FAA Grants CNN Drone Waiver for News Coverage


fourth estate newThe Federal Aviation Administration has granted CNN a waiver of Rule 107 so that the news organization can fly unmanned aircraft systems over crowds of people. CNN has partnered with Vantage Robotics and the waiver grants CNN permission to fly Vantage’s Snap UAS.

The CNN and the FAA have worked together for the past two years on incorporating drones into news coverage. CNN designed the Reasonable Approach, a framework to evaluate the safeness of UASs and then proposed it to the FAA. CNN’s successful waiver was then based upon the Reasonable Approach.

“We are delighted that the FAA has granted CNN a waiver that has a meaningful and practical application to our newsgathering operations,” said Greg Agvent, senior director of national newsgathering technology for CNN. “We believe that this waiver is scalable and usable across industries, and therefore represents significant progress for the commercial UAS industry as a whole.”

“This waiver signifies a critical step forward not only for CNN’s UAS operations, but also the commercial UAS industry at large,” said David Vigilante, CNN’s senior vice president of legal. “We are truly grateful to the FAA for allowing CNN to demonstrate its continued commitment to safe UAS operations.”


About Tyler

Tyler is the chief media reporter for TKNN, with the news organization since its founding in November of 2010. He has previously served as chief political reporter and chief political anchor for TKNN.

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