Drone News Update

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week. First, DJI officially confirms the Avata 360 launch date and 8K resolution, Another SkyeBrowse update, and a $5,000 reward is being offered after military drones were stolen. Let’s get to it. According to industry reports, the Avata 360 will feature a brand new replaceable lens system. A dedicated lens kit will reportedly cost around 50 euros and include two replacement lenses and the necessary tools. So, if you scratch a lens during a bad landing, you can just swap it out yourself for about 25 euros instead of sending the whole drone in for repair. That's a huge win, and solve a problem we’ve been curious about from the start. We also have leaked battery specs. The new Intelligent Flight Battery will reportedly cost around 70 euros and pack a 38.6 watt-hour capacity. Compare that to the DJI Avata 2, which has a smaller 31.8 watt-hour battery that costs 100 euros. More capacity for less money? The drone is expected to pair with the DJI Goggles N3, and hopefully the goggles 3 as well! However, there's a catch for the average consumer. The Avata 360 reportedly weighs in at almost 400 grams. This means it won't fall into the sub-250 gram category, so you'll need to register it and comply with Remote ID rules to fly legally here in the US. Next up, SkyeBrowse has released another update! If you aren’t familiar, SkyeBrowse builds drone mapping software for public safety agencies, using videogrammetry and photogrammetry technology. The platform is currently used by over 1,200 public safety agencies worldwide for applications such as accident reconstruction, crime scene investigation, and disaster response. This update is to its Flight App, expanding drone compatibility and improving mission planning tools. The update adds support for several new DJI models, including the Mini 4 Pro, Matrice 400, and the Matrice 4 Series, along with new high-performance sensor payloads. The WideBrowse grid scanning workflow was also redesigned, introducing two new capture modes: Cross Grids for added scene detail on low-rise structures, and Side Scan for capturing building facades and vertical surfaces. New features include a live ETA display for pre-flight planning and a Previous Flights tool for reloading and re-flying completed missions with identical settings.On the web platform side, the update adds an AI chat assistant, an image overlay tool for 3D models, expanded file upload support, GLB export improvements, and a broad interface redesign. Keep those coming Bobby! Last up, a $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals who allegedly stole military drones from Fort Campbell in Kentucky. According to the U.S. Army, four Skydio X10D drone systems were taken. If you're not familiar, the X10D is the defense and military variant of the Skydio X10. Reportedly, between November 21st and November 24th, 2025, unknown individuals unlawfully gained access to a building belonging to the 326th Division Engineer Battalion and took the equipment. The Army CID is actively investigating the incident and asking anyone with credible information to submit an anonymous tip. This is one of those don’t be that guy moments… Join us in the Premium community for Post Flight, where we share our opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube and we’ll see you next week! https://www.wsmv.com/2026/03/10/5k-reward-offered-after-four-military-drones-stolen-fort-campbell/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/06/dji-avata-360-low-pricing-replaceable-lenses/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/10/dji-avata-360-official-teaser-8k-march-26/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have five stories for you this week. First, Oregon exposes the real cost of the DJI ban. Second, the FAA reveals DJI makes up 96% of US drones. Third, the Commerce Department updates drone export rules. Fourth, Indiana prosecutes illegal drone deer scouting. And finally, a drone assists in a 900-foot tower rescue. Let's get to it.First up, the Oregon Department of Aviation has released a white paper exposing the real-world cost of the federal DJI ban. They surveyed 25 state transportation departments, and the numbers are staggering. Across those states, at least 467 drones are currently grounded or restricted. The total national exposure is estimated to be anywhere from $50 million to $2 billion! Wisconsin reported that 100% of its fleet is grounded. Colorado lost 90% of its capacity, and Oregon itself has exactly ONE compliant drone still operational out of 22. The white paper is recommending a waiver until September 2027 to give our drone industry time to catch up.New FAA-funded research puts a hard number on DJI's market dominance. The ASSURE A83 2025 Annual Report analyzed Remote ID telemetry data from 64 monitoring locations. DJI platforms make up more than 96% of detected drones in US airspace. Skydio accounted for just over 1%, and all other manufacturers combined made up less than 2.4%. Looking at the specific models, the DJI Mini 4 Pro alone accounts for 19% of all detected platforms. The Air 3 sits at 13%, and the Mavic 3 Pro holds 8%. More than 93.7% of the top 22 detected platforms weigh 3 pounds or less. Heavy-lift models like the Matrice 400, Agras T50, and FlyCart 30 remain a tiny fraction of overall flights. The US Commerce Department is streamlining drone export controls. The Bureau of Industry and Security published an interim final rule that makes two big changes. It removes the license requirement for commercial drones with a maximum endurance under one hour when exported to allied nations. Second, it opens a faster pathway for certain longer-range systems, like heavy-lift 25-liter agricultural sprayers and cargo delivery drones. Previously, these drones were caught up in the Missile Technology Control Regime, which was designed to restrict systems capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometers. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is bringing its first-ever prosecution for illegal drone deer scouting. Under Indiana law, you can legally use a drone to recover an animal that has already been harvested, but using it to scout or locate game during the season or 14 days prior is strictly illegal. Conservation officers seized a drone and pulled the forensic data. The GPS logs, timestamps, flight paths, and other data reportedly showed hundreds of images systematically tracking a specific trophy buck to a baited area. The suspects are allegedly facing charges for drone scouting.In Texas, two people were trapped in a hot air balloon basket that collided and became snagged on a communications tower 925 feet in the air. Longview Fire and first responders had to execute a highly complex high-angle rescue, assisted by drone. The passengers were safely rescued after a four-hour operation, but the crew still had to remove the tangled balloon using a cage and cable system. That’s all we’ve got this week, we’ll see you in the community for Post Flight where we share our opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube. Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2026/03/03/oregon-exposes-real-cost-dji-ban/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/02/indiana-drone-deer-scouting-prosecution/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/02/925-feet-down-one-drone-call/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/01/us-commerce-department-drone-export-controls/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/03/faa-research-dji-us-drone-platforms/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, We have three stories for you this week: DJI takes the FCC to court, Apple TV sets a massive new drone light show record over Los Angeles, And BRINC teases a brand new drone, but we’ll have to wait for release.First up, DJI is taking the FCC to court. They filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, challenging the December 22nd decision that blocked new equipment authorizations for their products. DJI argues the FCC never actually proved they're a threat. Here’s the full statement from DJI, and I’m not going to read it for you, but if you’d like to pause and read it, here you go. Basically, DJI says the NDAA gave the government a full year to conduct a security audit, and DJI even sent letters asking to be examined. But no audit happened. Instead, the FCC banned all foreign-made drones just two days before the deadline. So, what does this mean for you right now? Nothing changes for current operators. If you have a drone authorized before December 22nd, you can still fly it. This includes the Air 3S, Mini 4 Pro, and Mavic 3 series. However, new models are currently blocked. This is the