Drones and Nonprofits: Providing a New Perspective
Aerial photos can offer transformative views of places we thought we knew well. They can inspire us and even change the way we think about these places, or give us close-up views of places we otherwise had no hope of reaching.
© Kevin Suttlehan, Yonkers, NY 2022
Today, drone photography is also a safe and affordable way for nonprofits and NGOs to provide their audiences with a new perspective on their mission. This is especially true for large organizations with expansive missions, but it can also be helpful for smaller organizations to emphasize what they are accomplishing with fewer resources.
Here are six things nonprofits and NGOs need to know about drone photography:
1. You need to use an FAA-certified drone pilot. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has many rules governing the use of drones. This is the most important rule and it applies to your nonprofit organization even if your pilot is not charging you for the service. To verify that your drone pilot is FAA-certified, insert the pilot’s name here: FAA Inquiry. He or she must have a “Remote Pilot” certificate with a “Small Unmanned Aircraft System” rating.
2. Your pilot’s drone must be “Remote ID compliant.” Remote ID is the ability of a drone in flight to provide identification and location information that can be received by other parties through a broadcast signal. That allows authorities or anyone with one of several new cellphone apps to identify who is flying the drone and where they and the drone are located.
3. The FAA controls the airspace where drones and other aircraft can fly, and it can impose temporary restrictions on short notice. The airspace around airport and military bases are the obvious examples here, but as I write these words, the FAA posted a temporary flight restriction (TFR) for the otherwise unrestricted airspace above my location in Westchester County. The reason: “Temporary flight restriction for VIP movement” (which coincides with an announced presidential visit to the region).
© Kevin Suttlehan, Esopus, NY 2022
4. In some locations, drone takeoffs and landings are restricted by state and local government agencies. While most locations do not have restrictions, some towns and cities restrict take-offs and landings to private property where the property owner has consented to the flight. Other locales have instituted a permit-issuing process.
In July of 2023, for instance, New York City announced that it was initiating a process by which organizations could apply for a permit to launch or land a drone in New York City. Understandably, the requirements here are extensive— but are not insurmountable.
Unfortunately, there is no official public database of local regulations governing drone take-offs and landings. We keep our own list, however, and check local laws prior to accepting drone assignments.
5. Weather can affect a planned flight. Drone flights require a minimum visibility of 3 nautical miles and must maintain certain minimum distances from clouds (staying 500 feet below and 2,000 feet horizontally). Conditions can also change rapidly—either forcing you to reschedule or allowing you just enough time to get a planned photo shoot done.
© Kevin Suttlehan/American Red Cross 2022
6. There are special rules that govern flying at night, flights over people and flights over automobiles. If your plans involve these scenarios, discuss them with your drone pilot. FAA-certified pilots must pass an extensive knowledge test to receive their initial certification and must keep their aviation knowledge up to date by completing an online training course every two years.
Contact us if your organization is thinking about deploying drone photography in furtherance of your mission.