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Drone News Update

Pilot Institute

Weekly episodes discussing the latest drone news in the United States. Whether you're a hobbyist or a Part 107 Remote Pilot, staying up to date is important, especially in such a fast-changing industry.

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  • 26 episodes
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Episodes 26

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  • Friday · 4 min

    Drone News: Zipline Drone Mishap, Part 108 Progress Update, FCC Got Over 3,800 Comments

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, we have four stories for you this week: Zipline Drone Mishap, Part 108 Progress Update, and the FCC got over 3800 comments. Let’s get to it. First up, a Zipline drone near Houston Texas experienced a mishap this week. According to Zipline the aircraft was on its way to pick up an order when it experienced a “mid-flight issue” and deployed its parachute. The aircraft descended under the parachute, coming to rest in a road. No property was damaged and no one was hurt as a result of this mishap. This isn’t the first drone delivery mishap we’ve seen this year, but it is the first that has come down under a parachute. Back in February we talked about an Amazon drone that hit an apartment building in Richardson Texas, and nearly a year ago, two Amazon drones hit a crane in Tolleson, Arizona. There’s currently no word on what the issue was with this Zipline aircraft, but we’ll keep you updated as we see more. Next, TSA is planning some closed door talks about security, and the meetings will happen AFTER Part 108 final ruling is released. Requests to participate are due October 19th. What this actually suggests is that the security portion of Part 108 isn’t ready and won’t be ready until after the FAA publishes their portion. The format of these meetings appears to be round table style discussions, with individual views rather than a group recommendation. In addition, there is no public comment period for this. Currently, Part 108 states with OIRA, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. OIRA has meets booked through September 16th, so publication before then is unlikely. If you’re unfamiliar, OIRA’s job is to review major draft rules to ensure it helps the public more than the cost to run, keeps paperwork low, and ensures that the new rule doesn’t conflict with other agencies rules. Currently, it’s unclear if the TSA rule will be included in Part 108 or come as a separate rule. We’re following this closely, and we’ll update when we see more.Last up, the FCC’s Military definition notice got 3829 comments, and we read them all. I’ll give you some quick facts and then I’d recommend you go and check out our full video on the proposal. 98.6% of filings oppose the proposal as written, 1575 out of 1584 that engaged the definition of military grade called it over broad, only 30 agree the security risk is as acute as the commission described, and only 1 out of 3829 agreed the economic impact would be minor and contained. And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday, and be sure to check out the full breakdown of the responses on the FCC’s Notice! https://dronexl.co/2026/09/05/zipline-drone-parachute-highway-6-houston-cypress/https://dronexl.co/2026/09/04/tsa-part-108-bvlos-security-roundtables-closed-door/https://dronexl.co/2026/09/03/fcc-drone-ban-comments-3770-against-16-for/

  • September 4 · 3 min

    Drone News: Mavic 4 Pro Gets Shot, GoPro Sells 90% Ownership, UAS Sentry's New RID Detection Unit

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, we have three stories for you this week: a DJI Mavic 4 Pro gets shot out of the sky in Alabama, GoPro sells 90% ownership, and UAS Sentry launches a new portable Remote ID detection tool. Let's get to it. Up first, A real estate photographer in Athens, Alabama, had his drone shot down mid-job. Michael Gardner was flying his DJI Mavic 4 Pro off Lindsay Lane on Saturday, August 29, when he heard a gunshot. His video feed went haywire and the drone dropped out of the sky. He got it back two days later, after someone else found it. No shooter has been identified yet, and Gardner is filing a police report and reaching out to the FAA. Remember, shooting at a drone is a federal felony. It falls under the same law that protects airliners, and it carries up to 20 years in prison. Courts have already sent people to prison for this exact thing. If someone shoots at your drone, land safely if able, document everything, and call the police and the FAA.Next up, GoPro is selling 90% of, well, itself. The company announced a merger with Starman Optical, a private US optics company, paying GoPro shareholders 285 million dollars and wiping out 92 million in debt. GoPro keeps about 10% of the combined company and stays on the Nasdaq. This rescue comes after a rough stretch. GoPro stock is down 96% since its 2014 debut, and in June, the company warned it might not survive another 12 months. In July, founder Nick Woodman put in 20 million dollars of his own money just to keep the lights on. The new plan points GoPro's optics at defense, government, and AI data centers. GoPro says it will keep supporting existing cameras, but makes no promises about future models.UAS Sentry unveiled a new portable Remote ID detection unit at Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas. It's called the Nexus Observer, and it costs $1,595 dollars. It uses two antennas and two separate processors to scan both the 2.4 and 5.8 gigahertz bands that drones use to broadcast Remote ID. It has a built-in touchscreen, so no phone or app is required to see a drone's location and its pilot's location in real time. The unit runs over 12 hours on battery and comes in a water-resistant case. Buyers get two years of cloud access included, with alerts, geofencing, and flight replay. Drone detection tech is getting cheaper and easier to deploy, which means Remote ID compliance matters more than ever if you're flying.No Post Flight this week since Greg, Jason, and Ben are out, and no Monday Live for Labor Day weekend. Have a great weekend and we will see you for News Update next week. https://dronexl.co/2026/09/02/dji-mavic-4-pro-shot-down-athens-alabama/https://dronexl.co/2026/09/02/gopro-starman-optical-merger-defense-pivot/https://www.suasnews.com/2026/09/uas-sentry-unveils-nexus-observer-portable-dual-band-remote-id-drone-detection-system-at-commercial-uav-expo/

