Ethics for Newsdronies? What New Rules Should We Establish?

Los Angeles, CA—Before I share my thoughts I want you to see what a seemingly thoughtful journalist, Matt Waite has to say about the use of drones for Electronic News Gathering or ENG.  It’s important that you first watch his video presentation. My response is below the video.

Okay, Waite made a really melodramatic example of anecdote from his reporting past to make a point.  It was a really unfair and simplistic overstatement of a highly unusual situation he once encountered. 

Waite’s dramatic example is one we all can resolve by simply keeping enough distance between the drone and the grieving woman that Waite described. Only the most soulless bastard would dare to bring a buzzing drone into that poor woman’s face! 

Additionally, Waite unleashed his little drone inside the theater where he’s speaking and the natural acoustics there exaggerated the multi-rotor drone’s noise substantially.   

At 40 or 50 feet outdoors that noise is barely noticeable.  Animals will hear it much better than humans.  Actually is it substantially quieter that any typical news helicopter.  We need to first consider the current ethics of a news helicopter ENG crew for comparison.   

Helicopters make much more noise and everyone knows they are probably using very expensive high definition telephoto cameras because they are!

The little drones are much less intrusive or noisy than helicopters unless and until you begin to invade someone’s personal space. Frankly doing that would interfere with obtaining video that you’re there to capture. 

I must of course, beg the question, would invading the personal space of a rapist, murder or armed robber with a drone causing the termination of a horrific act be somehow unethical?

It may not be the job of journalists to interfere with crime but we must remember that we all have a much higher duty when human life is at stake.   Or is it somehow more virtuous or ethical to give our content viewers a voyeuristic view of a horrible crime we may have easily thwarted?

News directors and journalism professors will be struggling these drone issues just like they did when the first helicopters were utilized for ENG decades ago.

The job of the ENG Newsdronies will be to get the images.  Most of the important “ethical” decisions will be made inside TV control rooms and editing bays.  

Live shots are different and everyone involved in newsgathering and broadcasting must consider the safety of hostages and cops.  A ten-second delay solves many problems inherent or pulling out for a wider shot may be what’s called for.  Simple common sense must be applied.

Actually drone propeller noise can be greatly reduced by using special, balanced carbon fiber propellers instead of the plastic ones that come with most mini-drones.

How close to the news-making event is too close for an ENG drone?  Obviously bringing a drone within 20 feet of people will change their behavior.  If someone were being viciously attacked would that drone distraction slow or stop the crime?  Could it also give a victim a chance to flee and survive? Is that somehow a bad thing?

I can’t help but think about the TV news helicopter video shot during the Rodney King Riot in L.A.   That image gathering provided a solid identification of the person trying to kill truck driver Reginald Denny in that shockingly savage attack.  As a result of the images gathered the offender was quickly captured by police and removed from our streets.  

Those people involved in news reporting really don’t need new drone ethics.  They simply need to apply the old ones to the current technology. 

The drones belong in ENG more than the helicopters we’ve grown accustomed to seeing at newsworthy events.   Technology now has provided a gift that will give us better news video at a fraction of the cost or danger of utilizing conventional helicopters.

My Drone Documentary, A Sneak Preview, Meet Abby Lyle.

Abbe Lyle, photographer, conventional aircraft and drone pilot.

Los Angeles, CA—As we speak I’m producing a documentary about multi-rotor camera drones and their pilots.

There is so much ignorance, fear and loathing out there clouding the truth.  Every day various conventional aircraft pilots are reporting drone sightings.  Are these things somehow a public threat?

This trend is very reminiscent of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when Hollywood films about flying saucers and little green men were very popular.  Suddenly there were imaginative but somewhat credible sounding UFO and alien sightings by various airline pilots reported in the news almost nightly.

Now it's the multi-rotor drones some of which have been reported being seen by some pilots at 30,000 feet and traveling at Mach 1.  If you own or operate these little devices you know the claims are quite ridicules.

As a licensed private investigator and drone pilot I can say they are ineffective for spying on people.  I’m better off with a standard camera with a large and heavy telephoto lens that these drones are incapable of carrying. 

The drones make noise and have necessary navigation lights that are more than obvious. 

