For cbs news this is R2-D2 reporting?

[eagle5]

Recently I've been seeing more news footage taken from drones (like a fire scene I saw yesterday) and I couldn't help but wonder if this was the beginning of things to come? Ten years from now will Helicopters Inc. have replaced its helicopter fleet with drones?

 

Funny, but...I kind of hope so.

[aeroscout]

I wouldn't mind seeing some in that industry get their comeuppance.

[arotrhd]

Perhaps in some markets or areas that they could do quick launches from a positioned report. I'm not seeing ENG ops with helos being significantly modified because they still have the advantage of being able to provide coverage of rapidly evolving news events in a much more spontaneous manner. However, I can envision field reporters using remotes with greater frequency to give their reports different perspectives that they can control and edit. Interesting topic, and I'm actually a lot more concerned that ground reporters could be the ones who would be benefiting from this, and they're just one group of many in that respect.

 

Interesting topic that I'm sure has & will continue to evolve. Any other ENG types have thoughts and opinions?

 

-WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[Alpha Elite]

I am more concerned about drone avoidance.

 

Where i work i have seen/heard a few occassions now where we have had drones interfearing with flight operations. 2 times that my operator has to do go arounds and the grounds crew had to go and shut the drone pilot down or ask him o move due to operatig in close proximity (i.e. 30 ft - 50 ft roughly) to our landing zone. i could only imagine if a dron got sucked into a tail while the pilot did not have visibility on it.

[Flying Pig]

One issue that is coming up in the LE world is private citizens with their quad copter and a police scanner. There have been a few situations lately where the thing is in a 30' hover over the scene long before the police arrive. Great for a scenario where the police are trying to get on scene quietly. Domestic violence, robbery, in-progress burglary. Gotta love people hobbies sometimes. Those particular scenarios don't interfere with aircraft necessarily, but it has it's own set of issues.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Flying Pig