  • August 28 · 5 min

    Drone News: WA State Drone Fees, DJI Still Dominates, FCC Tightens Certification, SiFly Raises $20M

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have 4 stories for you this week: Washington state jacks up commercial drone fees, an industry survey shows DJI still dominates, the FCC tells certification labs to tighten their screening, and SiFly raises $20,000,000. Let's get to it. Starting January 1st, 2027, commercial drone operators in Washington state will pay $150 a year per aircraft to register. Right now it's $15. That's a ten times increase. Here's where it came from. Washington repealed a luxury tax on private jets before it ever took effect. To make up that lost revenue, lawmakers added a new $120 excise tax on commercial drones, plus doubled the existing registration fee to $30. Ninety percent of that money goes to a sustainable aviation fuel account. Not to airports. Not to drone programs. To jet fuel research. The drone fee got exactly one hearing, buried inside a bigger transportation bill, and no drone operators showed up to testify. For comparison, Minnesota charges $25 a year. Utah charges $5. A DJI Mini flown for real estate photos in Washington will now cost the same to register as a Cessna 172. This takes effect in 2027. If you fly commercially in Washington, start budgeting now.The Associated Builders and Contractors, a major construction trade group, asked its members what drones they fly. DJI came out on top with 97.1 percent. Autel took the rest. Skydio, the only American brand on the list, got zero percent. This survey happened months after the FCC's ban on new DJI models hit the market. And it shows the ban hasn't pushed contractors toward American alternatives. It's just frozen them on the hardware they already own. Almost 20 percent of these fleets use thermal cameras and about the same use lidar. Both of those payload types are part of a new FCC proposal that could pull them from shelves entirely. The trade group is asking lawmakers to simplify compliance, and based on the results of their survey, I understand why! The FCC just told a company called HOVERAir to stop selling its VERSA flying camera immediately, calling it a violation of US law. Here's the twist. A certification lab had already approved that camera for sale. The FCC says that approval was granted in error, and it's now been pulled. The FCC is sending new guidance to every certification body it accredits. If you’re unfamiliar, these are private companies, paid by manufacturers, that actually decide whether a device gets approved. The FCC wants them to screen harder for banned drone components, though, that guidance hasn't been published anywhere. No public notice and no docket number. This matters because the whole system for enforcing the drone import ban runs through private labs. If one bad approval got through, and it takes a viral product launch to catch it, that raises real questions about how many others might be sitting out there right now. This is a developing story and we'll keep tracking it. Last up, SiFly announced a $20,000,000 Series A financing. According to the press release, the funds will be used to scale production and customer deliveries of the SiFly Q12. If you’re unfamiliar with the Q12, it currently holds the Guinness Record for longest flight by an electric multi rotor in its class, at 3 hours and 11 minutes. The aircraft carries a payload up to 10lbs, and a maximum range of up to 90 miles on a single charge. It’ll be cool to see these start hitting the hands of customers and hear the feedback! And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!Sourceshttps://dronexl.co/2026/08/25/washington-commercial-drone-fee-150-jet-tax-repeal/https://dronexl.co/2026/08/24/abc-survey-dji-97-percent-contractor-drones-fcc-ban/https://dronexl.co/2026/08/21/fcc-tcb-guidance-drone-certification/

  • August 21 · 3 min

    Drone News: DJI Gets a Big Win, New Drone Tariffs, Chinese Drone Maker Gets FCC Clearance

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have three stories for you: DJI gets a big win, new drone tariffs, and a Chinese drone maker somehow gets FCC clearance. Let's get to! DJI just scored its biggest legal win in years. On August 14th, a federal appeals court partially reversed a lower court ruling in DJI's fight against its Pentagon blacklist status. DJI was added to that list back in 2022 as an alleged Chinese military company. The court sided with the government on most points, but on one key issue it agreed with DJI. The Pentagon claimed DJI contributes to China's defense industrial base, but that section of the report was entirely redacted. The court said you can't take the government's word for it. Now the case goes back to the lower court for another look. DJI is still on the blacklist for now and nothing changes for consumers today. But this is the strongest pushback yet against one of the government's key arguments that so far, has lacked public evidence.The Trump administration just announced new tariffs on imported drones and drone parts. Some tariffs go as high as 100%, with drones over 55 pounds and thermal drones facing the top tariff rate. Smaller drones without those features generally face a 25% tariff, allied countries like Japan, Taiwan, and the EU get a lower 15% rate, and the UK gets 10%. Most of these tariffs kick in within weeks. The goal is boosting US drone manufacturing and cutting reliance on China. However, with the FCC appearing to target foreign manufacturer’s ability to sell drones in the US at all… a 100% tariff on $0 is still $0. And HOVERAir just opened pre-orders for its new VERSA, a pocket camera that converts into a self-flying drone. And unexpectedly, it's cleared for sale in the US. That’s right, the HOVERAir VERSA is FCC approved… That's notable because HOVERAir's last drone, the AQUA, missed FCC authorization by weeks and had to refund over two million dollars to US backers. The VERSA weighs 230 grams, shoots 4K at 60 frames per second, and comes in under the FAA's 0.55lb registration threshold. This is a stark contrast to DJI's Osmo Pocket 4, a camera that doesn't fly, is still blocked from US sale. It's a strange contrast, a flying camera gets in, and a handheld one doesn't. Keep in mind this is a crowdfunding pre-order, not a guaranteed purchase, so shipping delays or changes are always possible.And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronedj.com/2026/08/18/dji-us-blacklist-court-win/https://dronedj.com/2026/08/17/us-drone-import-100-tariffs/https://dronexl.co/2026/08/18/hoverair-versa-fcc-clearance-indiegogo-launch/

