On the horizon (figuratively, if not literally) are drones that do the same thing.
One is available now for $400,000, and Mike Cavender, executive director of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), CBS News it -- or something like it -- will probably catch on.
"The ability to put a camera, if you will, high above a news event or a situation for which you want coverage, at minimal expense, when you compare it to a live, staffed helicopter, I think that's a potentially tremendous advantage for a news station," Cavendar told CBS Station KYW.
Vincent Duffy, chairman of the RTDNA, wrote in a blog post earlier this week that drones are the latest "must-have toys" for a newsroom, while recognizing that certain ethical issues remain regarding their use.