Who Gets to Document Disaster? Drones, Transparency, and The First Amendment

Hurricane Helene has decimated parts of the Southeast of the United States, leaving chaos in its wake: crumbled bridges, power lines down, and people trapped in their homes. Nearly a million households sit in darkness, cell towers are wiped out, and communities are cut off from rescue teams. But amid all this devastation, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has found his own private enemy: drones.

Yes, as people sift through the wreckage for their loved ones, Buttigieg’s burning priority has been to unleash a public decree against unauthorized drones in disaster areas. “Drone pilots: Do not fly your drone near or around rescue and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene,” blared an official statement on X.