second suit DJI has against the federal government at the moment, and we’ll be watching closely. Next, Apple TV launched a 3,000-drone light show over Los Angeles to promote season two of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The display reached up to 500 feet above the city and stretched across an area equal to about three football fields. They recreated massive images of Godzilla, King Kong, and the new villain Titan X, and the show even integrated fireworks into the choreography for key transitions. According to Apple TV, this set a world record for the tallest aerial display of a fictional character formed by drones, surpassing a 2024 formation of Wolverine. I’m sure the approvals for this one took a bit! And third this week, BRINC Drones is teasing a brand new aircraft. They'll reveal a next-generation Drone as First Responder on March 24th, nearly a month away from this recording. The teaser campaign is called Command the Night, and it looks like this drone is built specifically for low-light law enforcement operations. Teaser images show a large dome sensor housing, which could be new sensors or upgrades to their existing thermal or visual systems. BRINC CEO Blake Resnick claims this is their best product ever. Night operations have always been a weak point for DFR programs. Standard cameras struggle in the dark, and bolt-on thermal sensors just add unnecessary weight and complexity. A purpose-built night drone could be a massive game changer. BRINC is growing fast after raising 75 million dollars last year, bringing their valuation to over 400 million dollars. It’ll be interesting to see if we’re able to get our hands on this new drone to test it out! That's all for this week join us in the premium community where we share our opinions for post fight and we will see you next week. Have a great weekend.https://dronexl.co/2026/02/24/dji-takes-fcc-to-court/https://dronexl.co/2026/02/23/apple-tv-drone-record-los-angeles/https://dronexl.co/2026/02/24/brinc-teases-next-gen-dfr-drone-march-24/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: the FAA abruptly shut down all airspace around El Paso, Texas, DJI's former Vice President of Sales has been detained in China on bribery charges, a new bill could give Kansas City police the authority to take down drones during the 2026 World Cup, and a drone pilot is facing federal charges after flying over a highly sensitive military site and posting the video on YouTube. Let's get to it.First up, a major story out of Texas where a reported dispute between the FAA and the Pentagon led to the complete shutdown of airspace around El Paso International Airport. The FAA issued a NOTAM classifying the airspace within a 10-nautical-mile radius of the airport as "National Defense Airspace." The order was effective for 10 days and even authorized the use of deadly force. This grounded everything: commercial flights, cargo, and even air ambulance operations. According to reports from CNN and CBS News, this drastic measure was a result of the Pentagon's plan to test a high-energy counter-drone laser at nearby Fort Bliss. The problem was, they hadn't received the final safety sign-off from the FAA. The Pentagon reportedly wanted to use the laser to target cartel drones crossing the border, but the two agencies had a meeting scheduled for a week later to finalize safety protocols. It seems the Pentagon wanted to move faster, and the FAA responded by shutting everything down.Next up, some big news from inside DJI. The company's former Vice President of Sales has been criminally detained in China on suspicion of accepting bribes. The executive, identified only by his surname Yuan, was in charge of DJI's global sales operations from May 2019 through May 2024. According to reports, he is suspected of accepting "huge" amounts of money through illicit deals involving "channel partnerships and order allocations." This is a sell-side problem, meaning it's about corruption in how DJI's drones were sold and distributed, not how they were built. In our third story, Kansas City police could soon have the authority to take down drones during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A new bill has been introduced called the Counter Drone State and Local Defender Act. It would temporarily grant state and local law enforcement the power to intercept and disable drones that pose a threat. Currently, only federal agencies have the legal authority to use counter-drone systems to jam, seize, or shoot down a drone. This bill would create a pathway for local agencies to get that power and this legislation could become a model for how security is handled at future large-scale events like the Super Bowl. And finally this week, a story that serves as a perfect example of what not to do. A drone pilot in Maryland is facing federal charges after allegedly flying his drone over the Raven Rock Mountain Complex and then posting the footage to his YouTube channel. If you're not familiar with Raven Rock, it's often called the "second Pentagon." The airspace above it is classified as restricted national defense airspace. According to the court affidavit, a military official saw the video on YouTube and reported it to the FBI. Investigators then traced the video back to the pilot, searched his home, and seized the drone. He's now been charged with a knowing or willful violation of national defense airspace, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. That’s it for this week, We’ll see you in the premium community for Post Flight, our show where we talk about these stories and share opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube and on Monday for the live Q&A! https://dronexl.co/2026/02/17/drone-second-pentagon/https://dronexl.co/2026/02/16/dji-former-sales-vp-bribery-charges/https://dronexl.co/2026/02/17/kansas-city-police-drones-world-cup/https://dronexl.co/2026/02/11/faa-el-paso-airspace-pentagon-laser-test/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: the FAA has issued several large fines to pilots, Paladin Drones launches a new NDAA-compliant drone, a new GAO report flag s major safety gaps for BVLOS integration, and an Amazon delivery drone crashes in Texas. Let's get to it.First up, the FAA is sending a very clear message: The days of claiming ignorance are over. The agency posted a public enforcement summary detailing fines and license actions against drone operators, and the penalties are steep. The largest fine was a whopping $36,770 for an operator who flew a drone near emergency response aircraft during a wildfire back in April 2023. Two other fines involved flights in TFRs, with one operator getting hit for over $20,000 and another having their license revoked entirely. The FAA also fined an operator $14,790 for flying near State Farm Stadium during the Super Bowl in 2023. Beyond fines, the FAA is also taking licenses. They suspended the license of an operator involved in that drone light show incident in Florida, where a 7-year-old boy was seriously injured. They also suspended the license of a pilot who flew over an NFL game in Baltimore. The agency has updated its policy to require legal action when a drone endangers the public, violates airspace, or is used in a crime. Don't be that guy. Check your airspace, use B4UFLY, and fly safe. Next up, Houston-based Paladin Drones has launched its new Knighthawk 2.0. The new Knighthawk 2.0 is fully NDAA-compliant. For years, Paladin has built its DFR programs on modified DJI hardware like the M30T and M350, which works great but creates issues for agencies concerned about federal restrictions. This new drone was revealed at the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia, which suggests Paladin may be looking for market globally instead of remaining domestic. The new Knighthawk 2.0 was created in partnership with the Polish Company, Beyond Vision. This gives them a clean supply chain and credibility for international defense sales.Now for the specs. Paladin claims the Knighthawk 2.0 has a flight time of over 40 minutes, a top speed above 40 mph, and can get to a 911 call scene in under 70 seconds. That’s a 20-second improvement over their previous claims. It’s equipped with 4K wide and zoom cameras, a 640p thermal imager, and 5G/LTE connectivity. Next up, a new report from the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, is raising some serious questions about the future of drone integration. The report flags significant safety gaps in the FAA's plans for integrating drones into the national airspace, especially for Beyond Visual Line of Sight, or BVLOS, operations. And finally this week, a story that shows exactly why that GAO report is so important. An Amazon Prime Air delivery drone crashed into the side of an