The safety record for the multi-rotors are free from and deaths or serious injuries.  Helicopters world wide number around 7000 and its interesting to learn there are well more than a million of these drones already in questionably trained and unlicensed civilian hands. We all know only too well about catastrophic helicopter crashes in all of our major cities. 

The reality is that for filmmakers, photographers, mapmakers, surveyors, insurance adjusters, real estate marketing, farmers, ranchers and such the multi-rotor drones are an important new tool.  They are very necessary for maintaining our food supply. 

Camera drones are by far the safest and least expensive way for news organization to gather news images and video for broadcast and publishing.

New uses for the drones are being discovered everyday including police crime scene and accident investigations.  That, along with delivering defibrillators, life savers to endangered victims faster than our best paramedics and lifeguards.

Drone bans are under study nearly everywhere and to bring sunshine onto these technological gifts we need to educate people especially the politicians.  That’s why I’ve undertaken this documentary.

In my quest to tell the multi-rotor drone story I found the beautiful and elegant Abbe Lyle.  She’s a professional photographer, mother, conventional aircraft pilot and she is a camera drone disciple of the first order.

Some well known celebrity drone owner/pilots include Jeff Dunham, Bruce Jenner, Rupert Murdock and Martha Stewart.  That list is growing every day. 

Abbe Lyle is a refined lady that as you will see operates her drone like a true professional.  Watching her movements is like what you see at the ballet.

You will see and hear much more from Abbe and others when I release the full documentary.

Putting a Drone Under Your Child’s Christmas Tree

Phoenix, AZ—Okay, I have to confess that my two camera drones have brought out the child in me!  I put one under my own tree last Christmas.  I’m middle-aged but have become hopelessly hooked on these incredible things.  I now own a DJI Phantom 2 and a Blade 350QX quad-copters that use those great GoPro cameras. 

For some unknown reason these multi-rotor camera drones have not caught the affection of women like they have men.  I don’t understand this since women are generally more creative then men.  I hope this changes because they have no clue what they’re missing.

The popularity of the multi-rotor drones is exploding especially with photographers.  They allow limitless perspectives of the subject mater sought to make or capture breathtaking images. 

They have starter drones on the substantially less-expensive end such as the Blade 200-QX that can help your child master the very important skills in controlling, operating and understanding this somewhat new technology. 

To be a successful camera drone owner & operator there are four things that must be part of your learning curve. 

First is learning the science and piloting of the device itself.  Next is the understanding of cameras and video photography.  After that, learning how to edit the video so that it is watchable becomes very important.  Last but not least is story telling or writing ability, which is no small part of this process. 

The best way to describe this is to compare this process to making a TV news story or a blockbuster movie.  If you’re not motivated, creative and competitive don’t bother with camera drones.

There’s really no fun in using the camera drones if you can’t share your films with your friends and the world.  Nobody will want to watch your videos unless they have that special sizzle. 

Drone photography has opened a new world that often can’t even be captured safely with conventional helicopters or fixed wing aircraft.  

The safety record of the camera drones is still unblemished but for a few careless owner/operators that have put their hand or fingers into the moving propellers.  For these people putting Band-Aids in their flight box may be a good idea. 

Crashes into trees, buildings or other fixed objects are inevitable but most of the time the drone survives with little or no damage.  A broken propeller or two are easily replaced.  

A pretty nice consumer drone with camera will cost between $1,200 and $3,000 but is worth every penny. 

The lucrative camera drone manufacturing industry is becoming fiercely competitive meaning the quality improves as the prices are dropping. 

An accomplished camera/drone operator can expect to see real career possibilities in many areas of business.  Filmmaking, TV news, Surveying and Mapping businesses will all need drone/camera operators.

Back to the idea of giving one of these gee wiz gizmos to you kid.  A starter drone may be the best idea.  If your child is really motivated, responsible and capable of handing the learning curve the real deal camera drone might just become the gift of a lifetime.  

Anyone getting a drone should learn to fly with an already accomplished drone operator.  Trying to learn alone is a terrible idea.  There are RC or remote control flying fields everywhere and there are folks there, flying that are only too willing to teach you some basics. 

