Are Filmmakers Using Drones Illegally? Looks Like It
It is illegal in the U.S. to operate a drone for cash. That's the position of the Federal Aviation Administration — which is in charge of protecting air space. But at least one industry has decided that it doesn't care and it's going to put drones to work anyway: the film industry.
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It's 4:45 a.m. in Southern California, but Jeff Blank is used to starting this early. "Directors are chasing the sunrise shot," he says, "and the winds are pretty calm this time of day."
Blank and his cousin Andrew Petersen run a family business called Drone Dudes, based in Los Angeles. Companies pay them to fly drones with video cameras into the air, to get footage for movies and commercials. It's a hot new service in the world of aerial cinematography.
Petersen recaps their very busy week, which includes jobs for an independent filmmaker, Kawasaki and a trip for the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah for a Hyundai commercial. "I'm bringing my bike so I can ride between shoots," he says.
Today's client is Anaheim, CA-based Pacific Sunwear, or PacSun, the clothing store that's in a lot of malls. The film crew heads out to a big white van, with the words Drone Dudes stenciled in big black letters. They load their gear and take off for the film set.
On Set
This drone-for-hire operation is illegal according to federal regulators, who say that with very few exceptions, drones cannot be used for business until guidelines are in place for air safety and privacy. The FAA even issues a myth-buster fact sheet to debunk any misconceptions.
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