Drone News Update

A sad first story, the industry pioneer and public safety visionary Romeo Durscher has sadly passed away.Romeo was a pioneer of drones for public safety, with the mantra "Drones for good".He worked for DJI, as their Director of Public Safety Integration, where he led and assisted departments getting started with drones.In 2018, the Camp Fire in California destroyed an entire town.Romeo led 15 drone teams to create high-definition maps of over 17,000 acres in days, saying “After Santa Rosa, I thought I’d seen it all. Then came Paradise… It’s beyond what one could imagine.”This was just one of many ways Romeo helped to cultivate drones is public safety.Romeo then moved from DJI to Auterion, pushing interchangeably to ensure public safety could use the best tool for their mission.Earlier this year, Romeo was given the Law Enforcement Drone Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also named one of the 25 most influential people in the drone industry and given the Golden Medal from the Estonian Chamber of Commerce.Haye, from DroneXL, put it best: "Romeo Durscher’s passing leaves a void, but his vision soars on. The drone industry stands at a crossroads—poised for growth, yet challenged by regulation and ethics. Romeo showed us the way: technology must serve purpose, not profit alone."Next up, a Texas bill would allow drones to be shot down if flown over private property.There are several things wrong with this bill, starting with 18 USC 32.This law protects civil aircraft, both in the air and on the ground."Whoever willfully—(1)sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce......shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years or both."We also know how bad people are at identifying aircraft, with several of the NJ "drones" actually being airliners.And not to mention, what goes up must come down.If you're in Texas, please reach out to your state legislature and let them know this is a BAD idea.Next up, Mavic 4 Leaks!DroneXL and Jasper Ellens is reporting a new rumor that the Mavic 4 may be able to roll its gimbal up to 180 degreens in both directions. You heard that right, ROLL. This would mean you could take native vertical with all lenses and even upside down video.This would make quite an interesting function that we haven't seen on small drones.Well have to wait and see!We'll see your for the Monday live next week, no Friday live, it's finally time to move into our new building!https://dronexl.co/2025/03/05/dji-mavic-4-pro-vertical-and-beyond/https://dronexl.co/2025/03/05/romeo-durscher-drone-visionary-good/https://thetexan.news/issues/second-amendment/texas-bill-would-allow-property-owners-to-shoot-down-trespassing-drones/article_7a86e40e-f2f0-11ef-8321-33c28a01e369.html

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 4 stories for you; DJI launches new dock and drone, Connecticut’s “emergency” bill to ban Chinese drones, your last chance to comment on the Department of Commerce ANPRM, and LEDA calls out AUVSI.First up, DJI launched the new Dock 3 and Matrice 4D & 4TD!This is the first DJI dock designed for use on a vehicle, allowing the drone to launch directly from a mobile platform.The Dock 3 can operate and charge in extreme temperatures up to 122°F and down to -22°F. It’s IP56-rated, and the Matrice 4D comes with anti-icing propellers.Speaking of the Matrice 4D, it’s IP55 rated and offers 54 minutes of flight time or 47 minutes of hover time. Both the 4D and 4TD comes with a wide-angle camera, a 3X medium tele camera, a 7X long tele camera, and a laser range finder.The Thermal offers a near IR light and a 640X512 infrared thermal camera in addition to the other cameras.In conjunction with the release, AVSS, the Canadian parachute manufacturer, released a parachute for the Matrice 4D. While it is not yet on the FAA Declaration of Compliance list yet, the press release mentioned it will be FAA approved for operations over people. The parachute will be available in Q2 of this year.DJI just seems to be pumping them out this year!Next up, Connecticut’s emergency bill on banning Chinese Drones.This bill has currently passed both chambers of the state’s legislature and prohibits state agencies and municipalities from purchasing “Covered” drones starting in October of 2026 and a ban on operating in 2028.The legislation also restricts drone flights within 250 feet of critical electric and other utility infrastructure.If you’re in Connecticut, please reach out to your representatives ASAP!Last up, there are only a few days left to make your voice heard!The Department of Commerce ANPRM’s comment date ends on March 4th.Don’t let folks in suits who have never flown drones write the narrative on what our UAS actually do.Please watch this video and comment!Speaking of getting your voices heard, the Law Enforcement Drone Association, or LEDA for short, expressed their disheartening at an opinion article written by AUVSI president Michael Robbins.Jon Beal, the President and CEO of LEDA mentions the oped written on drone blog DroneLife is "overt gaslighting regarding legislation related to the use of Drones from China."Beal explains that LEDA is a platform-agnostic organization whose stance "has always been to let member agencies and pilots decide what platform works best for them and their communities at large".He also explains that he has watches, which his own eyes, AUVSI representatives testify in support of banning Chinese drones for public safety agencies in various states.Beal goes on to question Robbin's understanding of how these bans affect agencies, forcing many of them to shut down their programs completely. As a result, agencies no longer have the ability to save lives and mitigate risk, including for the public at large. Beal also cites Robbin's lack of evidence in his statement that "security vulnerabilities are well-documented with the national security community". In response, Beal welcomes the stated clause in Section 1709 of the 2024 NDAA, which mandates a study of DJI and Autel drones for data security.Beal concludes by stating that "almost every one of our 3200 members is angered by the legislation happening in their states and our country borne from greed and in an attempt to limit their ability to save lives".https://www.flyingmag.com/connecticut-emergency-bill-would-ban-chinese-russian-drones/https://dronexl.co/2025/02/25/dji-m4td-dock-3-imminent-release/https://youtu.be/AYOcLhKpGDQhttps://www.ledauas.org/_files/ugd/78f471_7a7178eabda94a49b7bbacbbaba19986.pdf

