Hollywood will soon have a new angle on capturing aerial footage.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that it has approved exemptions that would allow filmmakers to use “unmanned aircraft systems,” otherwise known as drones.
The FAA responded to a request for a waiver filed earlier this year by six aerial photo and video production companies seeking permission to use drones for the first time. The decision is the first step to allowing the film and television industry to use drones, according to a statement from U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Foxx also determined that drones used for such operations do not need an FAA-issued certificate of airworthiness based on a finding they do not pose a threat to national airspace users or national security.
