The Bay Area Drone Film Festival has teamed up with the Know Before You Fly education campaign to welcome a new category to this year’s competition. Festival organizers invite drone enthusiasts and videographers to produce short, creative videos that promote the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft systems.
The special category allows the growing community of drone enthusiasts to get involved in airspace safety by uniquely promoting the appropriate practices of their hobby through the festival. The winning video will be featured as part of the Know Before You Fly campaign.
“Drones have opened the door to views and perspectives that we’ve only dreamed of before,” says Clay Coleman, director of the Bay Area Drone Film Festival. “We are promoting drone education and entertainment to the public by showcasing videos that shed light on the diverse views and nature we often take for granted or have never imagined.”
Coleman, who is also an air traffic control supervisor at the Federal Aviation Administration, says the contest will help teach drone users the importance of safety.
“This can be a great way to contribute to the overall safety of UAS operations, and to promote your name as a filmmaker. It really fits with our mission for the festival to reinforce how responsible and enlightening this community can be.”
If you’re interested in submitting a video for competition, it must feature the basics of drone safety and remind prospective users to:
- fly below 400 feet
- stay away from emergency responders, people and other aircraft
- keep at least 5 miles away from an airport unless permitted by air traffic control and airport authorities
- operate within visual line of sight
Submissions will be accepted through the festival’s FilmFreeway site until Jan. 24, 2016. The screening and awards event will be held at the AMC Mercado 20 in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 28, 2016. Visit the Know Before You Fly website or the festival homepage for more information.
About Know Before You Fly
Know Before You Fly is an education campaign founded by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to educate prospective users about the safe and responsible operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
About Bay Area Drone Film Festival
The Bay Area Drone Film Festival was created to showcase some of the positive aspects of drone use. A lot of the focus on drones has been negative, but educating the public on the positive ways drones are being used in society will hopefully change the negative perception. One of the best ways to reduce unsafe drone operations and misuse is to increase awareness of safety guidelines and airspace rules that have been in place for a long time.