Attendees at the Drone Journalism School in 2017 check airport maps for information during a session at the University of Georgia’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in Athens, Georgia. Photo by Mark E. Johnson, www.mejphoto.com

TRAINING | 8.15.18

Nebraska and Georgia Drone Workshops Open Soon, Register Now

NPPA’s innovative drone training program continues, in partnership with The University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and The Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska.

Athens, Ga. – The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska continue their innovative program to train journalists in using drones, or unmanned aerial systems (UAS), for their news coverage. The program featuring hands-on workshops and flight training is being presented with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Democracy Fund and First Look Media. Additional funding is being provided by the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the University of Oregon, School of Journalism and Communication, the Cox Institute for Journalism Innovation, Management and Leadership and the Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications.

The workshops at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, September 21-23 and at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia, October 12-14 will offer training on safe drone operations and information journalists need to study for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 107 Drone Pilot’s Certificate. The program will also help those needing to go through the recertification process. In addition, the three-day workshops will focus on the ethical issues of drone journalism, community best practices and coordinated operations in a breaking news environment and explore ways drone photography can be used in innovative storytelling.

NPPA’s legal counsel Mickey H. Osterreicher, who has worked for years speaking on behalf of journalists in support of commonsense federal, state and municipal regulations regarding where and when drone journalists could fly, will lead sessions on the legal issues of drone journalism.

“NPPA has been at the forefront in advocating for the use of drones for newsgathering. With that opportunity comes an inherent role of operating them in a legal, safe and responsible manner,” Osterreicher said. “The legal landscape is especially complex because state and local governments increasingly are imposing their own restrictions on drone flights.”

“It’s one thing to be able to put a drone up in the air, it’s something else entirely to do it in a journalistically-sound way,” said Grady College’s Mark E. Johnson. “It’s critical that journalists understand all the legal and ethical issues before they consider taking the Part 107 exam.”

“As a certified drone pilot, I know how difficult the exam can be for people who have no other pilot training,” said Nebraska’s Matt Waite, who will be instructing at both workshops. “Our goal is to give you the tools and fundamental knowledge you will need to study for and pass the FAA’s test.”

“Drones are purpose-built context machines. They can, in less time and at vastly reduced costs, give a viewer an understanding of the scale and scope of a story unlike anything else journalists have in the toolbox,” said Waite, who has become a leading voice for drone journalism through his work at the University of Nebraska. “Just getting a drone straight up 100 feet in the air has the power to change our understanding of how big, how far, how wide, how massive something is. And it can be done safely and for very little cost.”

The program also will feature hands-on introductory flight training on a variety of platforms.

Registration

Participation at each hands-on workshop will be limited to the first 60 people to register.

Registration fee: $295 Students: $275 NPPA Members: $250

For non-NPPA members, please consider joining at https://nppa.org/join before registering for the workshop to take advantage of the membership discount.

Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska

To register for the Lincoln workshop September 21-23, follow this link. NPPA members use the code NPPA2018 to receive the discount.

Lodging and travel details: There is a room block at the Embassy Suites, 1040 P St., Lincoln, NE 68508. The hotel is in walking distance of UNL and scores of restaurants downtown. Hotel amenities include free wifi, complimentary breakfast and airport shuttle service. Hotel also has onsite parking for a fee. Hotel room rate is $129 per night and is available Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Follow this link to get the rate.

Airport/Transportion: The Lincoln Airport (LNK) is a short car ride away from UNL and Embassy Suites. The hotel offers a free shuttle service. Car rentals, ridesharing and taxis also are available. It is served by two airlines, United and Delta. Eppley Airfield in Omaha (OMA) is a 1.5-hour drive from Lincoln and is served by United, Delta, Southwest, American, Alaska and Frontier airlines. Transportation options from Omaha include car rentals, ridesharing, taxis and shuttles like OMALiNK.

Schedule: The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and will be done by noon on Sunday. During the day, the workshop will be indoors. In the early evenings, we'll be outdoors for flight training.

University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

To register for the Athens workshop October 12-14, follow this link.

Lodging and travel details: There is a block of rooms available at the SpringHill Suites hotel in Athens, Georiga.. The hotel is in easy walking distance to the campus and downtown area. You can make a reservation here:

Airport/Transportation: If you’re flying in from out of state, book your flight into Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Groome Transportation runs multiple shuttles from the airport to Athens, which is about 90 minutes from the airport.

We will have a light breakfast and lunch each day, please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. Your evenings will be free and there are dozens of great places to eat in the downtown area. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mark E. Johnson at [email protected].

For More Information Contact:
Mickey H. Osterreicher
General Counsel
National Press Photographers Association
[email protected]
716.983.7800

About the National Press Photographers Association

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) is the leading voice advocating for the rights of visual journalists today. As the voice of visual journalists since 1946, NPPA has led the fight to promote and protect integrity and excellence in visual journalism. Its code of ethics stands for the highest integrity in visual storytelling. Its advocacy efforts put NPPA in the center of today’s thorniest issues in support of journalists throughout the country, while its educational initiatives seek to prepare visual journalists to meet the challenges of the profession. In light of these challenges, the work of NPPA has never been more vital than it is today.

About the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Established in 1915, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication offers undergraduate degrees in journalism, advertising, public relations and entertainment and media studies along with certificates in new media, public affairs communications, and sports communication. The College is home to several prominent centers and institutes, including the Peabody Awards, recognized as the most prestigious award in electronic journalism, and the National Press Photographers Association. Grady’s faculty includes internationally known researchers and respected industry professionals. Alumni include Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, Emmy Award-winning producers and reporters and company CEOs.

About the Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications offers undergraduate degrees in advertising and public relations, broadcasting, journalism and sports media and communications, along with graduate programs in professional journalism and integrated media communications. The college has been continuously accredited by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications since 1954 and is a member of the prestigious Carnegie-Knight Initiative on the Future of Journalism and is home to the first ever drone journalism lab.

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