  • August 14 · 4 min

    Drone News: DARPA's Lift Challenge, Drone Defibrillator Saves Man, FCC Weighs Banning DJI Drones

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have three stories for you this week: DARPA hands out half prizes as a conventional helicopter wins the Lift Challenge, a drone delivered defibrillator saves a man's life in Sweden, and the FCC weighs banning DJI drones that are already approved and sold in America. Let's get to it. DARPA's Lift Challenge wrapped up in Dayton, Ohio, and the winner wasn't some futuristic multi-rotor. It was a basic single rotor helicopter called the Katana. It carried over three point eight times its own weight, the best ratio of the week. But DARPA's target was four to one, and nobody hit it. So under the contest rules, every prize got cut in half. First place took home $1,250,000 instead of $2,500,000. Teams that pushed harder for the full four to one target actually failed. Some ran out of battery mid course, others had structural issues. The takeaway here is that lift isn't the problem for heavy drones anymore. Battery energy density is.In Sweden, a man in his sixties survived a cardiac arrest after a drone beat the ambulance to the scene. The autonomous aircraft was airborne just fifteen seconds after the emergency call came in. It flew to the address and lowered a defibrillator on a winch line. A bystander grabbed it, followed instructions from the dispatcher on the phone, and shocked the man's heart back into a regular rhythm before paramedics even arrived. This is part of a network of six drone bases in Sweden covering three hundred thousand residents, with drones beating ambulances by several minutes on average. Here in the US, similar trials just started this summer in North Carolina and Virginia, but they still need case by case FAA approval. Sweden runs this as routine dispatch. The rule that could get the US there, called Part 108, is sitting at the White House right now. Rumor is the wait for Part 108 is almost over, so if you want to get updated when it goes live, be sure to subscribe!Last up, this is now the second time we’ve covered this story. We need YOU to go comment BEFORE the September 2nd deadline. If you haven’t heard, the FCC is considering a rule that could pull existing foreign made drone off American shelves. This isn't about new models, it’s about ones that are already approved, like the Mini 5 Pro and the Air 3S. The proposal targets what the FCC calls “military grade tech”. Their definition includes LiDAR, thermal cameras, agricultural spraying, docking stations, and drones over 55 pounds. The problem is those aren't just military features, they’re obstacles avoidance and commercial payloads. LiDAR for example helps your drone avoid obstacles at night while thermal cameras help search and rescue teams find missing people. If this passes, you could still fly the drone you own BUT you might not be able to buy a new one of the same model or replace parts. Public comments are open until September 2nd, so make your voice heard. We’ve got an upcoming webinar on August 20th, with Kyle Nordfors. We’ll reviews challenging situations that SAR teams have faced in the field, then dissects them together to see what we can learn as a group. Bring your own hard problems, too: if your team is stuck on a challenge, this is the place to put more minds on it. Anything related to training, standard operating procedures, equipment, case studies, and more is fair game. We’ll see you there! And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronexl.co/2026/08/10/darpa-lift-challenge-results-avidrone/https://dronexl.co/2026/08/07/everdrone-aed-drone-boras-cardiac-arrest-save/https://dronedj.com/2026/08/11/fcc-drone-ban-dji-mini/

  • August 7 · 4 min

    Drone News: World Cup Drone Seizures, Drones Ground Wildfire Aircraft, FAA $9M Grant, DoorDash Air

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have four stories for you this week: the FIFA World Cup drone crackdown wraps up with more than 700 seizures, wildfire drones ground firefighting aircraft in Spokane 26 times in just three days, the FAA rolls out a 9 million dollar inspection grant that barely covers the DJI ban fallout, and DoorDash becomes a certified drone airline. Let's get to it. The US Department of Transportation says it just ran the largest counter-drone operation in US history. More than 700 unauthorized drones were seized during the FIFA World Cup, with over 1,100 total detections. That's across all 11 US host cities, fan zones, hotels, and training sites.. The FAA set up nearly 250 Temporary Flight Restrictions, and Ground Intercept Teams were stationed at venues to catch violators fast. This wasn't just confiscation either. Federal prosecutors in Houston filed criminal charges against four people for flying into restricted zones, and there are likely more in progress. Officials are calling this a blueprint for the 2028 LA Olympics, and the message for pilots is simple: Don’t fly in TFRs.Speaking of TFRs, wildfires are burning through Spokane County Washington, and drone pilots keep making it worse. If you’re unfamiliar, These fires have destroyed 700 structures and forced 65,000 people to evacuate. The sheriff's office counted at least 26 drone incursions into the fire's flight restriction in three days. It’s currently unclear how these detections occurred, but at least four of those drones allegedly flew into the path of firefighting aircraft. One incursion on August 3rd grounded all 35 firefighting aircraft, while homes were actively burning. Only two operators have been cited so far. Federal penalties can exceed $20,000 and up to a year in prison. Remember to check TFR.FAA.GOV before every flight and don’t be that guy. The Department of Transportation just posted a new grant forecast. 9 million dollars for agencies that want to inspect bridges, dams, and roads with drones. Applications open in September and close November 15th, and five awards are expected. Since December of last year, federal funds can't be used to buy or operate Chinese-made drones. That grounded hundreds of state government drone fleets overnight. State officials asked Congress for 50 million dollars to help replace them. Congress authorized 12 million for this year, and only 9 million actually got funded. If your agency relies on federal drone funding, this program is real money, but it is nowhere close to funding a replacement for all the grounded aircraft. Last up, DoorDash just got FAA Part 135 certification. That makes it only the 8th company in the US approved to run commercial drone delivery. The new program is called DoorDash Air. Instead of just partnering with drone companies like Wing or Flytrex, DoorDash built its own aircraft and its own software to decide how each order gets delivered. Car, robot, or drone. The company says drone deliveries under five miles can arrive in under 25 minutes. DoorDash says the drone is American designed and built. Details on the aircraft itself are still under wraps, with more coming later this year. We’ll keep you updated when we see more! And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronedj.com/2026/08/05/fifa-drone-pilot-court-fine/https://dronexl.co/2026/08/04/spokane-wildfire-drone-incursions-ground-aircraft/https://dronexl.co/2026/08/03/usdot-diig-9-million-drone-inspection-grants-fy26/https://dronedj.com/2026/07/31/doordash-air-drone-delivery-launch/

