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Action-Sports Video Provider Green-Lighted for Drones Within 500 Ft. of Customers

UAO Staff
by UAO Staff
on Jan 20, 2016 No Comments

Cape Productions (Cape), a provider of drone video services for action sports, says the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted an amendment to the company’s existing Section 333 exemption for commercial drone operations in the U.S.

According to Cape, the amendment is tailored specifically to Cape’s operations and makes the company the first operator in the U.S. authorized to fly drones closer than 500 feet of customers and in an area wider than a closed set.

All Cape locations in the U.S. will begin operating under the new amendment this month. The company says it will be allowed to fly drones near people participating in the intended purpose of the aircraft’s operation – including skiers, provided they are briefed beforehand on the operations and provide consent.

Cape says it has filmed skiers in Canada since December 2014 with Transport Canada permission and in the U.S. since October 2015 under a closed-set Section 333 exemption held by the company’s director of production, Jason Toth.

Cape received its initial Section 333 exemption from the FAA in April 2015. The company is currently operational at Squaw Valley Resort (CA), Homewood Mountain Resort (CA) and Fernie Alpine Resort in British Columbia. In the coming months, Cape plans to be operational at Winter Park Resort (CO), Powder Mountain Resort (UT), Timberline Lodge & Ski Area (OR), Mount Hood Meadows Resort (OR), Mountain Creek Resort (NJ) and Schweitzer Mountain Resort (ID).

“This decision paves the way for Cape’s continued growth and reach into a wide variety of action sports and also sets the foundation for an entirely new category of legal drone operations in the U.S.,” explains Jason Soll, CEO. “Cape now has the ability to offer applications for both consumers and businesses that were impossible under the standard aerial data collection and closed-set filming Section 333 exemptions that other operators currently work under.”

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