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 5 stories for you; A Drone Crash into Uranium Mine, GA bill to ban Chinese Drones, ND Senate rejects Chinese drone ban, Sumas Police Rescue, and New DJI Products!First up, don’t be this guy.An alleged drone collision with mine equipment at the Pinyon Plain uranium mine here in AZ caused the mine to temporarily cease operations. While the size and type of the drone are unknown at this time, it supposedly struck a safety wire used to transport personnel into the 1,400’ deep mine according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. After crashing into the equipment, the suspect, Bobby Mason, allegedly fled in a Ford F-150 leading to a series of incidents including two hit-and-runs near and inside of Grand Canyon National Park. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has charged Mason with offenses including unlawful operation of an unmanned aircraft, Aggravated DUI, criminal damage, hit and run, reckless driving, and harassment. So, Don’t be this guy. Next up, A Georgia bill would require Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security to create an approved drone list for public safety and government. The bill would give agencies a 3-year compliance window to acquire new aircraft that are on the approved list. If you live in Georgia, please let your legislators know what you think about House Bill 205. On the opposite side of the fence is North Dakota.North Dakota’s Senate rejected a portion of a bill that would act as a replacement program for state-owned and operated Chinese drones. State Senator Kyle Davison led the motion to strip this text from the bill, citing the significant cost difference between Chinese and American-made drones. According to Senate Testimony, the M30 currently used by state agencies costs ~$7500 while NDAA-compliant alternatives cost between $20,000 and $50,000. The Senate preserved an $11,000,000 allocation to support BVLOS Operations in the same bill. A Drone story for good this week, coming from some Pilot Institute students in northern Washington State!Multiple agencies responded to a report of an elderly woman who'd gone missing during the night.After several hours of searching, the Sumas Police Department arrived on scene and an M30T was launched, locating the missing person in under 3 minutes.The woman had fallen down a steep slope near her residence and was hypothermic.Luckily, she was able to be rescued and was transported to the hospital.Shout out to Sumas Police Department, Great work, and thanks for what you guys do!Last up, DJI has released TWO new gimbals this week!This week we got a new Osmo Mobile 7, with active track 7.0, hand motion control, 10-hour run time, a built-in tripod, and magnetic mounting for accessories.The Osmo Mobile 7 entry level comes at $89, with the 7P model costing $149. DJI also released the RS4 Mini, and we actually got our hands on one to test out.It’s got a 13-hour run time, a 4.4lb payload, an active track module, and native vertical shooting. Check out our full review here <Point>Join us later today for our happy hour in the community, Live Q&A on Monday, and Post Flight Monday in the community! We’ll see you then! https://dronexl.co/2025/02/18/drone-strike-grand-canyon-mine/#google_vignettehttps://dronexl.co/2025/02/17/georgia-ban-chinese-drones-security/https://dronexl.co/2025/02/18/north-dakota-senate-rejects-chinese-drone-replacement/https://dronexl.co/2025/02/18/dji-smartphone-stabilizers-tracking/https://www.facebook.com/wcfd14/

