The Role of Drones in Journalism

Drones are a new and exciting tool that journalists can use to tell stories. They allow reporters to get a bird's-eye view of events, providing a unique and safe way to cover news.

Why Journalists Use Drones

  • Covering Breaking News: When something big happens, like a flood, a forest fire, or a large public gathering, drones can fly over the scene to show what's happening from above. This helps people understand the full picture of an event that's hard to see from the ground.
  • Staying Safe: Sometimes, a news story takes place in a dangerous or hard-to-reach area. A journalist can send a drone to get a look without putting themselves at risk. For example, a drone can fly over a natural disaster area to see how much damage there is or get a close look at a protest without getting in the middle of a crowd.
  • Capturing Unique Perspectives: Drones can get shots that a person with a camera could never get. They can fly high above a city to show how big a crowd is at a parade, or they can fly low over a field to show the full scale of a new construction project. This makes news stories more interesting and visually exciting.
  • Investigative Journalism: Drones can be used to investigate stories from above. For example, they can be used to monitor environmental damage or to look at a remote location that is difficult to access on foot. This allows journalists to uncover things that are meant to be hidden.
  • The Rules of Drone Journalism

      Just like with other reporting, journalists have to follow rules when using drones. They have to make sure they are not invading people's privacy or flying in a way that could be dangerous. There are laws about where and how high drones can fly, and journalists often need a special license to use them for their work. The goal is to use the drone to tell the truth and serve the public, while always being responsible and respectful.

    Challenge: Capture the Story

    Your mission is to follow the yellow pathway to cover the route of the protests. Be sure to avoid the buildings.

    Your Goal: Guide the drones along the yellow path. Avoid any obstacles and make it to the "H" landing spot. Each square will give you one survey point. Once you have surveyed all spots then land at the target location. Some obstacles you can fly over if they are under 300 feet.

Code Your Drone

Drone Simulation

Drone
Altitude: 0 units
Status: Landed