rcmiket

Not surprised by this one bit and apparently since the individual did not work for the news station, Legal.. I do not approve of this at all and it will get worst before it gets better.

May 2015 from the FAA

'II. News Gathering by a Person Using a UASThe news media also may use pictures, video, or other information obtained from a UAS operatedby a person not affiliated with that media outlet. The FAA does not regulate whether a third partynot involved in the operation of an aircraft- manned or unmanned- can receive pictures, videos,or other information that was gathered using that aircraft, or how that third party can use thosepictures, videos, or other information. The focus ofthe FAA's oversight instead will be on theoperator and operation of an aircraft: whether the operation of the UAS to collect the pictures,videos, or other information has been authorized by the FAA (unless the UAS is operated as amodel aircraft under section 336); and whether the operation was conducted in accordance with theterms of the authorization. A media entity that does not have operational control of the UAS and isotherwise not involved in its operation falls outside ofthe FAA's oversight. 1 Whether the mediaentity pays for or obtains the pictures, videos, or other information for free would not affect thisanalysis.A person who wishes to operate a UAS to take pictures or videos or gather other information thatthen would be sold to media outlets would need an FAA authorization for the operation, just as anyother unmanned aircraft operation that does not fall within the section 336 carve-out for modelaircraft would require an FAA authorization. Consistent with the discussion above, the use of anunmanned aircraft by a person media entity to take pictures or videos or gather other informationfor resale would be in fmiherance of that person's business. Therefore, the operations would failthe "hobby or recreation" test of section 336( a) and would need to be authorized by the FAA."

Mike