Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

Executive Summary

For the past four months, our team has helped to carve out a public presence for the

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – a collaborative program between the University of

Missouri’s Information Technology and Journalism programs, as well as KBIA-FM. As a by-

product of our close work with the burgeoning program, we became quite involved and well-

versed in the growing public debate surrounding the use of drones both internationally and on

U.S. grounds. The sensation that we were involved in something bigger than the program itself

became apparent only three weeks into the semester – when the program was invited to attend a

preliminary hearing for a bill that aimed to, in large part, prohibit the use of drones for most

purposes in the state of Missouri.

The upfront tension and overall attention to the program that we encountered at the

House of Representatives’ preliminary hearing on February 5 would only widen in scope as the

semester progressed. At least 10 external web, print and broadcast stories have given mention to

the Missouri Drone Journalism Program.

The unique, six-student reporting corps have learned to incorporate drone footage into in-

depth environmental reporting over the course of the semester. Our team has learned quite a bit

over that time as well, especially when it comes to blog regulation in the face of media inquiries.

In at least one situation, a news outlet directly quoted a member of our team based off of a blog

post – leading us to post contact policies and reminding us that posts can be considered fair game

by at least some external sources as a statement from the program itself.

Beginning with after-hours flight training and running on through the progress made on

late-semester team stories, our capstone team also learned to always be prepared to rapidly

follow the program wherever the wind might blow it (sometimes quite literally) on a daily basis.

The Tucker Prairie burn (see page 8), for instance, was scheduled late the night beforehand and

was completed within a three hour window midday on a Tuesday. We had to be ready to grab

equipment and go just about anywhere to attain coverage and perspective on the program, and

had a near perfect success rate in adjusting to and documenting these ventures.

On the blog itself, our team provided a multimedia experience that included an audio

story of the legislative hearing (page 3), visual description of the class layout through posting the

official class syllabus, posting thorough research stories regarding the world of drone technology

1

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

(pages 4-7 & 8-11) and perhaps most strongly presenting behind-the-scenes, documentary-style

videos depiciting the people of the program (pages 7 & 8).

We have provided a public identity for a promising drone journalism program that is only

poised to grow in reporting capabilities moving forward. While we move onto other areas of life

beyond the University of Missouri, we hope that missouridronejournalism.com and all of the

site’s content serves similarly: as a good start. As the program moves on to even bigger drone-

assisted reporting opportunities, we know that the program’s online footprint will need to

continue to grow proportionally, and look forward to observing both the reporting from and

about the program will continue to reach new heighths.

A Sample of Our Team’s Documented Production:

Proposed legislation aims to outlaw drones in Missouri……………….Page 3

Prairie Burn Story Research……………………………………...........Pages 3-4

Getting to know the Drones…………………………………………......Pages 4-7

Cade Cleavelin: Drone Journalist…………………………………………Page 7

NBC Camera Operator Discusses Drones in Broadcast TV.................Page 8

Program Reports on a Prairie Fire: Behind the Scenes……................Page 8

What Flies When it Comes to Drone Laws Across the Globe……..Pages 8-11

Journalists from Pakistan visit the MDJP……………………........Pages 11-12

Korean Journalists Observe a Class, Drones in Flight………….Pages 12-13

2

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

Proposed legislation aims to outlaw drones in Missouri

February 11, 2013

Drones are proving to be a polarizing topic with their growth in the public eye.

The rise of these flying, video-capturing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (or UAVs) has excited some

with the promise of overhead landscape views never before possible.

The domestic use of such vehicles has also been met with criticism and claims of privacy

invasion, prompting several states to propose legislation to halt their use.

Missouri has joined the list, as State Rep. Casey Guernsey introduced and defended his proposed

Preserving Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act at a House Agri-Business Committee

hearing on Feb. 5.

The bill, which has yet to gain another hearing date, “prohibits the use of a drone or other

unmanned aircraft to gather evidence or other information with specified exceptions.”

**ACCOMPANYING AUDIO CLIPS:

http://www.missouridronejournalism.com/2013/02/proposed-legislation-aims-to-outlaw-drones-

in-missouri/

_ _ _

Prairie Burn Story Research

February 20, 2013

This past Friday afternoon, some of the journalism students working on the project traveled over

to the Prairie Fork Conservation Area near Williamsburg, Missouri to follow up on a possible

story idea. Prairie Fork is an example of one of the few existing prairie lands in Missouri, and is

part of an ongoing project by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to convert and

maintain these lands back to their natural prairie state. The purpose of the visit was to follow up

on a story idea that focused on the MDC’s use of controlled fires to preserve and maintain the

prairie lands. Usually referred to as an “prairie burn,” this process involves igniting man-made

3

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

fires to help clear the land as well as provide nutrients, encourages biodiversity and seed

development and reduces shrubbery growth.