First up, this week marks 300 weeks of Drone News… Thanks for tuning in and making this possible! So far we’ve got 390,000 students with over 115,000 in our Part 107 course, 48 drone courses, we’ve shipped over 50,000 stickers, Done FAA WINGs credits, and TRUST Certificates. And this is just the beginning! Soon we’ll be moved into our new building where we’ll be able to start offering even more cool things!Now onto the news! Next up, Wingcopter released LiDAR for its Wingcoper 198. According to the press release at GeoWeek the Wingcopter 198 can survey over 37 miles of linear infrastructure in a single flight, while carrying a 10lb payload. This system can achieve a point cloud density of 570 points per square meter, 10mm sensor accuracy, and 5mm precision. In approximately 42 minute flight, this system can scan 2,560 acres. Pretty cool new tech! Third, a Baltimore man was arrested after allegedly flying a drone over the M&T Bank Stadium earlier this year. The NFL paused the game in the third quarter when a drone, allegedly belonging to Alex Perez Suarez, was spotted flying approximately 400 feet over the stadium.The drone allegedly took 7 pictures before flying away from the stadium. Alex is now facing 3 federal charges for flying in restricted airspace, operation of an unregistered drone, operation of an aircraft without an airman certificate, and willful violation of National Defense Airspace. Please don’t be that guy… Next up, The FAA has authorized the Pyka Pelican 2 to operate in the US! The Pyka is a large, fixed wing spray drone designed for crop dusting.The Pelican 2 has a 300 liter capacity, hot swappable batteries, LiDAR and RADAR, and comes in at $550,000. According to Pyka, the Pelican is the largest drone that has been authorized to operate in the US.Pretty cool, but I’m not sure we’ll be getting our hands on one of these guys any time soon!Next, Skyebrowse announced a major change to indoor map processing.According to the press release, the new processing method uses AI to verify that individual rooms are processed correctly.This verification allows for additional speed, clarity, and accuracy.If you're unfamiliar with Skyebrowse, they're a 3D mapping software that uses video instead of traditional photos to make 3D Models.Their lowest tier plan is free, so if you're interested in 3D modeling, this is a great place to start and make some models!

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you; Department of Commerce Advanced Notice NPRM, More drone show troubles, and more DJI Flip leaks. Story Links: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2024-30209/securing-the-information-and-communications-technology-and-services-supply-chain-unmanned-aircraft https://www.wkrg.com/news/nye-drone-show-canceled-on-folly-beach-after-drones-fall-from-sky-at-least-1-injured/ https://dronexl.co/2024/12/28/dji-flip-drone-leak-compact-design-advanced-ai-features/

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you: Drone Light Show injures kid in Orlando, Israeli drone company wins big DOD drone contract, and navigating TFRs in New York and New Jersey. First story this week is a bit of a sad one. A child was injured at an Orlando drone show last week after a drone hit him in the chest during a show near Lake Eola Park. The 7-year old boy was taken to the hospital and it was later reported that he required emergency cardiac surgery due to damage to a heart valve. Approximately 15 minutes into the performance, drones started falling out of the sky, according to a video and witness statements. The show was put on by SkyElement, a very reputable company that has a long-standing of safe operation. SkyElement puts out dozens of shows around the country yearly, and even holds 11 Guiness world records, including flying a show with 5000 drones a month ago during Thanksgiving. It's unclear exactly what happened, but it would be out of touch for me to speculate at the moment. We will follow up when the NTSB concludes its investigation and releases its findings. We wish the young boy a prompt recovery. Second story this week, XTEND, an Israeli defense tech company, has secured an $8.8 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract is to deliver advanced AI-powered drones called PSIO sUAS. These tactical drones, capable of operating indoors and outdoors, combine artificial intelligence with real-time precision strike capabilities. The drones are designed for rapid deployment in urban and open-field settings, and reduce risks for soldiers while enhancing operational flexibility. Manufactured in the U.S., these drones align with defense production standards and are set for delivery in early 2025, following extensive testing. XTEND’s systems are already in use globally, including by the Israel Defense Forces, showcasing their value in modern warfare. For our last story, I want to discuss the recent temporary flight restrictions that were put in place in New Jersey and New York. Most of those are 1 nautical mile in radius and around sensitive infrastructures, such as substations, railroad depots, or even nuclear power plants. Part 107 operators who have a valid statement of work and show a need to be in the restricted airspace are eligible to request SGI waivers. SGI stands the Special Governmental Interest and is typically used by public safety agencies, but is also available to "regular" part 107 operators. According to the FAA website, "To apply for a waiver through the SGI process, you must be an existing Part 107 remote pilot with a current certificate OR a public agency with an existing Certificate of Waiver or Authorization or COA." I will put a link in the description for those who are interested in applying (https://www.faa.gov/uas/advanced_operations/emergency_situations) Last note before we go, we have the winner of the Community photo contest for December! Congratulations to Bill Heiser won with this photo titled "Highway to the Pass". And that's it for this week and even this year. I want to thank you all for tuning in every single week. We are getting close to 300 consecutive weeks of news update, and we couldn't do this without all of you. I and the entire team at Pilot Institute wish everybody a Happy New Year. I hope it will be full of growth for your company if that's what you do, but more importantly I hope it is filled with many hours of flying. Please continue to be safe and vigilant, and remember to be a mentor to those who got their first drone under the tree.