apartment complex in Richardson, Texas. According to local officials, the drone struck the building, fell onto a nearby sidewalk, and began smoking. Thankfully, no one was injured, and while smoke was visible in the video, the drone never actually caught fire. This isn't the first time an Amazon drone has crashed during testing. In fact, we saw two Amazon drones crash into a crane in Arizona last year. Incidents like this, even when they're minor, highlight the real-world challenges of operating autonomous aircraft in dense residential areas. And thankfully, there have been no injuries, but this is even more evidence that these operations NEED FAA oversight. Join us later for Post flight, where we’ll be talking about the El Paso TFR and sharing some opinions about these stories that aren’t suitable for YouTube! https://dronexl.co/2026/02/08/amazon-delivery-drone-north-texashttps://dronexl.co/2026/02/07/faa-names-and-shames-drone-pilots/https://dronexl.co/2026/02/09/paladin-ndaa-knighthawk-2-drone/https://avweb.com/flight-safety/gao-flags-gaps-in-drone-integration-plans/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: FAA NOTAM creates invisible no-fly zones, the FAA has reopened the comment period for BVLOS rulemaking, SkyeBrowse launches a new AI feature to improve 3D models for crash scenes, a DJI drone helps save a 96-year-old woman from a fire in Texas. Let's get to it.First up this week, the FAA has issued a security notice creating new "invisible" no-fly zones that could affect pilots nationwide, especially in urban areas. The notice, NOTAM FDC 6/4375, was issued on January 16th. It prohibits drones from flying within 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet above stationary and mobile assets from the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security. The FAA is classifying this as "National Defense Airspace." The big problem here is that there's no practical way for us pilots to know where these moving restricted areas are. Unlike a TFR for a stadium, these assets aren't going to show up on B4UFLY or other mapping apps, because that would be a major operational security issue for federal agents.Next up, another important update from the FAA. They are reopening the comment period for the Beyond Visual Line of Sight, or BVLOS, rulemaking. But you have to act fast. The comment period is only open for two weeks, from January 28th to February 11th, 2026. The FAA is specifically looking for feedback on electronic conspicuity. The original proposal from last year suggested giving drones presumptive right-of-way over manned aircraft, unless the manned aircraft was broadcasting its position with something like ADS-B Out. As you can imagine, that got a lot of pushback from the general aviation community.Now, the FAA is asking seven specific questions to get more data before finalizing the rule. They want to know what alternate electronic conspicuity devices exist, how quickly they could get to market, and if their performance standards should match ADS-B. This is a critical moment for our drone industry. The outcome of this will determine who bears the cost of airspace safety—drone operators or manned aircraft pilots.Next up this week, some cool new tech for our first responders. SkyeBrowse, the 3D modeling platform, just released a major update that uses AI to solve one of the biggest headaches for public safety drone pilots: inconsistent model quality. The new feature is called "SkyeBrowse Thinking." It automatically analyzes a 3D model as it's being processed. If the AI detects that the model doesn't meet quality standards, it automatically re-processes it with optimized settings, all without the user having to do anything. In addition to this, Skyebrowse is also reporting 40% faster website performance, 2x faster internal tooling, and the ability to upload 10 videos at once. And finally this week, a real-world drones-for-good story! A DJI Matrice 30T drone is being credited with helping save the life of a 96-year-old woman during an apartment fire in Euless, Texas. Fire crews were called to the scene around 1 a.m., but before the first engine even arrived, a drone was automatically launched from a nearby fire station as part of the city's DFR program. The M30T's thermal and zoom cameras immediately gave the incident commander a clear view, showing heavy fire already breaking through the roof.Based on that live aerial feed, the fire chief was able to call for a second alarm and request mutual aid from other cities right away. This was critical because when firefighters got on scene, a bystander told them a woman was trapped inside. Because the chief already knew that backup was on the way, the initial crews were able to focus entirely on the rescue. They entered through a window and pulled the woman to safety. Join us in the community for Post flight, our show where we’ll recap these stories, share opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube, and discuss some drone parts suppliers that are shutting down.

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week the FAA is adding two new UAS test sites, NOAA is officially using drones for daily weather forecasting operations and SiFly and Taranis are teaming up to scale up aerial crop intelligence. Let's get to it.First up, the FAA has announced it's adding two new UAS Test Sites, which is a huge deal because it’s the first time they’ve expanded the program in almost ten years. The new sites are in partnership with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. This brings the total number of federal test ranges up to nine, joining the existing sites in Alaska, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Virginia. If you aren’t familiar, the whole point of these test sites is to create a space for real-world testing to collect the data needed to safely integrate drones into our national airspace.According to the FAA, this is all about advancing Beyond Visual Line of Sight, or BVLOS, operations, as well as things like cargo delivery and managing multiple drone operations at once. The Choctaw Nation site will focus on practical applications like delivery services, infrastructure inspection, and emergency response missions across tribal lands. Meanwhile, the Indiana site will concentrate more on industrial and commercial uses, like cargo logistics, energy infrastructure, and agricultural monitoring. This expansion allows the FAA to gather the data they need to finally build the safety cases and regulations for these advanced operations. Next up, weather drones are officially moving from testing into operational use for US weather forecasting. For decades, forecasters have had a major blind spot in the lower atmosphere, which is where a lot of disruptive weather forms. Now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is partnering with a company called Meteomatics to fill that data gap.Meteomatics’ autonomous "Meteodrones" will be flying vertical profiles through the atmosphere to measure temperature, humidity, and wind. This data will be fed directly into the National Weather Service's daily forecasting operations. This is a big step up from a research program that started back in 2024 in North Dakota. Now, it's not just research; it's part of the daily toolkit for forecasters. An initial pilot program is already running in Oklahoma through April of 2026, with drones being managed from a remote "Meteobase." Better data at these critical altitudes means more accurate forecasts and more timely warnings.And in our final story this week, two companies are partnering to tackle one of the biggest challenges in agricultural drone use: scale. SiFly, a U.S.