Drone photography develops as the new frontier of journalism

The best way to film the destruction wrought on Tacloban in the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan was from the air, according to British photographer Lewis Whyld.

But Whyld did not want to beg a ride on a military helicopter, taking the space of much-needed aid. So he launched a drone into the skies above the city.

In addition to shots that showed the scale of the damage, broadcast by CNN recently, his drone discovered two bodies that were later recovered by authorities, he said.

"The newspaper was for still images," said Whyld, who builds his own drones, "but the internet is for this."

Whyld, and CNN, are not alone in exploring the potential of drones. The Associated Press and News Corp have used them to show the scale of large disasters.

Sophisticated nature documentaries use them to get intimate shots of wildlife and ESPN uses drones to film sporting events in Australia. Paparazzi use them to chase celebrities in Europe, and reports suggest they also have been used to pursue stars in the United States.

Drones, or unstaffed aerial systems as many of their handlers prefer to call them, are designed to fly automatically, without pilots. They were developed largely for, and remain associated with, the military but are increasingly being used for civilian purposes,