Filming of pre-planned current affairs stories or documentaries.
large public events;
disaster zones such as floods, cyclones and fires (subject to additional restrictions);
civil unrest;
stories where ground-based access is too hazardous;
traffic stories;
non-arena sporting events;
stories that involve elements of investigative journalism;
stories or filming landscapes in regional areas;
searches for people lost on the coast or in the bush.
Will the material you expect to collect using an RPA add benefit to the story that you could not otherwise get?
Is there a safer and simpler way to collect the material?
Is the story significant enough to warrant aerial intrusion with an RPA?
Are the people using the RPA appropriately trained?
Do you have approval to use the RPA from the appropriate designated ABC person?
Are you legally able to use the RPA in the area; that is, have you satisfied yourself that you will not break state-based privacy, trespass, and surveillance device laws? Are you aware that these laws vary from state to state?
Is the operation of an RPA likely to cause alarm or distress to third parties in the area being filmed (that is, people who are not the subject of the story) or invade their privacy?
Can you restrict the filming to public spaces, and avoid using vision that includes people unconnected with the story?