-based manufacturer of long-endurance VTOL drones, and Taranis, a leader in AI-powered crop intelligence, have launched a joint Field Validation Program. The goal is to prove out a new operational model for collecting crop data over massive areas. The star of the show here is SiFly's Q12 drone, with a three hour flight time. This improves the efficiency of data collection and makes the data itself more consistent. The flight time introduces a problem though, data management, which is where the Taranis comes in, processing the data in real time. The program will run during the 2026 growing season to validate how this combination of long-endurance flight and AI analysis can make aerial intelligence more scalable and affordable for farmers and agronomists.That’s it for this week, we’ll see you on Monday for Post Flight, our show where we share our opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube and for the live! https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sifly-and-taranis-launch-field-validation-program-to-accelerate-aerial-crop-intelligence-at-scale-302666560.htmlhttps://dronelife.com/2026/01/14/faa-adds-two-new-uas-test-sites-to-advance-drone-integration/https://dronedj.com/2026/01/16/meteomatics-meteodrones-noaa-weather-drone/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week, Updates to the Foreign Drone Ban, the Department of Homeland Security is creating a new permanent counter-drone office, and the Super Bowl LX no-fly zone. Let's get to it.First up, according to a report from Reuters, the U.S. Commerce Department has withdrawn its plan to impose sweeping restrictions on Chinese-made drones. This was the result of the ANPRM we discussed last year, and it was targeting the entire supply chain. Including things like flight controllers, operating software, and data storage. Reports say it’s a diplomatic move, as the White House is reportedly freezing some actions against China ahead of a planned meeting between the President and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April. It’s also possible the rule is no longer necessary, as the goal has been achieved through the FCC’s actions. Speaking of, the FCC has clarified its own rule. The agency partially reversed its sweeping ban on ALL foreign drones, but with some major catches. The new rule exempts drones on the Pentagon's "Blue List"—so aircraft from companies like Parrot, Skydio, and Wingtra are now fine. It also exempts U.S.-manufactured drones, as long as domestic parts account for 65 percent of the cost—but that exemption only lasts until 2027. The most important part for our community is that the ban STILL covers DJI and others. And again, this does NOT ground your existing drone, it means no new DJI models can get the required FCC authorization to be sold in the U.S.Next up, the Department of Homeland Security is getting very serious about counter-drone operations. The DHS announced it's creating a new permanent office called the "Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-UAS." This is being launched with an initial $115 million investment to beef up security for the America250 celebrations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But that's just a small piece of the puzzle. This funding is on top of a $500 million counter-drone program announced last October and a potential $1.5 billion contract for Customs and Border Protection to acquire new counter-drone tech.DHS revealed it has already conducted over 1,500 missions to protect the U.S. from "illicit drone activities" since 2018. That works out to more than four counter-drone operations every single week, happening mostly under the radar. This new office will formalize and expand that capability. It will also serve as the coordination hub for local police departments, which were recently given authority to disable drones under the SAFER SKIES Act. So, what does this mean for you? The World Cup is basically the justification for building a permanent, nationwide counter-drone infrastructure. The equipment and training your local police get for the World Cup won't just disappear after the games. And finally this week, a very important public service announcement if you're going to be anywhere near Northern California for the Super Bowl. The FAA has released its advisory for Super Bowl LX, which is happening on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, and they are not messing around. In the days leading up to the game, from February 3rd through the 7th, there will be a TFR within a one-nautical-mile radius of downtown San Francisco, up to 1,000 feet AGL. On Game day, Feb. 8th, the TFR expands to 2 miles at 11:00 AM, and then to 30 miles at 2:30 PM. If you haven’t seen it already, the results of our survey on how the industry will be affected by the FCC ruling is out. So go check out that video and we’ll see you on Post flight, the show where we share our opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube. Have a good weekend. https://dronexl.co/2026/01/13/dhs-permanent-counter-drone-office/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/10/commerce-department-drops-drone-restrictions/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/08/super-bowl-faa-drones/https://www.flyingmag.com/fcc-eases-foreign-drone-ban-dji/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week; leaked pricing for the upcoming DJI Avata 360, the world record for the fastest drone has been shattered, and public safety is starting the year off with a ton of drones for good stories! Let's get to it.First up thanks to a leaked pricing table from a Chinese retail store, we have what appears to be the final pricing for the DJI Avata 360. And yes, the Avata 360 is already FCC approved. Now for the prices. In China, the base drone is listed at ¥2,988, which is about $426 USD. The Standard Combo with the Motion Controller 3 is about $569, and the Fly More Combo comes in at around $811. That puts the estimated US price for the base drone around $489, and the Fly More Combo will likely land right at that classic DJI price point of $999.This drone is rumored to brings true spherical 360 capture to an FPV platform, which is a huge deal. There are also rumors it could be under 250 grams. It seems to be a direct challenger to the Insta360 Antigravity A1, and DJI is betting that immersive 360 FPV is compelling enough for people to swallow that price tag for this new tech. Next up, for all you speed demons and FPV builders out there, the record for the world's fastest drone has been absolutely demolished. Luke Maximo Bell and his team have reclaimed the Guinness World Record with their Peregreen V4 drone, clocking an official top speed of 408.60 miles per hour, or 657.59 kilometers per hour. They took the record back from Benjamin Biggs, who had set it at 389 mph.What's really impressive here is the engineering. They meticulously tested three different motors—the AOS Supernova 3220, the AMX 2826, and the T-Motor 3120. They ended up choosing the T-Motor 3120 not because it had the most thrust, but because it was the most reliable and ran cooler. That shows it's not just about peak power, but about surviving the run! The frame itself was 3D printed, merging a hard PETG material with a softer TPU on the nose cone. To get that extra speed, they also bumped the motor KV up from 800 to 900. I want to pause for just a minute to discuss an upcoming webinar we are hosting. This webinar is all about how to land clients in 7 days, and it’s on Tuesday, January 13th. If you're struggling to get your first client, this is perfect for you. Be sure to preregister if you want to attend. Check out the link in the comments, and we'll see you there! Last up this week, we have a bunch of drones for good stories, out of several places across the country:- A hiker was rescued using a drone in Chillicothe, Ohio using a drone, likely using a DJI Matrice series.- A hiker in Oregon was rescued, likely using an M30T or Matrice 4T.- A man with dementia in Campbellsville KY was located using a Matrice 30T. - A Skydio X10 was used to capture a man in Wichita after an armed robbery.k- A DJI Matrice 400 was instrumental in a rescue in Michigan, after a snowmobile broke through lake ice, sending the two riders into the water. - And a Matrice 4T in Fishers, Indiana located a firearm after it was dumped by a suspect during a chase.These stories are proof that drones have become like any other tool for Public safety departments, and that they do save lives. Alright, that’s it for this week, Join us in the premium community for Post flight, our uncensored show where we share our opinions, which aren’t always suitable for YouTube! See you on Monday for the live! https://dronexl.co/2026/01/04/luke-bells-peregreen-v4-new-fastest-drone/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/02/dji-avata-360-price-china-us/https://dronexl.co/2025/12/31/police-drone-missing-hiker-ohio-search/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/05/dji-drone-ice-rescue-saginaw-bay/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/04/wichita-police-drone-robbery/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/04/dji-matrice-drone-campbellsville-missing/https://dronexl.co/2026/01/03/drone-rescue-lost-hiker-oregon/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: a DJI drone finds a missing man in Kentucky after 29 hours, the XPrize competition that's using drones to autonomously fight wildfires, a new unofficial world record for the longest endurance multi rotor drone, and the FAA changes process to submit waivers. Let's get to it!First up this week, a drones-for-good story out of Kentucky. On December 20th in LaGrange, a local man went missing after failing to return from his routine afternoon walk. As temperatures dropped and daylight faded, the Oldham County search and rescue team was called in. The search