Camera drone schools are also beginning to surface and that’s yet another professional opportunity. 

The drones are here to stay simply because they are both needed and wanted.  Now I want Santa Claus to put an advanced professional drone under my own tree this year!
My Number One Drone:

 Sunset and PCH L.A. video

Westlake Villiage, CA:

A closer Look at my Phantom 2 Camera Drone and Accessories!

Phoenix, AZ—I number of my friends and visitors want to know more about my Phantom 2 camera drone so I have provided a close-up view.

The Go Pro camera with gimbal is a better choice then the built in camera on the Phantom 2 Vision plus for better images.

Check out my new retractable landing gear that’s never in my video shots anymore. 

My trusted dealer in Van Nuys, CA is Pirofliprc at 16205 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA  91406- Telephone 818-781-3401.

Jailed Drone Photographer Needs Legal Help On A Serious First Amendment Fight.

Daniel Saulmon/Tom Zebra

Los Angeles, CA—Daniel Saulmon, 42 better known as Tom Zebra is being held in a jail cell here since his 4:00 PM arrest on September 23^rd.  Saulmon was late for his misdemeanor citation received weeks earlier for flying his camera drone.  When Saulmon appeared later that morning they kept him waiting for hours and then was ordered held on a punitive $30K bail. 

Saulmon spent five days in jail until his supporters were able to post his bail.  

The crime Saulmon is accused of is flying his little plastic remote control Phantom 2 camera drone on Los Angeles park property. 

The little known L.A. ordinance Saulmon was arrested on is not new.  It banned flying of remote controlled aircraft.  However this put on the books long before the little multi-rotor Phantom gizmos with cameras ever existed.  

At the time they enacted this remote controlled aircraft law, the city council had no way to know the much gentler camera drones would be invented later.  Without specific intent to ban the multi-rotor  Phantoms the law should be considered void for vagueness.

The ordinance itself was enacted to prevent people from being injured by the much faster and less stable fixed wing remote aircraft being used at the time.  There are absolutely no reports of any deaths or remarkable injuries from the little drones like Saulmon used. 

The simple but unanswered question on these popular camera drones is, aren't they protected by the First Amendment?   

The real issue here is that Saulmon is a firebrand in the eyes of cops.  He’s challenged police authority to stop him from shooting video of them on public streets.  Saulmon has posted countless videos on YouTube of hostile confrontations with cops in every South Bay police jurisdiction.

Salmon patrols the streets on his bicycle and whips out one of several video cameras he carries and begins to record the action.  Often the cops take exception to Saulmon's activities and try to force him into presenting identification and to explain why he’s shooting video.  Saulmon usually refuses to cooperate with the police and it nearly always makes for interesting video.Saulmon also makes a modest living in part by selling newsworthy video to local news organizations.  

Our nation's cops are just beginning to learn that Saulmon’s activities are Constitutionally protected by the First Amendment.   The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken on this issue and cops have no reasonable expectation of privacy when engaged in their duties.

Over the last several years cops have conspired against, harassed and falsely arrested thousands of people taking their pictures.  This won’t end until the lawsuits begin to seriously drain public coffers.  

Saulmon recently added that Phantom 2 camera drone to his arsenal and that has ignited even more resentment from his police detractors.  The cops have consulted/conspired  with city and county prosecutors looking for any and all ways to sideline Saulmon’s activities.

Logic would dictate that the camera drones are just another form of media capturing devices like pencils, pens, paintbrushes, typewriters or any other camera!

Is this a conspiracy to violate Saulmon’s civil rights?  Given the history I think that may be abundantly clear.

Let me say I don’t personally approve of much of Saulmon’s tactics but the Bill of Rights says otherwise.  

I know a lot of cops that welcome cameras because they are a protection against bogus brutality complaints by criminals.  Not all cops agree on pushing Saulmann around or intimidating him.  The cops prosecutors and courts have to respect our basic freedoms.  The right of people to record and scrutinize the conduct of the police must be protected at all cost.

Saulmon deserves to be fully  supported by the camera drone manufacturers, media, civil libertarians and certainly the ACLU.

I hope someone reading this will arrange for a top flight First Amendment media lawyer.  

