Washington, D.C .—We have a full-blown crisis!   We are being told that government must suddenly regulate and register the well over two million drones used by hobbyists, photographers, filmmakers and other ordinary civilians. For over two years now we’ve heard the media tell us how these little pesky devices will bring down airliners, invade privacy and destroy our way of life.   Pulling the puppet strings of the media has been the FAA and DOT .   Chicago’s Mayor, Rahm Emanuel said it best back when he was Obama’s Chief of Staff, “ Never let a good crisis go to waste! ”   This drone crisis is nothing more that a manufactured one. The FAA has showered the media with their “facts” in that they claim there are well over 700 cases of near misses with airliners and other conventional aircraft. Missing from these statistics are a single fatality, serious injury or even a report of notable property damage.   Because drones have driven news stories like w...

Washington, DC —Suddenly, the FAA has allowed CNN  and a Las Vegas agency ArrowData to begin using and testing drones for electronic newsgathering over populated areas under a section 333-waiver application provision.   Until now the FAA has banned so-called, commercial use of drones while completely ignoring important First Amendment issues.  As of now many media companies have opted to refuse applying for section-333 waivers because the lack of FAA regulation in effect already allows drone newsgathering. The FAA just issued a curious memo saying the media can’t use the drones, but they can accept and publish drone video from third party hobbyists.  That begs the question, are the rights of hobbyists somehow greater than news publishers? Soon the FAA and media content creators may be clashing in a courtroom. The real issue and mission of the FAA is about safety in our skies. However, to date the nearly two million multi-rotor camera drones have ...

Washington, DC —The FAA was very tight lipped about the drone regulations they are drafting for public comment later this month.   An FAA official claims they are releasing a Risk Based Proposed Regulatory Program that will integrate commercial drones into the airspace.   Judging from today’s Congressional hearing they are attempting concentrate on educating the operators of small consumer drones and more serious regulation of anything else.   Oddly enough they never once mentioned using drones for news video news gathering and only touched lightly on filmmakers. Once they release their draft drone rule package it must be published and then there is a routine schedule for inviting public comment. Once that period passes the FAA will then set their rule in concrete.   That of course can be challenged later both by Congressional action and litigation. The FAA seems to be coming to grips that the small camera drone operator will be nearly impossible to re...