Sinclair approved by FAA to pilot drones over people without waiver

Sinclair (SBGI) has achieved a milestone in drone journalism. The Federal Aviation Administration has accepted Sinclair’s Declaration of Compliance for Operations Over People, making Sinclair the first broadcast company authorized to fly drones over individuals and moving vehicles without needing an FAA waiver for newsgathering under FAA rules. The FAA’s authorization allows Sinclair to operate specially modified drones while adhering to strict safety protocols and procedures that meet federal requirements. Sinclair’s Unmanned Aerial Systems program, launched in 2016, operates across 50 newsrooms nationwide and has completed over 40,000 logged flights to date. The program includes 148 FAA certified pilots and 540 trained visual observers.