US newsrooms consider using drones, but hurdles remain

Newsgathering by drone is gaining traction as an industry practice, but how the technology can actually be used to cover the news of the day is murky given its legal limitations.

The emerging technology has been used in wars, to deliver packages and, occasionally, for causing a ruckus, but the US Federal Aviation Administration has also approved more than 200 commercial uses since September for movies, real estate and infrastructure.

Among those approvals, two companies identified newsgathering as their primary mission, according to the FAA website.