Drones equipped with cameras may soon be whizzing around movie sets.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that seven film production companies have asked for permission to use drones in film-making. The agency currently prohibits using unmanned aircraft for commercial purposes, but it reconsidering the rules and may loosen them as early as next year.
The Motion Picture Association of America endorses the idea of drone-based cameras, citing better cinematography and added safety from keeping human camera operators on the ground. “This new tool for storytellers will allow for creative and exciting aerial shots and is the latest in a myriad of new technologies being used by our industry to further enhance the viewer experience,” the association said in a statement.
This comes in light of other companies vying for the chance to use drones to enhance efficiency, including Amazon.com. The online retail giant said delivery speed could be greatly increased with the technology.
According to an FAA statement, the companies that have requested exemptions to use drones are: Aerial MOB LLC, Astraeus Aerial, Flying-Cam Inc., HeliVideo Productions LLC, Pictorvision Inc., Vortex Aerial, and Snaproll Media LLC.