  • July 31 · 3 min

    Drone News: FCC Drone Exemptions, Axon Vision x Parazero, Avalanche Triggering Drones

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have three stories for you this week: two more drones just got exemptions from the FCC's foreign drone ban, Axon Vision and ParaZero team up on a new non-destructive counter-drone system, and the FAA approves a drone system that can trigger avalanches on purpose. Let's get to it. The FCC just granted Conditional Approval to two more drone systems. That's Exedy Globalparts' Ayre CX and Parallel Flight Technologies' Firefly. That brings the total number of exempted drone companies to 17. Back in December, the FCC put nearly all foreign-made drones on its Covered List. That blocked new FCC approvals over national security concerns. But since March, the agency has been approving individual drones almost every month. And there's a bigger change too. As of July 21st, these approvals no longer expire at the end of 2026.Manufacturers can now keep them indefinitely, as long as they follow their onshoring plans. For everyday consumer pilots, nothing changes right now. These are commercial and industrial drones, not camera drones. And DJI and Autel still can't get new models approved under this system.Axon Vision and ParaZero Technologies have announced a new counter-drone setup. It combines Axon's ForceField detection system with ParaZero's DefendAir interceptor. DefendAir uses a net to capture rogue drones instead of shooting them down. The companies are marketing this as a non-destructive option for airports, power plants, and other sensitive sites. They say it was tested during a trial in Israel. Now, the report is a company press release, so treat the performance claims with some caution. Instead of one-size-fits-all kinetic responses, companies are building modular systems that can switch between destructive and non-destructive interception depending on the environment. What’s interesting here is that “non-destructive” involves using a net to take down a rogue drone, which still poses a threat to both the drone and people on the ground while falling. The FAA has approved Drone Amplified's MONTIS system for avalanche mitigation. This lets ski resorts and transportation agencies use drones to deploy explosive charges. The goal is to trigger small, controlled avalanches before unstable snow builds into something dangerous. This won't replace helicopters or artillery towers. But it gives crews another tool, especially when weather grounds manned aircraft. It also means fewer people need to physically enter high-risk avalanche terrain. MONTIS shares engineering with the company's IGNIS platform, which is already used for prescribed burns. Drone Amplified developed this with explosives partners Austin Powder and CIL Avalanche, along with help from the Alaska Department of Transportation. It's a solid example of drones taking on jobs that are genuinely dangerous for humans.And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronedj.com/2026/07/27/fcc-drone-ban-exemption-update/https://www.suasnews.com/2026/07/axon-vision-and-parazero-introduce-new-forcefield-configuration-fornon-destructive-counter-uas-interception/https://dronedj.com/2026/07/15/montis-avalanche-drone-amplified-faa/

  • July 24 · 4 min

    Drone News: Drone Pilot Faces Charges, Possible Ban on Drone Imports, NPPA Pushes Back on 2209

