizations”. The project will, CNN said, “evaluate the technology, personnel and safety needs to operate effectively in the national air space.”

The project undertaken by CNN will help not only media organizations, but also citizen journalists tell better stories that are impacting their local communities.