Drone View of Napa Earthquake

Under the current interpretation of the FAA rules for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), I believe that this video would be prohibited unless a certificate of authorization (COA) was first obtained, ref. http://www.faa.gov/uas/public_operations/. It would be prohibited because it is not hobby related, it is flown over populated areas, and it is for commercial purposes.

I didn't think it was legal, but given the circumstances, it's not like the FAA would have much luck trying to enforce the rules. I think back to 9/11 and I believe a drone would have been helpful in guiding the rescue workers where to start and what buildings needed immediate work to avoid further collapse. Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than ask for permission.

Good pictures, however they serve no purpose in evaluating actual damage from the earthquake. Many of the buildings shown were most likely built before the newer building standards after the Northridge earthquake. In that quake we used satellite imaginary to quickly identify the hardest hit neighborhoods. Drive by or even fly damage assessment was not as useful as the satellite pictures.

Its all fun and games until someone flies one into a jet intake.

what if it happened to find someone and save their lives ...

In the hands of a skilled operator, a small Go-Pro camera mounted on a multi-rotor "UAV" copter could be intrumental in helping insurance adjustors determine damage estimates. The potential risk of a loss of a few hundred dollars worth of equipment is far better than the potential loss of life trying to complete the estimate, and obtaining a COA for each flight would be highly detrimental. The FAA needs to figure out that a small copter - like the ones used to film the opening shots of several Discovery shows and the video linked above - is not the same thing as a military UAV.

What type of drone was used to shoot this video?

I don't think cnn needs authorization every time they want to shoot something its called news or freedom of the press , no need to turn this in to a national security matter , I think its a great video , its not like there peeping in peoples bed rooms .