Virginia Tech researchers advance drone use for media group
Sinclair Broadcasting became the first media group to meet an FAA-approved means of compliance for drone operations over people with the help of Virginia Tech researchers.
Reporters can now capture the news from a bird’s-eye view of a drone thanks to Virginia Tech researchers.
In late February, Sinclair Broadcast Group became the first media group to meet a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved means of compliance developed by the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership for drone operations over people. This allows them to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) over individuals and moving vehicles for newsgathering without an FAA waiver.
“This is the result of more than a year of extensive preparation and testing in the lab where everyone worked to find a safe solution.” said Jeff Rose, Sinclair’s UAS chief pilot. “Our partnership with Virginia Tech has been instrumental in ensuring the highest safety and training standards.”
According to Sinclair, all of its drone pilots undergo rigorous training at the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP), which is an FAA-designated UAS test site. This ensures pilots are equipped with advanced skills and knowledge in drone operations and safety procedures.
In 2021, the drone industry provided a pathway for flying over people with the FAA’s establishment of the Operations over People rule for Category 2 and Category 3 operations. The rule allows for such operations, but only after a drone is tested to show it complies with the rule. The categories require that an aircraft does not exceed comparative injury limits upon impact or contain exposed rotating parts capable of lacerating human skin.
Later that year, the FAA accepted a first means of compliance for satisfying the rule’s requirements developed by MAAP and Virginia Tech’s Center for Injury Biomechanics. In 2022, the first drone to satisfy this means of compliance was approved.
Since developing this means of compliance in 2021, MAAP has worked with several industry partners to test their drones for approval, but this is the first media company that has passed its means of compliance.
"We're glad that our team could leverage this test method to help Sinclair identify an aircraft that can be safely operated over people, providing their reporters with more flexibility in covering the news," said Tombo Jones, MAAP director. “Our testing provides industry operators with increased flexibility in newsgathering while adhering to FAA safety standards. This work with Sinclair is just another example of prioritizing safety in drone integration.”