Drones May Be Creating More Obstacles For Firefighters
During this year's fire season, California's firefighters are battling more than just the flames. They're also worrying about avoiding collisions with drones.
As drones have grown in popularity, so has the number of people using them to get video of emergency situations -- like wildfires.
Firefighters have to land their choppers if they see a drone while fighting a fire. While a drone may seem like nothing compared to a big chopper, these unmanned aircrafts can weigh up to 55 pounds. If a chopper ran into one while flying at high speeds, the chopper could crash, or the drone could fly through the windshield of the chopper and injure the pilot.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection launched a PSA this summer, urging hobbyists to remember their slogan: If you fly, we can't.
But that hasn't stopped drone hobbyists from fighting to fly their drones. Alan Hagman, the deputy director of photography at the L.A. Times, says the drone regulations that may arise from the actions of untrained hobbyists "unfairly limit journalists."
The National Press Photographers Association fought against legislation that would have made it illegal for drones to fly over private property in California. Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the bill, but federal drone regulations still don't allow drones to operate for commercial use, which includes journalists.
"I can air footage you shoot but I can’t go out and shoot that myself. Our journalists are trained professionals to .. not to get in the way of people."
Federal drone legislation is still being drafted. Journalists like Hagman hope future drone laws will allow the press to work with public officials so they can cover news events safely while using drones.