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have 3 stories for you this week: a Colorado drone pilot facing federal charges after grounding wildfire aircraft, a possible US ban on imports of some “military-grade” drones, and the National Press Photographers Association pushing back on the FAA's Section 2209 rule. Let's get to it. This week Pilot Institute is in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for EAA AirVenture. If you've never been it's a really cool event with thousands of aircraft on display, air shows, workshops, and Pilot Institute. Greg and the team will be there through Sunday, July 26th, and would love to see you in person. If you're in the area stop by the big pink tent and meet the team. And when you meet Pilot Institute, you don't just leave with memories, no. You'll also be leaving with free Pilot Institute gear and giveaways. Plus, I hear there are fantastic cheese curds and double-fried French fries close by. I have sent a request to Greg to have a BVLOS french fried drone delivery sent all the way back to Arizona, but I am still waiting on that response.Alright, in our first story, A drone pilot in southern Colorado is facing federal charges. On Friday, July 17th, someone flew a drone into the temporary flight restriction over the Aspen Acres Fire near Rye. That fire has burned more than 100,000 acres. It's the largest wildfire currently active in Colorado.In case you don't know, once a drone is detected, every helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft on the fire has to stop flying. However, investigators didn't have to work hard on this one. The pilot posted the flight on social media and The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office used that footage to identify the suspect. Civil penalties can exceed 75,000 dollars. Next up, The FCC announced 2 drone supply chain actions, but the one that matters most for equipment is a new request for public comment. The Commission is asking whether it should prohibit the import, marketing, or sale of certain “military-grade” foreign-made drones already on its Covered List. The categories under consideration include swarming drones, drones designed to carry defense articles, thermal imaging drones, drones with LiDAR sensing, drones capable of dispensing aerosols classified as economic poison under FAA rules, drone docking stations, and any drone weighing 55 pounds or more. Several things would be excluded from any such ban: equipment not on the Covered List, equipment sold for federal government use or for commercial testing and product development, and any drones people already own. Separately, the FCC extended its exceptions for trusted drones, with the Blue UAS and Buy America carve-outs now running through January 1, 2028, and Conditional Approval products losing their expiration date entirely. Comments on the proposed prohibition are due 30 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.The National Press Photographers Association just filed comments on the FAA's proposed Section 2209 rule. This is the rule that lets critical infrastructure sites apply for permanent drone flight restrictions, called UAFRs. The FAA has identified about 125,000 candidate facilities total, and they're expecting around 9,000 applications over the next five years. The NPPA's complaint is simple. As written, these restrictions could last forever, with no expiration date, no public record of why they exist, and no way to challenge one. The comment deadline is August 5th, 2026. Be sure to check out our full discussion of the proposed rule.No post flight this week, but we'll still have a Monday live Q&A with our guest host, Vic Moss. Hope we see you there. Have a good weekend!https://dronexl.co/2026/07/21/drone-pilot-charges-aspen-acres-fire/https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-takes-action-secure-drone-supply-chainhttps://dronexl.co/2026/07/20/nppa-faa-section-2209-drone-rule-press/

  • July 17 · 4 min

    Drone News: FCC Proposes Fines, SFPD Feed Exposed, BRINC Raises $125M, Drones Fly Defibrillators

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, we have four stories for you this week: the FCC fines eight alleged DJI front companies for stonewalling investigators, an SFPD Skydio drone feed exposed live on the open internet for six months, BRINC raises 125 million dollars, and Duke Health drones now fly defibrillators to real calls. Let's get to it. First up, the FCC has proposed 25,000 dollar fines against eight companies it suspects of selling rebranded DJI hardware in the US. These brands include Skyrover and Xtra Technology. Here's the important nuance: these fines aren't for the hardware itself, at least not yet. They're for straight up ignoring the FCC's official Letters of Inquiry sent back in May, asking whether these companies market equipment tied to DJI's spot on the Covered List. None of them responded. All eight now have until July 20 to finally answer, and if they don't, the FCC has already given itself the authority to revoke existing equipment authorizations entirely, which would mean import and marketing bans. Next, the San Francisco Police Department left live video from five of its Skydio surveillance drones exposed on the open internet for about six months. Two outside security researchers stumbled onto the feed last month, reported it, and it came down within days, but by then they had archived roughly 48 hours of real operations. We're talking color and thermal video, live GPS tracking, and even the names and emails of six SFPD drone pilots. The cause was a Skydio sharing link created with no password and a one year expiration, later picked up by a public archive of scraped web addresses. The footage showed full missions from takeoff to landing, including officers filming through apartment windows and a drone tailing two guys who turned out to just be going to play basketball. That's a direct contradiction of SFPD's own policy, which requires minimizing incidental recording. This is entirely American made Skydio hardware. No “foreign adversary” needed, just a misconfigured link.Speaking of drones responding to 911 calls, BRINC just raised 125 million dollars in a round led by Motorola Solutions, pushing its total funding past a quarter billion. The goal: a drone as first responder on the roof of every one of the roughly 80,000 police and fire stations in the country. Motorola invested in BRINC back in April 2025, and that relationship lets an officer launch a BRINC drone from a button on a Motorola radio, or have one dispatched automatically the second a 911 call comes in. BRINC says revenue tripled last year and contract signings are up roughly four times.On a similar topic, Duke Health researchers are now flying drones with defibrillators to real 911 calls in Clemmons, North Carolina. When a 911 dispatcher takes a cardiac arrest call, the drone launches alongside the ambulance, cruises at 200 feet, drops to 100 feet over the scene, and winches the AED down while the dispatcher coaches the bystander by phone on how to use it. The math here is brutal. An AED used within two to three minutes of collapse pushes survival toward 70 percent, but ambulances typically take eight to ten minutes to arrive. That gap is the perfect opportunity for a drone. This program actually delivered its first real-world AED back in November 2025, and it's now running as standard procedure on live calls. If the results hold up, this could become normal across the country.And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We'll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronexl.co/2026/07/14/duke-health-drone-aed-911-calls/https://dronexl.co/2026/07/14/fcc-fines-dji-front-companies-25000/https://dronexl.co/2026/07/14/brinc-motorola-911-drone-police/https://dronexl.co/2026/07/13/sfpd-skydio-drone-feed-live-internet/