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 4 stories for you; Skydio sanctioned by China, Michigan Coalition of Drone Operators vs University of Michigan lawsuit, More info on the DJI Lawsuit,DJI New Goggles Leaks. 

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you; DJI Takes legal action against the DOD, CNN Drone crashes into crowd injuring three, and BRINC releases the Guardian. Join our community site: https://pilotinstitute.com/community/

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you; GAO Report on Foreign Made Drones, officials tell Fairfax County to stop using DJI, Axon acquires Dedrone, and new record drone show. First up, the GAO has released a report on the Department of Interior’s stance on foreign drones. Currently, the DOI does not allow foreign drones to be used except for emergency situations such as search and rescue and wild fires. The GAO studied the effects of the policies after the DOI asked them to, covering the 4 most active departments; bureau of land management (BLM), Fire and Wildlife service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Findings from the GAO are predictable; the majority of drones are now nearing their end of life and replacing them with compliant drones is much more expensive. Due to the reduction in fleet size, bureaus haven’t been able to expand their use of drones and some no longer have enough drones even for emergencies. Even for bureaus that have purchased approved drones, the drones aren’t be delivered until 6 months or more later. The GAO gave the example that in April of 2024, the DOI had purchased 98 drones for fiscal year 2024 and only 46 had been delivered. In another example, the National Park Service purchased drones for wild fire management in March and were not expected to have the drones in hand until October, missing nearly all of the 2024 fire season. The GAO goes on to discuss that compliant drones are not as capable in carrying payloads nor are as reliable. Due to these problems, not only have emergency flights decreased but non-emergency flights for research, surveys, training, and post-storm recoveries have become nearly non-existent. Next up, federal law makers John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi from the House of Representatives have urged Fairfax County to stop using DJI. In a letter to the county Board of Supervisors the representatives stated “The PRC-made UAS platforms and censors currently used by Fairfax County collect high-resolution imagery of facilities and individuals at risk, putting them at risk of being collected by the CCP,” This is the first time we’ve seen representatives attempting to influence a particular public safety department on what drones to use or not use. Fairfax county sits just south west of Washington DC along the Potomac river. At this time, we don’t know how the county will respond but we’ll keep you updated if we see more. Third, Axon has finished the acquisition of Dedrone. Dedrone is a counter UAS system that uses RF detection, RADAR, cameras and for authorized users can include hammers, drone take over, and kinetic means to stop a rogue drone. An important note is that the DOD are the only ones currently who are allowed to utilize these tools to stop a drone. We’ll keep you updated if we see more from Dedrone and Axon! Last up, Sky Elements broke the record this week for the most drones launching pyrotechnics. The city of Mansfield TX partnered with Sky Elements to break the word record of most drones launching pyrotechnics. Sky Elements used 1164 drones to break the record in a free drone show for residents. Cool use of the drones and we’re sure we’ll continue to see bigger and bigger drone shows! That’s all for this week, we’ll see you later in the community for Happy Hour and on Monday for our Q&A! https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-24-106924.pdf https://dronelife.com/2024/10/01/lawmakers-urge-fairfax-county-to-end-use-of-dji-drones-due-to-national-security-concerns/ https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mansfield-texas-drone-show-guinness-world-record-sky-elements-display/287-a03f5178-feea-43ca-9e06-7e5a5ae2a099

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 5 stories for you, New DJI Action 5, Air 3S hits FCC Database, Pilot Institute Community, a Drone finds missing Louisiana girl, and a press release on drone incursions into wild fire aircraft operations. First up, DJI has released the new Action 5! The action 5 comes with a new 1/1.3” sensor (the same size as the Mini 4 Pro), 10-bit D-Log M, HLG, horizon steady, subject tracking, a barometer/hydrometer, 47GB of internal storage, magnetic mounting, 4 hour battery life, 113 degree max operating temperature, and connection with the DJI Mic 2s! Whew, lots cool specs, we’ll be getting on to check out and post some content on! Next, the Air 3S has hit the FCC database! We’ve seen quite a few leaks about the Air 3S, including some images with an RC-N3 series controller, what appears to be a larger sensor in a dual camera setup, and potentially larger batteries. Rumors have also included that batteries may be compatible with the current Air 3. We’ve seen some decent images of the Air 3, we’ll have to wait and see if DJI publishes an announcement any time soon! Third up, a big Pilot Institute update. This week we launched the Premium Community with the goal to help part 107 pilots use their certificate to get paid work. In premium you'll find tons of interviews and workshops, we'll be releasing exclusive content every month. And, if you're a fan of News Update, we have an extended version every week called Post Flight. Each episode we discuss News Update stories in more detail and give our personal opinion on the facts. Visit Pilotinstitute.com/community to check it all out! Third up, a drone in Louisiana located a missing child this week. A 10 year old Louisiana girl was reported missing early in the day on Sunday. Searchers were unable to locate the girl, and a company from Arkansas, Drone Management Services, stepped in to assist. Using what appears to be a Mavic 3 Thermal, Co-Owner Josh Kolber located the girl sleeping on the ground. Great use of the drone Josh! Last up, the National Interagency Fire Center has published data this week about 21 incidents where drones have operated near wildfires. In 10 of these events, firefighting aircraft operations were suspended. Generally, firefighting aircraft operate within a TFR, meaning other aircraft including traditional aircraft are not permitted in that area. Be sure to check the TFRs before you take off, especially in wildfire prone areas. Alright, that’s all we’ve got! Greg will be back on Monday, so he’ll see you then for the live Q&A!