This is where the Missouri Drone Journalism Program comes in.

In an attempt to use drones in new and emerging ways, the program is hoping to use several

drones to capture aerial video footage of the prairie burn while it is in progress and utilize that

footage as part of a multimedia story about prairie burns in mid-Missouri. The hope is to capture

this prairie burn from angles that wouldn’t be possible using traditional methods, and to

eventually have the story published on KBIA.

Below is a short clip of Jeff Demand, wildlife management biologist from the MDC, explaining

how a prairie burns work, and how members of the MDC plan to direct the prairie burn.

**ACCOMPANYING VIDEO: http://www.missouridronejournalism.com/2013/02/prairie-burn-

research/

_ _ _

Getting to know the Drones

March 4, 2013

The true stars of the Missouri Drone

Journalism Program are the drones

themselves, or the J-Bots, as the

students pioneering the project have

come to call them. Working with

these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is

made possible through a partnership with the MU Information Technology Program, in which

under the direction of IT Program lead Matthew Dickinson, students have learned to build and

control the drones. Following are descriptions of the drones at the helm of the Missouri Drone

Journalism Program:

4

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

- Quadcopter (DJI F450)

The Quadcopter, or “Quad,” is the most basic of the IT Program’s constructed drones and is the

machine type that the Journalism Program’s students have been learning to fly by operating. The

Quadcopter makes use of a hand-held radio transmitter, and runs on an external battery (either 3S

or 4S) that attaches to the drone’s frame, allowing flight life of approximately 17 minutes.

Motorized propellers, which lift the drone to flight, range from eight to ten inches in length. This

drone does not have a camera gimbal, and is intended mainly for training use.

- TBS Discovery Quadcopter

This Quadcopter has been built around a TBS Discovery airframe. The TBS Discovery system

uses an APM 2.5 controller, along with GPS and telemetry links, to carry First Person View

equipment and

transmit 1.3 GHz live video. What all this means is that the TBS Discovery Quadcopter has the

capacity to stream live video through flight to an adjacent monitor (see corresponding image to

the right), for both flight control and recording purposes. This Quadcopter also has an attached

base that can securely hold an additional camera, such as a GoPro, for either ground or overhead

imaging. This Quadcopter also serves as a platform for the IT Program to develop APM flight

controller code.

5

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

- Hexacopter (DJI F550)

The Hexacopter, or “Hex,” holds six motors, instead of the four that Quadcopters utilize. This, in

theory, leads to better control of the vehicles when in flight, as the motors are spaced closer

together and react with quicker and more precise movements from the radio transmitter. The

Hexacopter’s larger size also allows it to support a built-in landing gear unit and a camera

gimbal. The gimbal gives an external camera (when attached) a steady base.

- XAircraft X650 V8

Image Courtesy of MU IT Drone Lab

The XAircraft X650 V8 drone is currently being tested for the purpose of determining if the

vehicle’s eight motors rightly provide additional stability over lower models by the IT Program,

and may not see the hands of the Journalism Program until more complex stories are approached.

A high payload capacity on this drone also allows for the use of larger batteries and extended

airtime.

6

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

 

- “The BumbleBee” Quadcopter

“The BumbleBee” Quad (right) relative to a normal-sized Quadcopter (left)

This tiny Quadcopter, nicknamed “The BumbleBee,” is remarkable in the fact that it was

constructed completely through the use of the IT Program’s Full Spectrum Laser 40W Laser

Cutter. This non-GPS Quadcopter, which is utilized as more of an indoor flyer due to its small

size and will not serve duty in the Journalism Program’s approach to public land stories.

 

Information in this article was provided from Matthew Dickinson and the MU IT Program Drone

Lab.

_ _ _

Cade Cleavelin, Drone JournalistMarch 15, 2013

Cade Cleavelin practiced using one of the Missouri Drone Journalism Program’s drones to fly

over a few thousand snow geese congregating at Eagle Bluffs Conversation Area on Saturday,

March 9. The mission of the trip was to capture an aerial shot that could illustrate just how many

Snow Geese were in the area. The Snow Geese are in Columbia longer than usual due to heavy

snowfall and other factors that disrupted their migration.

**ACCOMPANYING VIDEO: http://www.missouridronejournalism.com/2013/03/cade-

cleavelin-drone-journalist/

_ _ _

NBC Camera Operator Discusses Drones in Broadcast TV7

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

April 1, 2013

NBC freelance cameraman John Lewis came to film the Missouri Drone Journalism Program in

Columbia, Mo, on March 8, 2013. When asked if he would ever use drone technology at his

camera rental business, he said he’d leave it for the younger guys to experiment with.