  • July 10 · 4 min

    Drone News: FBI Seizes Over 600 Drones, DJI M400 Parachute, $100,000 Prize for Mach 1 RC Airplane

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, have three stories for you this week: the FBI seizes over 600 drones at World Cup venues, DJI releases M400 Parachute, and Boom Supersonic offers a $100,000 prize for a Mach 1 RC airplane. Let's get to it. First up, the FBI has seized more than 600 drones flying in restricted airspace around FIFA World Cup 2026 venues. This is a massive number, and confiscations have been recorded in all 11 U.S. host cities since the tournament opened on June 11th. Miami leads the pack with 99 seized drones, followed by Atlanta with 77, and Dallas with 63. Operators caught inside an active World Cup Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR, face civil fines up to $75,000, criminal fines up to $100,000, up to a year in prison, and the total loss of their aircraft. At least three men in Texas are already facing federal charges. A reminder, flight restrictions surround each stadium with a ring of 3 nautical miles up to 3,000 feet. These are active from three hours before kickoff until three hours after the match ends. There are also 1-nautical-mile rings up to 1,000 feet around fan festivals. And there are continuous restrictions over team hotels and training camps that run all the way through July 21st. Reportedly, plenty of these violators actually hold Part 107 certificates. As always, please don't be that guy who ignores the rules. Every confiscated drone becomes an exhibit for lawmakers pushing for stricter counter-drone legislation. If you are flying anywhere in the country right now, check tfr.faa.gov BEFORE you fly. Next up, DJI has released the AP100 parachute for the Matrice 400! This is a 935g parachute that mounts on the back of the M400, and slows the descent rate below 5m/s or 11mph. This allows the M400 to be C5 or C6 in EASA and UK5 or UK6 in the United Kingdom… However… The AP100 will NOT be released to the US at this time. The parachute is self contained, contains a 1 hour charge using capacitors, and has a built-in flight termination system. In addition, automatic deployment can be programmed in DJI Flight Hub in the event the aircraft breaches a geofence. The parachute will broadcast an alarm and flashing lights to assist with locating the aircraft. This is pretty cool tech, it’s unfortunate that it isn’t coming to the US. Finally, Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl has announced a $100,000 prize for the first amateur-built RC airplane to exceed Mach 1. The prize includes $50,000 in cash and $50,000 in Boom stock. Scholl posted this challenge after a college student went viral claiming his 5-kilogram carbon-fiber dorm-built jet drone could hit 500 miles per hour. But Mach 1 is a very long way from 500 miles per hour. Mach 1 at sea level is roughly 761 miles per hour. For context, the current verified record for a jet-powered RC aircraft is 465 miles per hour. Hitting Mach 1 means dealing with extreme drag and control issues and some massive regulatory hurdles. Under Part 107, we are capped at 100 miles per hour, and the AMA turbine program caps at 200 miles per hour. A legitimate attempt at this prize would require cleared airspace, and lots of approvals. It is awesome to see a major aerospace CEO channel viral engineering talent into a legitimate challenge for the hobbyist community. And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We’ll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronexl.co/2026/07/05/fbi-600-drones-seized-fifa-world-cup-2026/https://dronexl.co/2026/07/02/boom-ceo-100k-prize-mach-1-amateur-rc-airplane/https://dronexl.co/2026/07/02/dji-enterprise-teaser-priceless-below-matrice-30-successor/

  • July 3 · 4 min

    Drone News: Warning on Armed Police Drones, Reported Drone Strike Over JFK, Part 107 TFR Violations

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week. First, the EFF warns about armed police drones, a JetBlue pilot reports a drone strike at 3,000 feet over JFK, another JFK “drone sighting” turns out to be normal operations, and lastly, we gotta talk about those World Cup TFR violations. First up this week, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, or EFF, is warning that lawmakers have precious little time to stop armed police drones. This comes after Skydio's CEO recently walked back the company's previous pledge to never weaponize their drones. On top of that, a company called Campus Guardian Angel is rolling out "suppression drones" in Georgia and Florida high schools this fall. These drones are designed to deploy pepper gel, strobe lights, and even kinetic strikes against active shooters. While the idea of stopping a threat sounds good, the EFF points out there are currently no federal laws governing when police or security drones can use force. EFF said in their article “We cannot continue to rely solely on the good will of companies that make their money selling technology to police departments to protect us from dangerous police technology.”. We’ll be watching to see how and where this one goes. Next up, a JetBlue pilot reported striking a drone at 3,000 feet while on final approach to JFK airport in New York. Flight 948, an Airbus A321, landed safely, and a post-flight inspection revealed absolutely NO damage to the aircraft. The FAA is currently investigating the incident. Now, we've seen this story play out many times before in the drone industry. A pilot sees something flash by the windscreen at approach speeds, reports a drone, and later reports say it was just a bird or a balloon. A drone at 3,000 feet is unusual, but NOT impossible. And while anyone flying illegally in controlled airspace deserves to be prosecuted, we need to wait for the facts. A Bell 407 helicopter pilot reported a near miss with a large red-and-white RC airplane at about 500 feet. The catch? The helicopter was flying at roughly 300 feet directly over an RC Field. This is a sanctioned National Park Service field that has hosted a model airplane club for decades. The pilot even told air traffic control that he saw more RC planes on the ground ready to launch. The FAA is reportedly not investigating this because this one isn't a mystery.And the last story this week is about the TFR violations around the World Cup. We reported the number of drone incursions over 300 last week and this number has gone up significantly again this week. With several more weeks of World Cup games still to go, this is not looking good. What's also not looking good is that the initial feedback we are getting is that a lot of these infractions are from Part 107 certificated remote pilots. As an industry, we have to do better. And I want to hear from you on this. Let me know in the comments how we, as an industry, can improve communications to drone pilots about these limitations. Why are part 107 pilots getting caught flying when they are supposed to be educated on how to find TFRs? We have seen overreaction to drone events in the past, whether they were real or perceived, and it never ended well for our industry. Let's make sure a few bad actors don't make it harder for the rest of us to do what we love.And the conversation continues on Post Flight, where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We’ll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend!https://dronexl.co/2026/06/29/jetblue-drone-strike-jfk-3000-feet/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/30/jfk-helicopter-rc-airplane-not-a-drone/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/29/eff-armed-police-drones-skydio-legal-gap/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/06/lawmakers-must-act-now-prevent-armed-police-drones