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 5 stories for you: Drone ban updates, Green Day concert paused for drone flight, FLIR and AirData partner, 3 men in a stolen vehicle were found using a drone, and SkyeBrowse updates everyone to Lite Processing! First up, The house has voted to pass the Countering CCP Drones Act. This is a setback that was expected but it changes little. Representative Stefanik stated during her speech “Over the last seven years, the US government has publicly confirmed time and time again that DJI drones are being used to collect information on US critical infrastructure and pose significant risks to US national security,” Not sure where the evidence is, but we’d love to see it. The Countering CCP drones act was also passed with the House NDAA, so the bill has already passed before. Both bills still must still go through the Senate prior to landing on the President’s desk. It doesn’t matter what vertical you’re in, now is a great time to weigh in on this issue, and educate your senators and representatives. If you’re having trouble with where to start, head over to the DAA website, which is linked below. Next up, Green Day rushed off stage this week after security spotted a drone in the stadium. Detroit Police confirmed the interruption to the show was due to a drone and that the operator was located and detained. Currently, it’s unclear what drone was flying or how close it was to the band. An important note was that this did not qualify for a stadium TFR, and no TFR was in place. This brings up an interesting situation where a Part 107 pilot could legally operate over the stadium with a category 1 or 2 drone. We’ll keep you updated when we see more. Third, FLIR and AirData UAV have partnered to provide SIRAS flight tracking. If you’re unfamiliar with the FLIR SIRAS, it’s a quadcopter with a 640x512 FLIR Hadron series sensor designed for industry and public safety. The integration with AirData uses SIRAS’s offline log-export and isn’t connected to the internet. For users of the SIRAS, AirData is a great tool and one that we use for tracking our aircraft’s flights, battery cycles, and determining what when wrong if things do. Fourth, a shout out to some students from Gaston County Police. Gaston County police used a drone this week to assist in recovering a stolen vehicle and arresting 3 men who fled the stolen vehicle after a car chase. The drone was utilized after officers lost sight of the vehicle when it drove into a soybean field. A Gaston County Police Officer was part of the drone unit, and launched to determine where the vehicle went. Once the police officer found the vehicle, they began to track the suspects, locating them in the field attempting to evade police. All 3 suspects were taken into custody without incident. Great use of the drone! Next, SkyeBrowse has updated everyone on the Freemium plan to Lite processing! This will increase the quality of all models from folks with free accounts. If you're unfamiliar with SkyeBrowse, the program uses video from nearly anything to make 3D models. You can sign up for free and start making models immediately. Models can be accessed on any device and can be easily marked up for measurement and shared as needed. And to wrap up, check out this clip for something coming next week… https://dronexl.co/2024/09/10/us-house-votes-to-ban-new-dji-drones/ https://dronexl.co/2024/09/05/green-day-interrupted-mid-song-by-drone-threat-at-detroit-concert/ https://www.flir.com/suas/ https://airdata.com/about https://www.instagram.com/p/C_jIAlFTnbf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&img_index=1

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 5 stories for you; Updated Countering CCP Drones language, representatives call for Anzu investigation, FAA proposes over 300,000 in fines, two drones-for-good stories about rescue, and Best Buy strikes again with a DJI leak. Story Links: https://dronexl.co/2024/08/27/lawmakers-dji-drone-loophole-anzu-robotics/ https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposed-341413-civil-penalties-against-drone-operators https://dronexl.co/2024/08/26/dji-neo-drone-spotted-at-best-buy/ https://dronexl.co/2024/08/26/faa-drone-violations-penalties/ https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4792/text?s=1&r=1