**ACCOMPANYING VIDEO: http://www.missouridronejournalism.com/2013/04/nbc-

cameraman-discusses-drones-in-broadcast-tv/

_ _ _

Program Reports on Prairie Fire: Behind the Scenes

April 10, 2013

 Pilot Brendan Gibbons gives behind-the-scenes details of what it was like to fly the quadcopter

drone over flames during a controlled burn at Tucker Prairie in Kingdom City, Mo, on April 2,

2013. As a member of the program, Gibbons is learning to control the drone through a remote

control and use the footage captured by the drone to assist in reporting. The story on the burn is

the second story completed by the Missouri Drone Program, and was published on Tuesday,

April 9 on Harvest Public Media and KBIA.

**ACCOMPANYING VIDEO: http://www.missouridronejournalism.com/2013/04/251/

_ _ _

What Flies When it Comes to Drone Laws Across the GlobeApril 19, 2013

As debate over drones in combat reaches a tipping point in the United States, the use of

unmanned flying bots on domestic ground is also starting to pick up steam. As many as 28 states

are considering legislation that would outlaw unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. Another

contentious issue in the U.S. is what makes a UAV “commercial” or “recreational.” Commercial

use is generally recognized as having a profit endgame, but murky Federal Aviation

8

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

Administration (FAA) laws only fuel the debate. Using UAVs for journalistic purposes seems to

further blur the line between commercial and recreational use.

UAVs have also been making waves internationally, where laws (or guidelines) vary from nation

to nation. The below is a guide we’ve put together that breaks down these various UAV laws. In

most of the countries we’ve taken a look at, the designation between commercial and

recreational UAV use is a key starting point in deciding rules and enforcement.

Canada (UAV-Friendly Rating: 2/5)

Perhaps the most complex UAV laws in the entire world exist just north of U.S. borders.

Transport Canada is the agency that regulates Canadian air space, and it sets a clear line between

“unmanned aerial vehicles” (commercial use) and “model aircraft” (recreational use). The

definition of a model aircraft: less than 77.2 pounds, individually owned (no companies allowed)

and not profit-seeking. If an aircraft meets these conditions, it is considered a recreational

vehicle, making it subject to lower scrutiny. Aircraft that don’t meet this criteria are officially

“unmanned aerial vehicles” and require Special Flight Operations certificates. Getting certified

sounds like an almost more-trouble-than-it’s-worth process that includes a big list of

specifications. For example: a UAV can meet the three model aircraft standards listed above, but

if it’s also got a small camera, then the UAV automatically becomes an “unmanned aerial

vehicle” under the law.

DIYdrones has more useful information on Canadian UAV law.

Mexico (UAV-Friendly Rating: 5/5)

No Civil Aviation Authority regulations beset UAV users in Mexico. In fact, Mexican attitudes

evidently encourage UAV use. The Mexican government rewarded Jordi Muñoz, who is a young

scientist and engineer, for exploring the peaceful uses of drones through his own production

company, for example. The government also uses UAVs for everything from drug activity to

university research.

United Kingdom (UAV-Friendly Rating: 3/5)

The U.K.’s UAV laws are similar to the current policies of the U.S. – meaning they’re really

more like guidelines than a comprehensive set of regulations. Currently, CAP 722 claims

jurisdiction over UAV use in the U.K. This legislation divides UAV use into two groups that

both require permits. The key figure in the U.K. is 20 kg (or 44.09 pounds) – this is the weight

limit a UAV cannot surpass to be considered a  “small unmanned aircraft.” This title makes the

9

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

aircraft more likely to only require a minor “Permit to Fly” classification, which is relatively

easy to acquire, but does limit where and how high you can fly (rural lands are more acceptable).

Anything heavier or used for aerial photography requires a “Permit to Carry Out Aerial Work,”

which comes with tougher restrictions. Attaining one of these permits requires a big list of

prerequisites – from pilot qualification to design and construction certificates. According to The

Guardian, there are only 130 groups or companies that have permission to fly UAVs in U.K.

airspace.

Europe (UAV-Friendly Rating: 2/5)

Much of mainland Europe operates under the jurisdiction of the European Aviation Safety

Agency (EASA), a European Union group. EASA is simple when it comes to UAVs: you’re

going to need certification in any situation, whatsoever. Such certification is only granted on a

case-by-case basis under the EASA’s rules, which we’d imagine is a  lengthy process. The

EASA also has shown that it does not operate under much precedent in these cases, despite UAV

technology growing more and more everyday. EASA’s Policy Statement webpage on UAVs says

that requests proposing flight in unpopulated areas have the best success rate.