area included not just neighborhoods but also large, dense forests that were completely unreachable on foot or even by ATV.The county’s aerial response team deployed a mobile command post and launched several drones, including a DJI Matrice 4T. After hours of searching, the assistant chief pilot, Justin Hilliard, spotted a faint heat signature on his thermal feed. He said it didn't look like a person at first, more like a plastic garbage bag filled with water. But something told him to check it out. A team member was sent to the location on foot, and moments later, they confirmed it was the missing man. He was alive after 29 hours in the bitter cold but was unable to walk. Thanks to the drone, this was a rescue. Next up, we're looking at how drones are being used to fight wildfires before they even get started. The XPrize Wildfire competition is pushing the boundaries of autonomous technology with a massive challenge: to find and extinguish a wildfire inside a 1,000-square-kilometer area, all in under ten minutes. One team, called Crossfire, is using a two-drone system. The "eyes" of the operation is an off-the-shelf DJI drone equipped with thermal and optical cameras. Its video feed runs through a deep learning model trained on thousands of fire images, allowing it to spot a real fire and ignore false positives. Once a fire is confirmed, the "action" drone is deployed. This is a Freefly Alta X, a heavy-lift platform normally used for cinema cameras. It's tasked with carrying a water-filled balloon and dropping it with incredible precision just meters above the flames to extinguish the fire at its source.While a drone can't carry as much water as a helicopter, the precision is the key. Traditional aircraft drop water from high altitudes, where a lot of it gets scattered by the wind. This method puts the water exactly where it needs to be, wasting less and stopping a small fire faster. Of course, regulations around autonomous flight and payload drops are still a major hurdle. But this competition is important because it funds the research and lets engineers break things so that firefighters don't have to. I want to pause for just a minute to discuss an upcoming webinar we’ll be hosting. This webinar is all about how to land clients in 7 days. It’ll run for one hour, and you will need to preregister if you want to attend. Check out the link below and we hope to see you there! Next story comes from our friend Alex Suarez. He’s created a multi rotor drone that flies for 4 hours. Yes, you heard that right, a 4 hour flight time. And this isn’t a small aircraft either, it’s a large hexacopter spinning some huge propellers. Currently, we’re not sure what flight controller, batteries, or props were used, but this is an extremely impressive achievement, especially when you consider that this was 4 hours of hover time, not forward flight time. Alex is in the process of attempting a Guinness world record, and we’ll keep you updated when we hear more! For now, awesome job Alex! We’ll see you on Post Flight, our Premium community show where we share our uncensored opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube! Have a great weekend!https://dronexl.co/2025/12/26/drones-wildfires-explode/https://dronexl.co/2025/12/26/drone-missing-man-29-hours-cold/

In a twist of events, the FAA added not only DJI and Autel to the FCC-covered list, but also every drone produced in a foreign country, sending shockwaves throughout the industry. The FCC also added UAS Critical components produced in a foreign country to the covered list, including some that don't require FCC approval. A UAS Critical component is defined as Data transmission devices, Communications systems, Flight controllers, Ground control stations and UAS controllers, Navigation systems, Sensors and Cameras, Batteries and Battery Management Systems, and Motors.Before we go any further, I want to reassure you that YES, if you are a civilian flying your drone, you can still buy existing models of your favorite brand, foreign or not, while supplies last. No, your drone is not bricked. Only future models are affected. Being on the FCC Covered List means that the company cannot import, market, and sell NEW products in the United States. The FCC memo does mention a process by which the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security can make a specific determination that a given UAS does not pose a risk. At the moment, the process to do that is unclear. The news came through a 9-page memo in which the FCC explains that they bypassed the audit requirement that we have been talking about for a year now: "Although section 1709 requires a determination by an “appropriate national security agency,” rather than an Executive Branch interagency body, this determination satisfies the law because several appropriate national security agencies concurred in this determination." It is unclear who was part of the meeting but they indeed determined that "UAS produced in a foreign country pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons and should be included on the FCC’s Covered List"They also provide "supporting evidence" as to what the national security threat is, including the fact that "UAS are also playing a critical enabling role on the battlefield in many modern conflicts. In Ukraine and Israel-Gaza, low-cost commercial UAS inflict extensive damage and have caused significant loss of life." and that "Drug Cartels are also reportedly using foreign-produced UAS to smuggle drugs into the United States and carry out attacks." I'm going to read a long paragraph here from the document but I think it' important for you to understand why you can't buy a new DJI drone model to fly with your kid at the park or to photograph a house for a realtor:"Permitting UAS critical components from foreign countries into the United States undermines the resiliency of our UAS industrial base, increases the risk to our national airspace, and creates a potential for large-scale attacks during large gatherings. Even when marketed as “commercial” or “recreational,” certain legal regimes in foreign countries can compel entities to provide real‑time telemetry, imagery, and location data above U.S. soil, or to change the UAS behavior via remote software updates. This poses clear risks that foreign countries could leverage UAS produced with critical components made in a foreign country to engage in intelligence collection, acts of terrorism, attacks on critical infrastructure in the U.S. homeland, or massive supply chain disruption." I'm going to repeat that this decision does not affect existing drones models. If you are working on federally funded projects, you likely may not be able to use a drone or brand that's on the covered list, even if it's an existing drone. It appears blue UAS and those on already approved DOD lists can still be flown.

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week. First, the 2026 NDAA is set to give local police new counter-drone authority, SkyeBrowse releases its biggest update of the year with, a drones-for-good story out of Washington where a drone delivered a life jacket to a man trapped by a flood, and a man pleads guilty after flying his drone over the MLB All-Star game. Let's get to it.First up, the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, has passed the House and is now headed to the Senate. Tucked inside this 3,000-page bill is the SAFER SKIES Act, which for the first time creates a federal framework allowing state, local, and tribal police to detect, track, and even take down drones. Previously, this authority was limited to federal agencies like the DHS and DOD. Now, local officers who complete federal training will be able to use approved counter-UAS systems to mitigate drones that pose a "credible threat" to places like stadiums and critical infrastructure. The push for this was reportedly driven by the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and the fact that the NFL has documented over 2,000 drone incursions per season for the last three years. The bill also introduces new felony penalties, with up to five years in prison for serious violations involving national defense airspace. And note, this is NOT yet law. This is only the House’s version of the NDAA. We haven’t seen the Senate version just yet, so this provision may or may not remain in the final law. We’ll keep you updated as we see more. Next up, SkyeBrowse has just announced its biggest software update of the year. They've released two new processing modes: SkyeBrowse Rapid and SkyeBrowse Ultra. SkyeBrowse Rapid is designed for speed, especially for first responders in remote areas with bad reception. They claim it's 5 times faster in good reception and up to 20 times faster in bad