I’ve seen several drones – basically, remote control quadricopters with cameras, for you n00bs – up in the skies of Coney Island this summer, so this morning I decided to Google for any videos that have been uploaded.

Sure enough, there are four solid videos from four different drone pilots all filmed this summer. The best by far is the one on top by Eric Alexander, which offers some stunning daytime views and flies, probably irresponsibly, close to the Wonder Wheel.

Here’s a good night time one from David Fitzgerald, taking off on the boardwalk behind MCU Park.

Luna Park filmed their own drone video, capturing construction on the final loop of the new Thunderbolt.

And, finally, Chris Weidner went out on the beach with it in early May, getting some shots of the boardwalk and barren sands.

I, for one, am dying to pick up one of these drones and shoot some of my own videos. Unfortunately, due to some very stupid regulations, you can have a billion amateurs piloting drones in the sky for funsies. But because I’m a reporter, using it in any professional way is at the moment strictly prohibited. Figure that one out.

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  • nolastname

    Nice video. Just for the record I do not approve of drones for numerous reasons. To look for the hundreds of missing school children, yes. For typical BS, until they can be traced they should not be in the air over any form of civilization.

    • http://www.mybrooklyn.com/ MyBrooklyn

      But criminals and their supporters will deploy them under pretense for safety reasons…also another way to extort money from people….only certain groups of people as usual won’t be effect by drones…..

    • Effin’ Really?

      I agree with you! My husband and I were doing work in our yard a few weeks ago when he pointed out one hovering above us. It was downright creepy and more than a bit Orwellian. Another of those examples where the laws need to catch up with the technology.

      • MyBrooklyn

        laws will design to work against a your privacy and number one excuse will be safety and extortion

  • BayResident

    What do the regulations look like for amateur drone operators who happen to be readers of, lets say, a local news blog and enjoy submitting videos they’ve shot “for funsies” (is that in the AP style guide?) that happen to fit with a reporters story? Assuming of course that said amateur drone operator does not accept payment for these videos, but borrows the reporter’s drone for his/her adventures?

    • http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/ Ned Berke

      It’s actually all very gray, but assuming there’s no compensation, you’re an amateur. If you were using my equipment, that might be different, as then it’s still sort of, I don’t know, quasi-pro. However, like I said, it’s gray, and some news sites will not even run amateur video that has been submitted.

      Funsies is not in the AP style guide, but it is in the BS style guide used by Sheepshead Bites.

      • BayResident

        Well I wouldn’t want to violate such important regulations. Sounds like borrowing is out of the question. I guess you’ll just have to get me a drone for my birthday.

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