How Reuters uses drones to help tell stories

Lauren Young of Reuters writes about how the news service uses drones to tell stories after one of its photographers used a drone to show glaciers melting in Greenland.

Young writes, “Reuters has a detailed policy on drone usage, as outlined in the Reuters Handbook of Journalism (here). That includes steering clear of people, homes, protests or densely populated areas.

“‘We should apply heightened consideration and sensitivity to ensure our use of drones does not stalk, harass, or intimidate any person, including any subject of our coverage,’ the handbook says.

“According to our rules, drones must be used in daylight hours, at specific altitudes and at a safe distance from an airport. As a result, our use of drones so far has been limited. Reuters journalists still typically take overhead shots from helicopters.

“However, drones can shoot images at a lower elevation, often offering more granular details since they can hover in one spot without much movement.”

Read more here.