reception. In one example, they took a 7-minute, 1.5-gigabyte video and processed it into a full 3D model in under two minutes. For those who need maximum detail, there's SkyeBrowse Ultra, which provides 4 times higher quality for photorealistic, lifelike 3D models. This feature will be available for their Premium Advanced customers. On top of that, they've also given their Freemium users a boost. Free users now have access to tools like annotations, drawing, clipping, and distance measurements, which were previously paid features. Our third story is in King County, Washington, where heavy rains caused the Snoqualmie River to flood rapidly, trapping a man on the roof of his vehicle. With the current too strong for responders to enter the water, a sheriff's deputy had a great idea. Instead of waiting for a helicopter, the deputy launched a drone, attached a life jacket to it, and flew it directly to the stranded man. Last up, a story of what NOT to do. A 47-year-old man from Georgia, Mitchell Parsons Hughes, has pleaded guilty to allegedly flying his drone over the 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park. According to prosecutors, he flew directly into the one-mile TFR that was active for the event. To make matters worse, he was flying an unregistered drone and had no Part 107 or TRUST. Security officials from the FBI, DOT, and FAA spotted the drone immediately and tracked him down. On December 5th, he pleaded guilty to knowingly violating national defense airspace. He was sentenced to six months of probation and a five-hundred-dollar fine. Join us later for happy hour in the community. We also have the live Q&A on Monday, and the Post-Flight show in the premium community, also on Monday. We'll see you then.https://dronexl.co/2025/12/14/drone-lifesaving-man-flood/https://dronexl.co/2025/12/12/man-flying-drone-mlb-all-star-game/https://dronexl.co/2025/12/15/ndaa-2026-local-police-take-down-your-drone/https://newsletter.skyebrowse.com/w/WmcZTrQzhMvDEnx1AEhqHQ/DBnBhE3BieCe02QZtYhivQ/X763PNWUdpoIM2dDLjPmFFUA

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week, DJI gets FCC approval for a new Avata 360, NASA is testing new drone navigation software in Death Valley for future Mars missions, and Texas clarifies that using drones for fishing is illegal under federal law. Let's get to it.DJI just managed to get another product through the FCC certification process, the rumored Avata 360. The FCC filing shows two model numbers, which usually hints at different bundles or battery options. This approval comes right as the clock is ticking on a potential US ban, so DJI is clearly pushing to get this out the door. It also comes on the heels of the AntiGravity A1 launch this week, meaning the A1 is now available for purchase! Early leaks point to some really impressive specs for the Avata360. We’re talking dual 1/1.1-inch sensors, native 8K 360-degree video at 50 frames per second. It also looks like it will do super-smooth 4K FPV video at 120 frames per second. The filing also mentions a 38.67 watt-hour battery, which may give it a longer flight time than the Avata 2. It will also likely feature O4 transmission and improved obstacle sensing.Next, a really cool story from NASA. The agency has been testing drones in Death Valley to prepare for future flights on Mars. If you remember, the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars was a huge success, but it ran into problems when flying over smooth, featureless terrain like sand dunes. Its navigation system relied on tracking visual features on the ground, and when there were none, it got confused. So, to solve this for future missions, a team from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory went to the hottest, driest place on Earth to test new navigation software.The project is called Extended Robust Aerial Autonomy, and the goal is to create drones that can fly farther and adapt to unpredictable terrain without a human in the loop. The team brought three research drones to Death Valley and flew them in temperatures over 113 degrees Fahrenheit, or 45 degrees Celsius. They tested how different camera filters helped the drones track the ground and how new landing algorithms performed in cluttered areas. This research is so important that the National Park Service granted them only the third research drone permit ever issued for Death Valley. The team is also working on other cool projects, like a robot dog called LASSIE M that can "feel" the ground to adjust its walk, and a huge, winged aircraft called the Mars Electric Reusable Flyer.Last up, The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has issued guidance clarifying that using a drone for fishing is illegal. Now, this isn't a new Texas law. Instead, they are clarifying how a long-standing federal law, the Airborne Hunting Act, applies to drones. The law is officially known as Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 19.11, and it prohibits using an aircraft to take or attempt to take wildlife.How does this apply to drone fishing? Well, the federal regulations define "aircraft" as any device used for flight in the air, which definitely includes our drones. The definition of "wildlife" includes fish, and the term "take" means to pursue, hunt, capture, or even *attempt* to do so. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, using a drone to carry and drop your bait counts as "aiding in the act of fishing," which is prohibited under the Act. This has been a popular technique for surf and bank fishermen to get their lines out past the breakers, but it's officially off-limits. That’s all for this week, and be sure to check out Post Flight, our Premium community show where we share our uncensored opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube.https://dronedj.com/2025/11/28/dji-avata-360-drone-fcc/https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20251208ahttps://dronexl.co/2025/12/08/nasa-drones-death-valley-mars-flights/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week. DJI is ending support for some of its Matrice drones and payloads, an DJI Matrice 30 helps rescue a missing elderly man in Oklahoma, a suspect in Missouri reportedly fired shots at a police drone during a chase, and we'll look at a new super fast FPV drone! Let's get to it.First up, DJI has announced that on January 30, 2026, it will officially end all support for six of its legacy enterprise products. This is part of the company's routine product lifecycle management, but it's a big deal for anyone still relying on these platforms. After that date, there will be no more technical support, no official repairs, and no more firmware or compatibility troubleshooting. The products being retired are the Matrice M200 V2, the M210 V2, and the M210 RTK V2. These were and still are the workhorses for many inspection, public safety, and surveying teams. Also on the list are the Zenmuse XT and XT2 thermal cameras, and the Lightbridge 2 transmission system is also being retired. DJI is recommending that users upgrade to newer models to take advantage of improved tech and support.Next up, we have a real-world drones-for-good story! A DJI drone was instrumental in rescuing a 90-year-old man who had been lost for nearly 12 hours in freezing temperatures in Atoka County, Oklahoma. After a massive search involving ground crews and even the National Guard, the Wagoner County Emergency Management team was called in with their drone. Volunteer pilot Eric Lane launched a DJI Matrice 30, and within just fifteen minutes, he spotted a clear heat signature in the woods using the drone's thermal camera.And in our third story this week, an incident in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, highlights both the value and the growing risks of using drones in law enforcement. According to KCTV, police were responding to reports of a man trying to get into locked cars. In an effort to find the person, they launched a surveillance drone, another DJI M30T. The drone quickly located a man walking through a driveway and testing car door handles.When the suspect realized he was being watched from above, he allegedly pulled out a firearm and fired two shots at the drone. Thankfully, the drone was not hit and continued its mission. The drone's live feed allowed officers on the ground to track the suspect as he ran through backyards, eventually leading to his arrest. A K9 unit later recovered a stolen 9mm pistol that the suspect had reportedly dropped. Finally, the FPV speed record has been broken yet again, and this time by a significant margin. The team at Drone Pro Hub has built and flown a custom FPV drone to a verified top speed of 374 miles per hour, or 603.47 kilometers per hour. To put that in perspective, that's nearly half the speed of sound, or Mach 0.49. This new record smashes the one set just a few weeks ago by Luke Maximo Bell's Peregreen 3, which had reached 585 kilometers per hour.The real breakthrough came after analyzing flight data, which revealed that the drone's body was creating too much aerodynamic drag. By redesigning the shape, slimming the nose, and smoothing the body, they managed to cut drag by about 18 percent. That's when they started hitting speeds over 540 kilometers per hour. While a 374-mph drone might not have many practical uses for most of us, the lessons learned about aerodynamics, vibration, and power systems at these speeds could absolutely lead to more stable and efficient drones for everyone. It's a fantastic story of engineering and perseverance.We’ll see you on Post Flight, our Premium community show where we share our uncensored opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube! Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2025/11/30/fpv-drone-603-km-h-speed-record/https://dronexl.co/2025/12/02/suspect-shoots-police-drone-lee-summit-chase/https://dronexl.co/2025/12/02/dji-drone-help-find-missing-elderly-man-cold/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: some GOP senators are pushing back against a potential DJI ban, UAS Nexus is launching a marketplace to solve the Blue UAS component shortage, Inspired Flight and Ascend Engineering are expanding their partnership to boost software for American-made drones, and an M30T Shoot down in Ohio. Let's get to it.First up, the push to ban DJI in the U.S. is facing some unexpected resistance from within the Republican party. According to a report from Politico, a provision to restrict DJI, which was included in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act, was left out of the Senate's version. Senators from agricultural and energy states are raising major concerns. Senator John Boozman of Arkansas pointed out, “They are the primary drone maker in the United States at a reasonable price. This technology is being used more and more… That’s the crux of the problem.”This all comes as a critical deadline approaches on December 23rd. Under last year's NDAA, a federal security agency is supposed to determine if DJI poses a national security risk. If no agency conducts that audit by the deadline, DJI automatically gets added to the FCC’s Covered List, which would ban new products from entering the U.S. market. The problem is, no agency has stepped up to actually do the audit. Next up, a Salt Lake City engineering firm called UAS Nexus is launching a new venture to tackle a huge problem: the Blue UAS supply chain. The company just launched the Drone Syndicate Store, which is a curated marketplace for NDAA and Blue UAS-compliant components. This is a big deal because while everyone talks about building American drones, finding all the individual, compliant parts, from motors to radios, is a massive headache for manufacturers. Next, Inspired Flight Technologies, or IFT, is expanding its partnership with a software firm called Ascend Engineering. IFT is a U.S. manufacturer of NDAA-compliant and Blue UAS-listed drones, and this partnership is all about beefing up their software capabilities. Ascend Engineering specializes in UAV software, and they’ve been working with IFT for two years on their Inspired Ground Control, or IGC, platform. IGC is the central hub for mission planning, in-flight management, and payload integration.Together, they’ve already pushed out several updates to the IGC software, improved the NTRIP framework for better connectivity, and added advanced payload features. According to IFT, this partnership accelerates their "software-enabled hardware strategy." This is so important because a drone is more than just its hardware. The software that runs it has to be secure, intuitive, and powerful. By focusing on building out their own software suite with a dedicated partner, IFT is working to create a complete, mission-ready system that is fully made in America. Last up, an M30T was shot down this week in Ohio. While flying, he experienced what he thought was a fly away, and called the police to notify them that the drone was flying away. Shortly after, the police returned his call to say someone reported finding a drone. The pilot met up with the reporting party, who said “I shot it down”. Be sure to check out our Black Friday deals and we’ll see you on Post Flight, our Premium community show where we share our uncensored opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube! https://dronexl.co/2025/11/26/gop-senators-break-with-dji-hawks-december-ban/https://www.inspiredflight.com/news/ift-partnership-ascend-engineering.phphttps://dronexl.co/2025/11/20/uas-nexus-drone-syndicate-solve-blue-uas-supply-chaos/#google_vignettehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/commercialdronepilot/permalink/1751858248823888/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week: A UK police drone crash injures a child, a drone helps rescue a missing 85-year-old man in Wisconsin, and a viral drone show proposal lights up the Dallas skyline. Let's get to it.First up, a serious incident out of the United Kingdom, where a police drone crashed and injured a child. According to multiple sources, on August 2nd, police in Kent were responding to an alleged assault in Sheerness. An officer deployed a DJI Matrice 30T, but during the flight, the drone reportedly struck an overhead power line. It then fell and struck a child, causing severe hand injuries that required them to be taken to a hospital for treatment. The confirmation of the crash and injury didn’t occur until a freedom of information request was submitted. There currently aren’t any updates on the status of the child struck by the drone, and while we don’t normally cover stories out of the United States, we wanted to cover this one to remind everyone that safety must come first in any operation. Next up, a drones-for-good story! In Juneau County, Wisconsin, deputies used a drone to find a missing 85-year-old man. The sheriff's office received a call shortly after 5 p.m. about a man who had wandered into a dense wooded area and was possibly injured. Multiple agencies, including the fire department and the Department of Natural Resources, joined the search. As daylight started to fade and temperatures dropped, the situation became more urgent.Shortly before 7 p.m., deputies launched a drone over the search area. Using its camera, the drone team spotted the man stuck in thick mud and unable to free himself. Ground crews could have spent hours searching that difficult terrain on foot, but the drone provided an immediate bird's-eye view. Rescuers were able to reach him quickly and bring him to safety. He was taken to a medical center for evaluation but is expected to be fine. While the report didn't specify the exact drone model, it's likely it was equipped with a thermal camera, which is a game-changer in search and rescue. And finally this week, a story that went viral and shows a much more creative use for drones. A man in Dallas used a massive drone light show to propose to his girlfriend. Cybersecurity engineer Travon Duncan planned the elaborate proposal for his girlfriend, Erica McDowell, who is a content creator. The video, which you’ve probably seen on social media, shows hundreds of drones lighting up the Dallas skyline. They spelled out "Will you marry me?" and created animations of hearts, a ring box, and an infinity symbol.To pull this off, Duncan said he had to get a permit to block off nearby streets, which is a great reminder for all of us that you can't just fly over moving cars, even for a grand romantic gesture. He said the proposal was a "major investment," and I can only imagine! It’s not every day you see someone take over the airspace of a major city for a proposal. The couple’s friends and family were on a rooftop to watch the whole thing unfold. It’s a pretty amazing use of drone show technology, and I have to say, he really raised the bar for proposals everywhere!Be sure to check out our Black Friday deals and we’ll see you on Post Flight, our Premium community show where we share our uncensored opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube! Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2025/11/19/police-crashed-dji-drone-into-child/https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/19/a-dallas-drone-proposalhttps://dronexl.co/2025/11/19/drone-wisconsin-deputies-missing-85-old-man/

Watch Post Flight on the Community 👉 https://bit.ly/pilot-institute-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week: DJI Releases and Rumors. The Syracuse Police drone program is stalled yet again, and a new spray drone made by an American company!

