The FAA may soon allow the use of drones for filming movies

While regulations governing drone flight in the US have become messy, the FAA is plugging along as if it has full control over the rules. It announced today that it is considering a request from seven film studios that wish to be exempt from the ban on commercial drone use, stating there “could be tangible economic benefits.” The precision agriculture, power line and pipeline inspection, and oil and gas flare stack inspection industries have also approached the FAA about an exemption, a release said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is considering giving permission to seven movie and television filming companies to use unmanned aircraft for aerial photography, a potentially significant step that could lead to greater relaxation of the agency’s ban on commercial use of drones. The companies that have filed petitions to receive exemptions are Aerial MOB LLC, Astraeus Aerial, Flying-Cam Inc., HeliVideo Productions LLC, Pictorvision Inc., Vortex Aerial, and Snaproll Media LLC, the FAA said in a statement. To receive the exemptions, the companies must show their drone operations won’t harm safety, and would be in the public interest. Drones offer the movie and television industries “an innovative and safer option for filming,” said Neil Fried, senior vice president for the Motion Picture Association of America.