Drones and airports don’t generally mix in news headlines – federal regulations require operators to get permission to fly within 5 miles of an airport. But as commercial drones become more and more critical, even airports need drone services. On April 11th, 2018, “the first commercial UAS (unmanned aircraft system, more commonly known as a drone) flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport took place,” reports Cinematic Aerospace, the Long Island-based drone company that performed the mission. “The UAS was flown at the heart of JFK, the TWA Flight Center, to film for an upcoming documentary on the construction of the new TWA Hotel and the history of the vintage airport terminal.”

The flights were the result of months of planning. The company says that they had multiple meetings and systems tests with airport managers and authority, the FAA, air traffic control, risk management teams, JetBlue, the documentary production company and law enforcement.

Cinematic Aerospace described the mission: