Sometimes the video is from a drone. However, most TV stations lease, or own, their own helicopters. The have the latest camera stabilization technology so the video is very smooth. They also have the capability to stand-off from the scene, they are shooting, up to 3 miles with negligible effects to the picture. So don't assume it's drone video you are seeing on your local network affiliate which is actually where CBS, NBC, ABC, and the cable news networks get their video's from. Most authorities look to the sky and see a drone and freak out. They look up and see a helicopter with "News 4" on the side & bottom, then not so much. As far as CNN goes, it is "CNN". Nuff said ....
And if it's network news the "footage" (LOL) could be from local station choppers
or choppers from other news gathering services selling their footage, or, yep, it could in fact be from a professional drone operator/crew hired by the news organization or even someone else's crew, with a paid agreement for the video. The stuff that the
great unwashed doesn't see is when a remote news crew covering a massive sinkhole finishes their piece featuring a dramatic pull-out to show the scale and depth of the hole, and the camera person zooms out before taking the camera off the sticks, and along with the extra lighting, reflectors, shades, etc. you get a glimpse of the little white tent with folding chair, the drone stuff, stacks of batteries, and so on. The
great unwashed also don't experience the frantic yelling and phone calls in the news room as we attempt to acquire rights to pictures and videos minutes or even seconds before the news goes live on air.
There also may be cases where it
looks like a drone may be directly over a crowd, and may not actually be. The chosen focal length and altitude is unknown to the viewer and could be deceiving. But since no reference was given, it's hard to say.
I can't help find it amusing, by the way, that folks seem concerned about fifteen pounds or whatever of drone and camera overhead, but not so much about 4000+ lbs of chopper, fuel, equipment and personnel.
FYI, a 1-1/2 oz egg can give someone a serious concussion when dropped from 100'.
Good news is the octocopters used by the big boys don't fall out of the sky if they lunch a rotor or a battery pack.