Watch Post Flight on Community 👉 https://bit.ly/pilot-institute-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week: DJI launches the new Zenmuse L3 LiDAR, a Utah drone maker gets an early win in a trade secrets lawsuit, Autel Releases new products, and an experimental drone crash sparks a wildfire in Colorado. Let's get to it.DJI has launched the Zenmuse L3. The L3 boasts a detection range of up to 950 meters, or over 3,100 feet; more than double the 450-meter range of the previous L2 payload. It achieves this with a new 1535nm wavelength LiDAR, and it does it even on objects with just 10% reflectivity. The system also features dual 100-megapixel 4/3 CMOS RGB sensors—a five-fold increase over the L2’s 20-megapixel sensor. And with a 3cm ground sampling distance at 300 meters, that’s 984 feet, you’ll get ultra detailed maps and models.DJI is claiming a vertical accuracy of 3 centimeters at 120 meters of flight altitude and 10 centimeters at 500 meters. The laser beam divergence is just 0.25 milliradians, making the spot size about one-fifth that of the L2, which is perfect for detecting small objects like power lines. It also supports up to 16 returns per laser pulse, a huge jump from the L2's five returns, which will dramatically improve terrain mapping in dense forests. This whole system weighs 1.6 kilograms, or 3.5 pounds, and is compatible with the Matrice 300, 350, and the new 400. A federal judge in Utah has handed an early victory to Vector Defense, a drone company co-founded by George Matus, the former Chief Technology Officer of Red Cat, which owns Teal Drones, filed a lawsuit against Matus and Vector Defense, claiming he stole trade secrets and sabotaged their business before leaving to start his own company. Red Cat was seeking a temporary restraining order to stop Vector from manufacturing drones or competing in the industry for the next year.However, the judge denied the request, stating that Red Cat "failed to provide evidence" to support its claims and that its assertions were merely "speculative." Matus founded Teal Drones while still in high school, sold it to Red Cat in 2021, and then left in 2024 to co-found Vector Defense. Red Cat alleged that Matus used his position to give his new company an unfair head start. Matus countered that Vector's drones, like their single-use FPV "Hammer" drone, don't even compete with Red Cat's products.Autel robotics has quietly released several new products. The Autel Explorer, a small drone/RC car hybrid designed for GPS denied environments indoors, The Evo III with a mechanical shutter, the Evo Pioneer 150 which is a ground robot with a 200kg payload, the Evo Nest 2, a docking solution for the Eco III, and the Skyfend Interceptor. These announcements come with very limited details. None of these products are currently on Autel’s site.An experimental, remotely piloted aircraft with a 6-foot wingspan crashed in a rural area near Calhan, Colorado, sparking an 83-acre wildfire. According to the Tri-County Volunteer Fire Department, the crash itself started the fire. But it was the drone's lithium batteries that "significantly intensified the blaze," making it much harder to fight.https://www.courthousenews.com/utah-drone-maker-takes-early-win-in-former-employers-trade-secrets-theft-claims/https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jscap_uas-integrating-infrastructure-ugcPost-7390344113906143232-gpaE?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAJSd6cBnGyJ-pAI0UP04C1xL-w9OM69WQI&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=copy_linkhttps://dronexl.co/2025/11/04/dji-zenmuse-l3-lidar-doubles-detection-range/https://dronexl.co/2025/11/01/remotely-piloted-aircraft-crash-colorado-wildfire/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week: the FCC vote, DJI drone and payload leaks, and a California homeowner is facing a massive $300,000 fine based on drone surveillance. Let's get to it.First up, in a 3-0 vote, the FCC granted itself the authority to retroactively ban equipment from companies on its "Covered List." This new rule was driven by Chinese communication equipment issues and it closes two major loopholes. First, it prohibits the authorization of any new devices that contain components from a Covered List company. Second, and this is the big one, it allows the FCC to revoke previously authorized equipment if national security concerns arise. As I said, this was motivated by huawei and other Chinese telecom equipment. Why does it matter to the drone world?DJI and Autel could end up on the FCC Covered List by the end of the year if an audit of their technology is not completed by the US government. If/when they get added, then the FCC would have the authority to do what they just voted on. There is technically a notice of proposed rule making coming up on this to follow, but as of this recording, it is NOT public.Next up, DJI has a few rumored releases including the Neo 2, which is rumored to be released by the time you’re watching this recording! Some notable upgrades include forward-facing LiDAR, 2 Axis Gimbal, possible sensor upgrades, and the battery, reportedly offering 15% more capacity for a flight time of around 19 minutes. But that upgrade comes at a cost—leaked Australian pricing shows the new battery will be $129, which is more than double the original's $59 price tag. DJI Enterprise is teasing a new payload for all the surveyors and mappers out there. The company has announced a launch event for November 4th at 7 AM EST for what is almost certainly the new Zenmuse L3 LiDAR payload. The teaser tagline is "See Through, Far and True," which gives us some big clues. "See Through" likely points to improved vegetation penetration, which is critical for forestry and terrain mapping. "Far" suggests a longer detection range than the Zenmuse L2's 450 meters. And "True" implies even better accuracy, which would be impressive since the L2 already boasts 4cm vertical and 5cm horizontal accuracy.Leaked photos show the L3 payload in a rugged Pelican-style case, and it features a distinctive pink and purple display screen that matches the teaser video. This is the logical successor to the Zenmuse L2, which was launched back in October 2023. DJI has been a game-changer in this space, bringing the cost of aerial LiDAR down from over $100,000 to something much more accessible. Fourth this week, a homeowner in Stanton, California, is facing a staggering $300,000 fine after a drone owned by the City allegedly recorded illegal fireworks being set off at his property on July 4th. The city claims its drone documented approximately 300 explosions, and they're fining him $1,000 for each one. The homeowner insists he wasn't even home at the time.And next week at this time, we’ll be in Las Vegas for the Vegas Drone Meetup! We’ll be teaching a few in-person courses on select Part 107 topics and on photography and cinematography. If you’re in the area, check it out and we hope to see you there! Link in the description if you wanna join!We’ll be talking about all these stories and more on Post Flight, our Premium community show where we share our opinions. Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you on Monday for the live! https://dronexl.co/2025/10/28/drone-surveillance-fine-california-homeowner/https://dronexl.co/2025/10/24/dji-neo-2-leaked-first-images-features-price/https://dronexl.co/2025/10/28/dji-enterprise-zenmuse-l3-photos/https://dronexl.co/2025/10/29/fcc-retroactive-power-ban-dji-drones/Las Vegas Drone Meet Up:https://vegasdronemeetup.com/

Post Flight on Community:https://bit.ly/pilot-institute-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week: a Florida Senator is pushing for an emergency retroactive ban on DJI and Autel drones, a new drone payload can physically restrain suspects from the air, and several men who were alleged to have used a drone to drop contraband into a prison. Florida Senator Rick Scott sent a letter on October 20th to the FCC, urging the agency to take aggressive action against DJI and Autel Robotics. He's not just asking for a future ban; he's demanding the FCC retroactively revoke ALL equipment authorizations for DJI and Autel devices that have been issued since December 23rd, 2024. The letter specifically calls out what Scott describes as a "deliberate evasion strategy" where Chinese companies allegedly use shell companies to get around U.S. restrictions.Now, as always, is a good time to reach out to your representatives to demand an extension on the audit. The audit needs to be completed to end this national security debate once and for all. Next up, we have a story that sounds like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie. Wrap Technologies, the company behind the BolaWrap, has just unveiled a drone payload system that can physically restrain a person from the air. It's called the DFR-X payload, or MERLIN-Interdictor, and it essentially mounts their tether technology onto a drone. This marks a major shift for Drone as First Responder, or DFR, programs, which have so far focused entirely on observation and situational awareness. Now, they're moving into active intervention.So how does it work? The system is a drone-agnostic payload with six cassettes. Each cassette can deploy an 8-foot Kevlar tether that shoots out at over 500 feet per second to wrap around a suspect's arms or legs. The company says it's a non-lethal tool designed to deter, delay, and disrupt threatening behavior before officers arrive on the scene. They're positioning it as a life-saving tool for situations like active shooters in schools or dynamic SWAT operations. Pre-orders are scheduled to begin on November 17th, 2025, though no pricing has been announced. And finally, we have another story about the misuse of drones. Three men were arrested near Washington State Prison in Georgia after deputies allegedly found them with a drone and other evidence that was quote “indicative of an attempted drone drop”. According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, deputies allegedly spotted a suspicious vehicle leaving the prison area just after midnight on Saturday and pulled it over for traffic violations. Inside, they found the drone and arrested the three individuals on charges of Trading with Inmates and Flying an Unmanned Aircraft.This isn't an isolated incident; it's a full-blown crisis. This was the second major bust at this same prison in just 10 days. The local sheriff reported that his office stopped 21 attempted drone drops in 2024 alone. Statewide, the Georgia Department of Corrections has logged over 1,000 drone incidents since 2022. https://dronexl.co/2025/10/21/wrap-drone-physically-restrain-suspects/https://dronexl.co/2025/10/21/three-arrested-drone-contraband-georgia-prison/https://dronexl.co/2025/10/21/dji-drones-could-be-banned-this-week/