Los Angeles, CA –Today the NTSB ruled that the FAA may continue to ban any commercial use model aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles or drones. We are anxiously awaiting the FAA’s long overdue and final regulations on the drones that have become so popular primarily to photographers. The ruling leaves in tact the incredibly vague, subjective and overly broad language in it’s provision, “No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner as to endanger the life or property or another.”   This language could allow for some judge to find that the mere flight of a device to be unlawful.   This is amazing since despite that there’s never been a single death or serious reported injury involving a multi-rotor camera drones.   If the unreasonably intrusive requirements recently imposed on filmmakers granted drone operation FAA permits are a sign of things to come this industry is doomed at least in the USA. For now the use of drones by hobbyists is s...

Hollywood, CA —I have to blame my dear friend Pablo Lewin for my obsession with camera drones.  Lewin is a film director who discovered this marvelous and incredibly creative filmmaking tool and got me hooked and empowered with the latest high tech toy. I’ve done a number of drone stories but today I was going to film a scene for Lewin’s latest film offering. I thought I'd let you in on the experience. I can still remember that horrible accident in the early morning hours of July 23, 1982, actor Vic Morrow along with two children, My-Ca Dinh Le (age 7), and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (age 6), died in a nasty helicopter crash during the filming of the Twilight Zone  movie.   We've taken any safety risk out of our production!  Helicopters can be deadly and they are too expensive for some filmmakers. Not to worry, the camera armed drones are here!  Today it was me and my drone that eliminated any dangers along with the impossible expense for a helic...

Phoenix, AZ —This geographical area is considered a medium size TV market.   Not every TV station here can afford a helicopter at $1,500.00 plus per hour.    Still they need plenty of quality video and of course that means aerial coverage of newsworthy events.   Smaller TV markets have smaller budgets and no choice but to use drones if they want aerial video.   As a former cop, long time licensed private investigator and investigative TV news producer I have advice to offer about drone journalism. The video-capturing drone is still a relatively new but very exciting technology.   It’s perfectly suited for use in Phoenix, AZ.   Now there is suddenly a new job to fill in the news industry, the drone, multimedia journalist.  To do this job you need four skills, operating the drone, photography, video editing and writing news stories.  Nobody said it was easy!      Police officials initially may be hostile over the fac...

Los Angeles, CA —As a long time photographer, licensed private investigator and television journalist I have to weigh in on drone regulation. For me it all began for me as a Chicago cop long ago.   I’m also a Viet Nam Era veteran. First of all there are no recorded deaths from the consumer drones that photographers are using.   Injuries and property damage has so far been so insignificant as to be totally off the radar. Our drone cameras are no different that your cell phone cameras.   You have to get really close for a recognizable face shot.   The cameras drone operators are using are not suited for such portrait photography.    Privacy concerns are way over-rated and are only a figment of paranoid imaginations . Our drones are electric and are not capable of making noise disturbances.   Yes, drones can be misused just like rocks, scissors and paper.   You can make a weapon out of anything and cause damage or harm....

The FAA has arbitrarily ruled that “commercial” use of drones or unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV’s) is prohibited.  The use of these amazing devices by hobbyists of course is perfectly legal until a UAV pilot earns a single dime.  Then the FAA will investigate and fine the offending party $10,000.00.  Of course the accused pilot has a right to a court hearing on the matter and evidence must be presented.  The pilot can then properly challenge whatever evidence the FAA offers up. So far the FAA’s only known case against a UAV photographer/pilot ever to see a courtroom failed.  On or about October 17, 2011 Raphael Pirker of Zurich, Switzerland was commercially operating his UAV over the University of Virginia . He was paid to gather video by a communications company. Pirker was also accused of flying the UAV at extremely low altitudes.  The FAA claimed he operated his drone recklessly.  Accordingly the FAA issued a civil penalty of $10,000....

'Okay I'm hooked on Drones for newsgathering, filmmaking and just plain fun.  I love Germany and the Netherlands and hope to retire there someday.  Here is some great video from yet another high-end offering into this new technology explosion! Cloudshots.NL | videoshowreel jan. 2014 from Cloudshots.NL on Vimeo . Cloudshots.NL | bevrijdingsfestival overijssel 2013 from Cloudshots.NL on Vimeo . http://www.aerialtronics.com/

Phoenix, AZ —I just had to have one of these things when I learned they could carry my wildly popular high definition GoPro cameras to new heights capturing previously impossible video. I now have the Blade 350 quadcopter that I obtained from B&H   Photo .   I also now have two GoPro cameras and a large box of accessories including lots of clever camera mounts.   Two GoPro cameras are not enough for filmmakers that need to cover every angle.   I think I need three more. Amazon.com just announced their plan to utilize drones to deliver packages less than five pounds in 30 minutes to our homes.    There are some huge hurdles that may prevent that from ever happening.   However the free publicity for Amazon at the beginning of the Christmas season obviously motivated that announcement. A drone was recently discovered being used to deliver drugs and cell phones to prison inmates.   One drone owner friend said using his dro...

Austin, TX —Recently I’ve joined the GoPro camera aficionados in a big way.  I’ve also learned that YouTube has some terrific tutorials for almost anything.  So I went searching for ways to best exploit my GoPros (so far I have two).  I found Mitch Bergsma’s  YouTube channel and began watching this fellow’s fine instructional videos.  Most of his videos have no sound nor does he speak.   Nonetheless I’m learning a lot from the video tips he provides.  Bergsma is young, athletic, incredibly creative and happens to be stone deaf!  Having suffered a somewhat serious hearing loss in recent years I’m fortunate in that I’ve been helped with hearing aids that allow me to function quite normally. Bergsma who was born deaf has also been helped with hearing aids but prefers to work without them.  It’s obvious that he’s adapted very well at a time before the hearing aids were improved as they are today.  Let me be the firs...