The fact is the news organizations stand to lose the most if the camera drones can be banned.  Camera drones are the next generation aerial electronic news gathering devices.  They are so much safer, agile and incredibly cheaper than helicopters. 

Saulmon will be in the Long Beach Superior Court on September 30^th, 2014 at 8:30 AM.  The court is located at 275 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach, CA.

Soulmon needs to serious legal help to fight this tyranny.   

Let me get a single point across here.  Our rights have never been won or preserved because of requests, begging or pleading.  Without the Tom Zebras of America constantly fighting for their rights there'd be no First Amendment.  

What? You Work in TV News but Can’t Create a Video Package on Your iPhone?

Los Angeles, CA—Local news coverage here is as lame is it gets anywhere!  The entertainment capitol of the world and the second largest television market puts out pathetic  minimalist crap instead of comprehensive news. It's downright shameful!

What used to be called print media has now been forcibly moved to the Internet and they now must adapt to publishing quality video or simply become history.

I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re at the bottom position and pay grade in your news organization there’s no excuse for you being unable to make a broadcast quality news story if you come upon breaking news.  If you can’t put together a watchable story on your iPhone you need to get out of the news business.  

You don’t have to be pretty or an award winning cinematographer to create a great news story.  You do need to be capable of using a little investigative effort and get some watchable video and simply tell your story.  What’s most important is that you never waste an opportunity to assemble the elements of important news breaking around you.

The new iPhone 6 plus with it’s improved camera and large screen allows anyone that can make a decent selfie still shot, to shoot, edit and make a really watchable news package!  Unlike the predecessor, smaller iPhones the larger 6plus screens are very adequate to professionally edit captured video in the inexpensive iMovie application. 

I’m not going to train in this story you but will give you a few solid tips.

Always hold you iPhone horizontal and NEVER vertical.  Get close as you possibly can to the action so that you can get both usable sound and video.   If you’re too shy and don’t get close enough you efforts will be wasted.

Always be sure to add your own voiceovers to your captured video during the editing process.  Doing that while you shoot is almost never a good idea.  

As you learn how to do this you will discover tricks and accessories to improve your stories with things like lavaliere microphones.  There are lots of new devices including those that serve as tripods when needed.  

If you have a camera drone and can get it deployed and operating over breaking news such as a natural disaster or a civil disturbance that could swing your career into high gear.

There are those amazing options for live broadcasting from your iPhone offered by Livestream.com or Ustream.com.   They must rely on a good 4G Internet signal.  You could for example be on vacation in Europe during breaking news and actually get video back to your newsroom.

Again, I’m going to bash L.A’s lame news coverage.  They can’t seem to do a crime story these days that was not totally created and controlled by the appointed police propaganda officers. 

I don’t understand why the reporters in this market won’t routinely check things like court records or take the effort to identify and seek out victims and witnesses for interviews.  What they call enterprising journalism here is getting a really worthless sound bite from a know-nothing neighbor saying, “it's so scary!” 

Despite so many wonderful new tools the quality of electronically gathered coverage has declined significantly over the last two decades. The competiveness and energy has dwindled as newsrooms have lost viewers and readers in droves.

The new technologies should be helping significantly but the news organizations are so painfully slow at adaptation.  Perhaps it’s that the ageing suits running the news business are simply a bunch of old dogs incapable of learning new tricks. They desperately cling to the things that worked for them when they were young.

The tools of computer assisted reporting, instantly obtaining quality video, the exciting GoPro cameras and now the inexpensive camera drones have made amazing leaps and bounds.   Unfortunately the suits running news refuse to embrace new technology and instead reject progress. 

If you’re working in a newsroom or hope to pursue this line of work, you simply can’t wait for the news bureaucracy to adapt to progress.   It’s you that must learn how to create and then demonstrate your abilities. 

The camera drones have made a big splash and the novelty has brought with it massive ignorance and contrived controversy. 

If you have a camera drone use it.  Get the video and worry about what your bosses will say later.  It’s better that they see your amazing images even if they are two cowardly to use them!

Why wait for someone else to do this and steal your thunder?  If you make something spectacular with a drone camera your bosses will soon be fighting to use what they did not have the testicles to allow earlier.