Part 107 for news and drone journalism
Newsroom drone work is Part 107 work. The rules that matter on deadline: crowds, breaking-news TFRs and the SGI process, and saying no under pressure.
Updated
News drone work is client work with a deadline, which makes it a natural fit for the FAA's own test questions: two of the FAA's sample questions are about a TV station's drone pilot. Breaking news also stacks the hardest rules together: crowds, emergency scenes with temporary flight restrictions, night, and pressure to get the shot.
Which rules come up on a news assignment?
| Situation | Rule | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, crash or disaster scene | Likely a TFR; approval through the controlling agency or SGI | Drone TFRs |
| Crowds, protests, parades | Operations over people | Operations Over People |
| Stadium or big event | Stadium restriction within 3 NM | Drone TFRs |
| Story after dark | Lighting and night training | Night operations |
| Following a convoy or a boat | Moving vehicle limits | Moving vehicles |
| Editor says "fly first, ask later" | Hazardous attitudes and final authority | Decision-making |
How do you get into a TFR on deadline?
Plan for it before the story breaks. The FAA's TFR guidance says only certain groups are typically approved, media among them, that you coordinate with the controlling agency named in the TFR, and that the Special Governmental Interest process exists for urgent requests. A newsroom that already has certificated pilots, current recency and the request form ready moves much faster than one that starts after the call comes in.
What does the FAA's TV station question teach?
The FAA's sample questions describe a station manager who tells the pilot to "fly first, ask questions later", which is the hazardous attitude of impulsivity, and a station whose pilot has had near misses and two accidents, where the fix is to recognize hazardous attitudes and adopt safety-focused standard operating procedures. Both point to the same rule: under 14 CFR 107.19, the remote pilot in command is the final authority on the flight, whatever the assignment desk wants. The sample questions post has both questions.
Privacy, trespass and state drone laws apply on news assignments too, and some states have specific rules near critical infrastructure. The state drone laws guide is the place to start for the states you cover.
How should a newsroom pilot study?
Photographers and producers usually know cameras and stories; the test is regulations, airspace and operations, with decision-making questions written around newsrooms. Take the free diagnostic, work through the handbook by area, and run the exam simulator until your score is stable well above 70%.
Frequently asked questions
- Do journalists need a Part 107 certificate to fly a drone for a story?
- Yes. Flying to gather footage for a news outlet is work, not recreation. The pilot needs a remote pilot certificate, and the drone must be registered under Part 107 and broadcast Remote ID.
- Can news drones fly inside a TFR at a disaster or major incident?
- Only with approval. The FAA says each TFR lists who may be approved to fly in it, typically public safety agencies, first responders and organizations such as media, and that urgent requests can go through the Special Governmental Interest process, which requires a current Part 107 certificate or a COA.
- Can I fly over a crowd at a protest or news scene?
- Only within the operations over people rules in 14 CFR 107.39: people who are directly participating, people under a covered structure or in a stationary vehicle, or an operation that meets one of the four categories. Most crowd shots are planned from the side, not overhead.