Brazil (UAV-Friendly Rating: 5/5)

In South America, Brazil has become a leading player in UAV use. On the national level, the

country is investing deeply in UAVs to patrol its borders. There are also no direct laws that

infringe free civilian use. Such openness allows for amazing footage, like this video adventure in

Rio de Janeiro:

Asia (UAV-Friendly Rating: an indifferent 1/5)

Both communist China and democratic Japan are using UAVs to square off with each other in a

sort of micro-aggressive battle for disputed land. Similarly, South Korea also may be dipping its

toes in militaristic UAV use through possible collaboration with the U.S. The only non-military

use of UAVs that we’ve been able dig up in the region are limited to corners of agriculture, such

as with   rice fields of Japan .

Australia (UAV-Friendly Rating: 4/5)

Oceana is perhaps the most welcoming region for UAVs in the world. An “unmanned aircraft

system” is Australian terminology for a UAV used for profit-seeking “air work,” but such

commercial use only requires some easily attainable identification. Otherwise, the UAV is a

“model aircraft, flown for sport & recreation and education,” according to the Civil Aviation

10

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

Safety Authority. Model aircraft, from what we’ve seen, are completely hands-off in terms of

regulation.

New Zealand (UAV-Friendly Rating: 5/5)

New Zealand law is like Australia, but without the identification requirement. It appears as if

recreational and commercial motivations for UAV flight are indistinguishable in New Zealand,

and free-flying policies lead to visual marvels like this video clip. The Aviation Industry

Association of New Zealand has proposed legislation on UAVs, but the proposal is reportedly

more of a non-restrictive manual for UAV use than anything.

UAV law ranges quite a bit internationally, which is exemplary of the many opinions on the new

aircraft in the U.S.. As of now, the U.S. combines much of both strict but broad laws with fairly

open areas of freedom in flight. While much of the direct U.S./FAA regulation zeroes in on

commercial purposes for use, recreational or “hobbyist” use has generally been left alone as long

as UAVs aren’t breaking trespassing laws. State legislation currently being considered, however,

could catapult the U.S. up to among the most highly restricted countries for UAVs out there.

_ _ _

Journalists from Pakistan visit the Missouri Drone Journalism Program

April 26, 2013

Earlier last month, the Missouri Drone Journalism Program was asked to give a group of visiting

Pakistani journalists a demonstration and brief explanation of the program and its goals. The

journalists were brought to tour the United States through an exchange set up by the East-West

Center, which “promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the

United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialog.”

It works similar to a foreign exchange program: it seeks out a group of journalists from both the

United States and Pakistan with backgrounds in different media, and sends them on a two-week

tour of the each others’ country.

While the visiting journalists were not originally planning on visiting the Missouri Drone

Journalism Program, we jumped at the opportunity. We were unsure how a group of Pakistanis

11

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

would react to such a controversial technology being used in journalism, and was pleasantly

surprised when the Pakistanis expressed.

The visiting group was most interested in the potential implementation of drone in dangerous

situations like suicide bombings and natural disasters. After introducing them to the Program, we

showed the group a couple of the articles and stories we’ve produced. We then we gave the

journalists the opportunity to see the drones in action and even taught a few of them how to fly.

Matthew Dickinson gave them a brief lesson and then put the controls in their own hands. After

about 15 minutes of flying, the visiting journalists had their fill of flight for the day. Most were

able to get the drone into the air after a couple tries, an impressive feat given the steep learning

curve most experience with our models.

The slideshow below shows a couple of the visiting journalists first attempt at drone flight.

**ACCOMPANYING VIDEO: http://www.missouridronejournalism.com/2013/04/journalists-

from-pakistan-visit-the-missouri-drone-journalism-program/

_ _ _

Korean Journalists Observe a Class, Drones in FlightApril 27, 2013

12

Missouri Drone Journalism Program – Convergence Capstone TeamJaime Cooke, Robert Partyka, Zach Garcia

The Missouri Drone Journalism program received a visit from a group of Korean journalists

during class on Monday, April 22. The group was made up of seven reporters that are based in

Seoul, South Korea. All are defectors from North Korea. A few of the reporters even left the

communist nation within the last two years. Many now work for publications that cover North

Korean topics for a South Korean audience.

The journalists were visiting as part of a seminar with the East-West Center. The group studied

new media techniques during its stop at the Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Mo. for

most of the past week, and will also travel to Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

During the afternoon, the journalists discussed possible uses of drones in journalism and

observed a drone in flight. The class also showed some of its published work involving drone

footage to the Korean journalists.

A visiting reporter with the newspaper DailyNK in Seoul, said that she believed drone

technology would be useful in documenting the demilitarized zone between North Korea and

South Korea.

“I specialize in North Korea coverage, and overhead pictures of both the demilitarized zone and

the edge of the North (Korea) would be dynamic,” said the reporter through an assigned

translator.

The Drone Journalism program also hosted a group of Pakistani journalists for a similar session

in March.

*Names were omitted from the text and faces were omitted from photographs to protect the

North Korean families of defected journalists from possible retribution.*

13