  • June 26 · 4 min

    Drone News: Skydio's No-Weapons Pledge, Avata 2 Disarms Suspect, FBI Seizes Over 300 Drones

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week, Skydio's CEO walks back their no-weapons pledge, a Sacramento Sheriff uses a DJI Avata 2 to disarm a suspect, and the FBI seizes over 300 drones at World Cup stadiums. Let's get to it. First up this week, Skydio CEO Adam Bry recently went on The Verge's Decoder podcast and made a statement distancing the company from their published 2020 principles, which stated they would not put weapons on their drones. Bry confirmed the U.S. Army has already run experiments mounting grenade droppers on Skydio drones, and he argued that drawing ethical red lines is “dangerously misguided”. Bry also said that elected leaders are better positioned to make the call about what the system should be used for, saying “It’s not our place to tell them what they can and can’t do,”. This is obviously a pretty big switch from their 2020 blog post titled “Skydio Engagement and Responsible Use Principles”. At the time of this recording, the blog post still contains the statement: “We will not put weapons on our drones and will oppose fully autonomous lethal weapons systems. Our development process is focused on providing full automation, but we believe lethal weapons should not be fully automated.”. Next up, we have an interesting use of a DJI Avata… And one could argue it’s armed. A Sacramento County Sheriff's Office pilot used an Avata 2 to disarm a barricaded suspect holding a knife. Instead of sending deputies into a dangerous garage, the pilot attached a powerful magnet to the drone, flew it inside, and literally pulled the knife right out of the suspect's hand. The suspect appeared to be unconscious, but this is a win nevertheless. It ensured a safe outcome for both officers and the suspect. Last up, the FBI has intercepted more than 300 unauthorized drones at FIFA World Cup 2026 venues across the U.S. in just the first ten days of the tournament. To give you some exact figures, that includes 34 drones around SoFi Stadium in LA, 39 across Dallas, and 42 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly. If you fly inside an active World Cup Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR, you face up to $100,000 in criminal fines, possible prison time, and the confiscation of your aircraft. Remember, the FAA's stadium rings run three nautical miles wide and up to 3,000 feet high on match days. Remember, a Part 107 certificate or a LAANC authorization means absolutely nothing inside an active TFR. Check for TFRs BEFORE you fly. The enforcement is real, and the FBI is not messing around. If you have legitimate commercial work, the FAA did create a Department of Homeland Security authorization path, but you have to apply well in advance. TFR.FAA.GOV, and don’t be that guy. https://dronexl.co/2026/06/18/skydio-bry-decoder-weapons-red-lines/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/22/sacramento-sheriff-dji-avata-2-disarm-suspect/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/22/fbi-300-world-cup-drone-seizuresD/https://www.skydio.com/blog/skydio-engagement-and-responsible-use-principles

  • June 19 · 4 min

    Drone News: Chinese Toy Drones, Walmart x Wing Drone Delivery, Man Fires BB Gun at DFR Drone