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you, More DJI Leaks, DroneUp layoffs, and failed drone smuggling in South Carolina. First up, a bunch more DJI leaks have come out this week including the Air 3S and more Neo Leaks! New images of the Air 3S show what appears to be a much larger gimbal on an Air 3 frame. Leaked images also confirm the name of the new drone as the Air 3S. Images also show specs including a Sony CMOS sensor, 14EV dynamic range, and onboard panorama composition of 13,000x6500 pixels. The pictures are getting better so we might be getting closer to release! The Neo has also had a recent leak by an Australian online store. The store shared specs, some of which we’ve seen before. Key features include 135g, hand takeoff and landing, 4K video, smart track, direction track, motion control, remote audio recording, and goggles compatibility. Control methods also include voice control, phone control, or RC control. For a complete list of specs, visit DroneXL’s article linked below! Next up, DroneUp is scaling back operations and is closing 18 delivery hubs. DroneUp ended hubs in Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Tampa, resulting in 70 job losses or about 17% of DroneUp’s workforce. Deliveries in the future will be limited to 15 locations in the Dallas area. You can see DroneUp’s response to DroneXL’s request for comment by saying: “Layoffs are an unfortunate part of a business that is literally defining its own industry. Like so many innovators before us, the decision to automate often leads to similar circumstances but we acknowledge that this is a difficult time, especially for those with whom we've parted ways. While we are deeply grateful for their service, DroneUp remains committed to a strategy that supports our commercial partners and their customers. The lessons we have learned in the last several years has informed a strategy to reshape the last-mile of delivery with DroneUp's Ecosystem platform that is economically feasible for sellers and scalable for buyers. It remains our ambition to grow DroneUp, nationwide. Doing so would rely on a bigger workforce in roles that will be defined by what regulators permit, and what partners and their customers need.” We’ll keep you updated when we see more. Last up, deputies in South Carolina confiscated large drones being used to drop contraband into the Ridgeland Correctional Institute. While responding to known take off locations nearby, deputies found the two men flying the drone and attempted to stop them. The men ran and escaped into nearby woods. When searched, the vehicle contained marijuana, tobacco, a cellphone, AirPods, and a large drone. Don’t be that guy, and don’t fly over prisons. Have a great week, and we’ll see you on Monday for the Live! https://dronexl.co/2024/08/21/details-dji-air-3s-drone/ https://dronexl.co/2024/08/19/dji-neo-drone-listing-imminent-release/ https://dronexl.co/2024/08/17/large-drone-contraband-seized-failed-prison-drop/ https://dronexl.co/2024/08/16/mayday-for-droneup-delivery-plans-lose-altitude/

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Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you, Man sacrifices drone to save lost people, Autel Evo Lite Enterprise, and Drones inspect KLM Aircraft. First up, 7 people were rescued after their boat started sinking in Utah Lake. Police were notified of a sinking boat, but were unable to locate them. While staging rescue crews at the marina, a local man flying his drone for fun overheard and offered to help. Stephan Ceciu was flying for fun initially, but assisted in the search, locating the sinking boat and sending their location to officials. The 7 people were successfully rescued and the boat was towed back to the marina. It’s unclear how far the drone was flown away from the operator or what kind of drone it was. However, did not have enough battery to return to home and landed in the lake. Great job Stephan and we’re sorry about your drone! Next up, Autel has released the Evo Lite Enterprise Series! The new series weigh 866g, and include thermal and visual payload options. The Lite Enterprise has a 40 minute flight time, 4K video, and 12km range. The Lite Thermal has a 640x512 resolution thermal camera, 16X digital zoom, and a temperature range of 0C to 550C. So far, no pricing has been released but we’ll keep you posted when if we see more! Last up, a new partnership between Dutch Drone Delta and KLM will use drones to inspect KLM’s aircraft. The new program will use DJI Matrice aircraft with AI enabled software to perform inspections and report damage to the pilots or other users. Images of the operation appear to show a Matrice 300 or 350 with a P1, LiDAR, and other payloads inspecting an Airbus A330. This is a pretty cool use for drones that will benefit air carriers by reducing downtime for inspections! Have a great week, and we’ll see you on Monday for the Live! https://shop.autelrobotics.com/collections/autel-evo-lite-series https://kutv.com/news/local/man-sacrifices-drone-in-effort-to-help-find-sinking-boat-with-7-passengers-in-utah-lake https://dronexl.co/2024/08/06/autel-robotics-evo-lite-enterprise-series/ https://dronexl.co/2024/08/07/drones-aircraft-inspections-schiphol-airport/

