Gazette drone policy

Drone shot of Riverside Park

Gazette photographer Anthony Wahl uses a DJI Phantom 4 Pro to capture images and videos from aloft.

Wahl has been Part 107 certified with the Federal Aviation Administration since 2016 for commercial use of a drone, including journalism. Certification requires passing a test covering basic knowledge of airspace and aeronautics. suncity also has met with law enforcement agencies in Rock County to discuss our drone policy and best practices.

Federal regulations prohibit:

Commercial use of UAVs weighing more than 55 pounds
Drone flight above 400 feet in most cases
Night flight
Flights over people not involved in the operation of the drone
Reckless or careless operation
Flight in restricted airspace without permission (airspace restrictions vary based on size and location of an airport)
Flight beyond the operator’s visual line of sight

If you have any questions, call the photo desk at 608-755-8233 or email photo@gazettextra.com.