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Sinclair has become the first news organization to be authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to pilot drones over people and moving vehicles for newsgathering purposes without requiring a waiver from the agency. Sinclair filed a Declaration of Compliance for Operations Over People with the FAA, which the agency has accepted.
“This approval represents a significant step forward in our ability to deliver high-quality, innovative journalism,” said Scott Livingston, SVP of News for Sinclair. “By incorporating expanded drone footage, we enhance our coverage of breaking news, local events, weather and community stories — offering our audiences more compelling and dynamic storytelling.”
Sinclair’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program, launched in 2016, operates across 50 newsrooms nationwide and has completed over 40,000 logged flights to date, the company said. The program includes 148 FAA certified pilots and 540 trained visual observers. All Sinclair drone pilots undergo training at Virginia Tech’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP), an FAA-designated UAS test site. This partnership ensures pilots are equipped with advanced skills and knowledge in drone operations and safety procedures, according to Sinclair.
“Our ongoing partnership with Virginia Tech has been instrumental in ensuring the highest safety and training standards,” Livingston added.
“Our dedication to safety is paramount and this achievement is the result of more than a year of extensive preparation, testing and collaboration with industry and government partners,” said Jeff Rose, Sinclair’s UAS chief pilot. “We’ve also conducted community outreach meetings in each market where we operate drones, engaging with first responders, Homeland Security, education officials, local government