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 4 stories for you, Countering CCP Drones Act Update, First Category 2 Drone, a brand new DJI drone model and the FAA authorizes commercial BVLOS flights without a visual observer. First up, a new senate amendment to the 2025 NDAA hopes to add the Countering CCP Drones Act. If enacted, the countering CCP language would revoke all FCC approvals for DJI and Autel products, effectively banning new mo dels and grounding current fleets. The NDAA still has to be voted on by the Senate, but the addition of the Countering CCP language would align the House of Representatives NDAA bill and the Senate bill on the issue.  Now is a great time to reach out to your representatives and senators as we near the election to let them know this language would devastate our industry and reduce Public Safety's ability to effectively save lives. We’ll update you as this progresses. Next up, the first Category 2 Drone has hit the DOC List!  The DJI Matrice 3D and 3DT are now approved for operations over people under categories 2 and 3 using the AVSS parachute system! If you’re unfamiliar with the Matrice 3D, it’s DJI’s Dock 2 aircraft.  Both of the Matrice 3D and 3DT are variable categories between cat 2 and cat 3 depending on the winds. More approvals should begin to hit the DOC list as AVSS tests more parachutes!  Next, there are some DJI leaks for a new drone! The DJI Neo hit the FCC database this week, showing a 2S, 1435mAh battery. According to DroneXL, DJI follows a “30% Rule” in battery to drone weight, suggesting the drone will weigh about 170g. Leaked pictures also show a possible prototype similar to a DJI Mini-series drone.  Currently, there are no leaked specs for the drone and we can't verify the leaked images are indeed of this model. We'll keep you updated when we see more! Last up, the FAA has finally authorized the first commercial drone operation beyond visual line of sight without using a visual observer. The approval goes to Zipline and Wing Aviation. I'm guessing this is an approval without a waiver under part 135 since other operators have been able to do this under part 107 waivers. The FAA stated that companies are sharing planned flight routes with other authorized airspace users by using Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems. We are still expecting to see a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) later this year that would normalize BVLOS operations for drones. Finally, a quick Community update. We have our July Drone photo contest winner! This month's winner is Derek Paulsen, with his photo of a "Beautiful Mountain Lake Outside Glacier National Park". Congratulations to Derek, who will receive a custom made pilot institute trophy and a $250 gift card. We'll have another contest in August, so stay tuned for those details. That's it for now, have a great weekend, and we’ll see you on Monday for the Live!  https://dronexl.co/2024/07/26/senate-amendment-countering-ccp-drones-act-ndaa/ https://droneadvocacyalliance.com/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/26/dji-neo-drone/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/26/faa-avss-first-category-2-drone-flight-over-people/ https://www.avss.co/drone-parachutes/drone-parachute-recovery-system-for-dji-m3td-or-m3d-for-dji-dock-2/ https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-authorizes-first-commercial-use-of-bvlos-drone-operations/

The first story this week is not the best one, a man was arrested for flying a drone over the SpaceX launch facility in Cameron County, Tx. The man was identified as 32 yr. old, Reynold Daniel Chavez, admitted he was flying his drone to see the rockets and said he didn’t know the airspace was restricted. At this stage, we’re unsure what legal ramifications Chavez will face. But he was charged with “operation of an unmanned aircraft over a critical infrastructure facility.” The incident highlights the need for all UAS pilots to know the rules and regulations as well as the airspace they fly in. Whether flying under part 107 or recreationally, flying safely helps protect the industry we love. We’ll share updates on this story as more information comes in. Alright, in our next story some more exciting news. We have some new leaked photos and even a video of two new drones. First, what looks like a new DJI Air. It was first speculated to be an DJI Air4 and then later an DJI Air3s. Either way, these new leaks appear to show a much larger gimbal and dual cameras. Could we be getting a 1 inch sensor? The original DJI Air3 came out almost exactly one year ago, on July 25th 2023. And, it’s a great drone we still fly today, so we’re excited to see what kind of upgrades we’ll get with a newer model. This time, several pictures showing a possible Mavic 4 prototype. What is clear is the very visible Hasselblad name branding and a design that looks similar to the current Mavic 3 series. The leaks seem to show a larger gimbal with a 3 camera setup, which could indicate bigger image sensors. You can also see several sensors on the top and bottom of the drone, another possible upgrade could be to obstacle avoidance or tracking features. Again, we’ll have to wait and see. But the possibilities are exciting! Next up, an accusation involving drones at the Olympics. A drone was seen flying over the New Zealand women’s soccer team during practice. The New Zealand Olympic Committee stated, “Team support members immediately reported the incident to police, leading to the drone operator, who has been identified as a support staff member of the wider Canadian Women's football team, to be detained,” A formal investigation has been launched to review the event. The Canadian Olympic Committee responded with a statement saying, “The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair-play and we are shocked and disappointed. We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee,” We’ll have to wait to see what information is uncovered from this story, but we will report back with any updates. Lastly, as mentioned, Greg is at the EAA airshow with a lot of team. This year we have booths 209,210 and in Hangar B booth 2141. No live on Community today and no live on Monday. But, Greg will be back for next week’s News Update we’ll see you then! https://dronexl.co/2024/07/24/man-arrested-drone-spacex-texas/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/22/dji-mavic-4-prototype-drone/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/22/dji-air-3s-drone-video/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/22/dji-air-3s-drone-video/

