LAS VEGAS (AP) – Newsgathering by drone is gaining traction as an industry practice, but how the technology can actually be used to cover the news of the day is murky given its legal limitations.
The emerging technology has been used in wars, to deliver packages and, occasionally, for causing a ruckus, but the Federal Aviation Administration has also approved more than 200 commercial uses since September for movies, real estate and infrastructure.
Among those approvals, two companies identified newsgathering as their primary mission, according to the FAA website.
Las Vegas-based ArrowData said it’s looking to franchise its drone ability to news organizations.
The company wants to sell the drones to newsrooms and then train journalists to carry out an operation. It doesn’t have any contracts yet but said it is seeking out broadcast and newspaper outlets.