WASHINGTON — Dennis Wharton, the National Association of Broadcasters executive vice president of communications, has issued a response in support of the introduction of the Consumer Drone Safety Act made by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Wharton says the legislation “strikes the right balance by imposing meaningful guidelines on recreational use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.”

“Broadcasters take seriously our role as ‘first informers’ and believe UAV’s hold great potential in improving newsgathering capabilities at local stations,” continued Wharton. “We will continue to engage both Congress and the FAA on a legal framework that encourages responsible use of UAVs.”

While UAVs are most often associated with TV electronic news gathering the radio world has plans for their use as well. Radio stations would be able to use UAVs to inspect towers as well as for newsgathering purposes. Industry experts continue to look into ways that UAVs can be used in more complex operations down the road.