First up is your “Don’t be that guy” segment… A video was posted this week of a drone pilot flying over the Blue Angels near Pensacola Beach, FL. The drone appeared to be in the flight path of the jets, though slightly higher. The footage has since been deleted off of social media. Please do not be that guy and do not interfere with other air traffic. We’ll keep you updated as we see how this story progresses. Next up, the FAA finally released a FRIA map! This new interactive map functions similarly to the UAS Facilities map, but displays FRIAs instead of airspace! The map includes information about each FRIA including the site name, Affiliated CBO, approval & expiration date, and address. This is a great site along with FRIAmap.com for recreational flyers to find FRIAs! Last up, a burglary suspect was taken into custody after a drone observed them breaking into multiple vehicles. A DFR drone returning from a mission was used to survey a parking lot at a busy area when the operator noted a man acting suspiciously. After watching the man for a short time, the police operator observed the man use a screw driver to break into a vehicle, where he spent several minutes before breaking into another vehicle. Police units responded and were directed to the vehicle the man was in, where he was arrested. This is an interesting, secondary use of a DFR drone. Have a great week, and we’ll see you on Monday for the Live! We'll be in booths 209/210, and 2141 Meet the team, get swag, see the airplane, and try out our new VR systems for airplane training! https://dronexl.co/2024/07/17/reckless-drone-pilot-endangers-blue-angels/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/12/faa-map-drone-remote-id-fria-areas/ https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8f274117010f4eb1a50f64c1719be12b https://www.friamap.com/ https://ktla.com/news/local-news/police-drone-in-southern-california-busts-burglary-suspect-in-the-act/

First up is an update to the Chinese drone ban discussion. The Senate version of the 2025 NDAA was released this week, without the Countering CCP Drones Act language in the bill. This is a great win, but we can’t let up. The NDAA is an act that must pass every year and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that Congress plans to put together a China-focused bill later this year. Please continue to educate and talk to your Senators and Representatives. Let them know that this and other legislation that would ban Chinese drones is not okay. To see how you can get involved, visit the DAA’s website! Next up, a drone show in Washington State lost 55 drones due to a malfunction. Starlight Drone Shows was scheduled to perform a drone show over Angle Lake, WA on the 4th of July. Despite initial GPS locks, 55 drones out of 200 lost GPS and landed in the lake. None of the drones flew away or went into the Geofence, showing that programming worked as expected. The remainder of the show was cancelled and 145 other drones were successfully recovered. Starlight was in charge of the Sun N Fun show that we attended in April in Lakeland Florida with over 500 drones, which went flawlessly for 2 nights during the show. We’ll keep you updated if we see more about what caused the GPS loss. Third up, Freefly has released Astro Prime! The new Astro Prime has a 28-minute flight time with a Sony LR1, a new battery system guaranteed to 500 cycles, and a pro controller. Payloads include a Sony LR1 as a main camera with additional payloads including Wiris cameras, Sony Alpha 7R-IV, Green Valley Lidar, Sentra Multispectral cameras, Internal labs LiDAR, Hovermap LiDAR, Rock Robotic LiDAR, Micasense multispectral cameras, and more. The Astro Prime is also NDAA Compliant and Blue UAS, made in Woodinville, WA. Pricing for the Astro Prime is $27,000 for the aircraft only while a kit including batteries, controller, and aircraft is $32,250. Pretty cool aircraft from Freefly! Last up, Watts's Innovations appears to have shut down and is "Shifting to new horizons". It's unclear what the new horizons are, but we wish the folks over at Watt's Innovations the very best! Have a great week, and we’ll see you on Monday for the Live! https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/press-releases/sasc-completes-markup-of-national-defense-authorization-act-for-fiscal-year-2025 https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy25_ndaa_bill_text.pdf https://droneadvocacyalliance.com/ https://www.flyingmag.com/drones/questions-remain-after-july-fourth-drone-show-falls-apart/ https://dronexl.co/2024/07/08/freefly-astro-prime-drone/ https://store.freeflysystems.com/collections/astro https://wattsinnovations.com/