Drone journalism: Where to now? Sanjana HattotuwaFounding Editor, groundviews.orgTED Fellow

How we got here

The rise in consumer unmanned aerial vehicles

Drones in warfare

UN DPKO drones in the DRC Drones for peacekeeping

Facebook’s Aquila UAV 137ft wingspan, designed to fly above 60,000ft for more than three months

Google’s Project Wing Delivery of medical equipment

Drones for sale in Sri Lanka Little to no awareness around ethics, rights, safety

CAA implementing standards for drone flights http://www.caa.lk/images/stories/pdf/implementing_standards/sn053.pdf

Registering drones with CAASL http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160828/news/uav-drone-operators-urged-to-register-with-civil-aviation-authority-206625.html

First drone journalism workshop http://internews.org/our-stories/project-updates/from-weddings-journalism-using-drones-report-critical-issues-sri-lanka

Wildlife Department ahead of CAASL http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/03/02/no-clearance-from-caa-for-uav/

Wildlife Department ahead of CAASL http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/03/02/no-clearance-from-caa-for-uav/

The Wildlife Department has not obtained the approval of the Defence Ministry or the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the deployment of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to report on illegal activities taking place within the wild life parks.

However given the circumstances we do not have an approval process either in place for such a situation. But had the Wildlife Department made such a request we could have assisted them in the process.

Wildlife Department ahead of CAASL http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/03/02/no-clearance-from-caa-for-uav/

The Wildlife Department introduced the UAV to report on illegal activities inside the Uda Walawe National Park recently.

However Wildlife Resources Minister Vijith Vijithamuni Soyza had claimed that the UAV had disappeared, subsequent to being deployed on the 22nd of February. The Minister further stated that in investigation is underway to locate the missing UAV.

Newsworthiness

The investigation must be of sufficient journalistic importance to risk using a potentially harmful aerial vehicle. Do not use a drone if the information can be gathered by other, safer means.

Examples of drone journalism

From Sri Lanka and internationally

NYT on China’s expanding desert Good journalism with drone perspectives

Mahinda Rajapaksa in Aranayake Victim centric? Ethics?

Salawa Camp explosion Victim centric? Ethics?

‘View from Above’, showcasing a region Campaign run by Emirates and Boeing

Thank you!

sanjanah@gmail.com