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week: the FCC opens the door for Chinese toy drones but with a massive catch, Walmart and Wing are expanding drone delivery, and a Lee County DFR drone gets shot at with a BB gun. Let's get to it. First up this week, the FCC just announced they will allow new models of Chinese "toy drones" to be imported into the US. But before you get excited, the rules are so tight that almost nothing qualifies! To be considered a toy under this new exemption, a drone must weigh no more than 150 grams or 5.29 ounces. It must stay within 100 meters or 328 feet line-of-sight, fly no longer than 10 minutes on a charge, have a 300-foot altitude ceiling, and a speed cap of 10 meters-per-second or 22 mph. Most importantly, it can have NO GPS, no brushless motors, and absolutely no camera or network capability. To put that in perspective, the DJI Neo weighs just 135 grams, which passes the weight test. But it carries a 12-megapixel, 1/2-inch sensor shooting 4K video, uses a wireless link rated for 7 kilometers, has brushless motors, and flies for 18 minutes. So, it completely fails the rest of the requirements! And obviously, drones like the Mini 4 Pro or the new Mini 5 Pro at 249 grams don't even pass the weight check. Next we have a massive expansion in drone delivery that is putting two major operators on a direct collision course. Walmart and their drone partner Wing just announced seven new metro areas for their delivery network, including Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Salt Lake City. Wing has already completed well over one million commercial deliveries, averaging about 23 minutes per drop. The service is free for Walmart+ members and $19.99 for everyone else. The snag here is that Amazon Prime Air is staging operations in Memphis and is actively conducting flights in Phoenix. This means we’ll see both aircraft operating in the same airspace.Wing uses a smaller, purpose-built drone that hovers and lowers packages on a tether. Amazon, on the other hand, uses their MK-30 drone, which weighs 83 pounds and carries up to 5 pounds of cargo. Amazon has also had a few incidents this year with the MK-30 reportedly crashing into a construction crane twice, an internet cable, and an apartment building. Last up, The Lee County Sheriff's Office in southwest Florida released footage showing a man firing a BB gun at one of its UAS during a search operation. The drone was flying as part of the department's Drone First Responder program while searching for a bear when its operator spotted a group of men who appeared to be shooting a firearm into a wooded area. The released video shows one man pointing a BB gun at the drone and firing twice. The arrest occurred on Saturday, with deputies using the live feed as real-time evidence to support the arrest.Firing at any aircraft, including drones, is a federal felony under 18 U.S.C. § 32, "Destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities". The penalty runs up to 20 years in prison, a fine, or both. The classification of drones as aircraft is established in 18 U.S.C. § 31(a)(1), which defines "aircraft" as any contrivance invented, used, or designed to navigate, fly, or travel in the air. The FAA has previously confirmed that shooting at an unmanned aircraft falls under Section 32, and federal prosecutors have charged individuals on that basis.And the conversation continues on Post flight where we discuss these stories uncensored in the Premium Community, link is in the description. We’ll see you for the live Q&A on Monday. Have a good weekend! https://dronexl.co/2026/06/16/fcc-toy-drone-import-rule-dji-neo-too-capable/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/17/walmart-wing-drone-delivery/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/17/dfr-drone-man-firing-bb-gun-federal-felony/

  • June 12 · 3 min

    Drone News: World Cup NOTAMs, Helicopter Dodges Unauthorized Drone, AirData x LeoSight

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week. First, the FAA adds a new DHS authorization path for World Cup NOTAMs, a firefighting helicopter in Utah dodges an unauthorized drone, and AirData and LeoSight team up to bring live drone data to DFR programs. Let's get to it. First up this week, the FAA is modifying all of its FIFA World Cup 2026 drone NOTAMs to add an authorization pathway through the Department of Homeland Security. If you're flying commercial jobs where these TFRs are, you'll want to pay attention to this. The sweeping flight restrictions took effect on June 1st and immediately started grounding commercial drone operators who already held airspace authorizations. The stadium rings alone run 3 nautical miles wide and 3,000 feet tall on every match day, plus there are 1-nautical-mile rings over base camps in cities, hundreds of miles from any match. To fix this, the FAA is adding language that allows operations inside the Special Security Instruction airspace with DHS authorization. For Part 107 and Part 135 operations, you can now email your request to drones@dhs.gov. You'll need to include which flight restricted zone you plan to fly in, the cities covered, and a 24/7 point of contact. They're starting with the Texas locations first, like Houston and Dallas, before rolling it out to other states. If you don’t have permission, or are denied, don’t fly… Civil penalties for violating these TFRs can reach $75,000 per violation. And remember, until the amended language actually appears on a specific NOTAM at tfr.faa.gov, the existing restriction stands. So please, check before you fly.Speaking of TFRs, a firefighting helicopter working a brush fire near Moab, Utah, had to dodge an unauthorized drone over the active fire area. Thankfully, nobody was hurt and nothing collided this time, but the drone's presence alone created a serious safety hazard and forced the crew to clear the airspace. This incident comes 17 months after a DJI Mini 3 Pro struck the left wing of a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper over the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. That sub-250-gram drone punched a 3-by-6-inch hole in the wing, grounding the aircraft for five days during a massive emergency. The pilot in that case was sentenced to 14 days in federal prison and ordered to pay $156,000 in restitution. This is your reminder as we get into wildfire season, don't be that guy…Last up, LeoSight, a unified command software platform for public safety, has integrated with AirData UAV. This integration streams real-time drone telemetry, flight data, and operational insights directly into LeoSight's LeoCommand system, which includes more than just drones. If you aren’t familiar, AirData is a platform that supports logging and live flight streaming. Now, mutual customers can stream drone data straight to dispatchers, command staff, and field personnel all at the exact same time. This means moving beyond isolated drone operations and into a fully coordinated response across multi-agency events. It’ll be interesting to see if the sharing of data overwhelms folks who have other responsibilities or leads to better in-the-field decision making. No post flight this week, we’ll see you on Monday for the live! Have a good one!https://dronexl.co/2026/06/09/faa-world-cup-notam-dhs-drone-authorization/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/09/moab-helicopter-drone-near-miss-super-scooper/https://dronelife.com/2026/06/10/airdata-uav-and-leosight-bring-live-drone-data-for-dfr-programs/

  • June 5 · 5 min

    Drone News: 2026 World Cup TFRs, BVLOS Waiver Times, Flock Safety, Walmart Drone Delivery

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, We have four stories for you this week: the FAA publishes TFRs for the 2026 World Cup, North Dakota cuts BVLOS waiver times down to just 23 days, Flock Safety pushes the limits of police drone cameras, and a Walmart drone delivery pad sparks a local zoning fight in North Carolina. Let's get to it. First up this week, the FAA has officially published the venue list, dates, and airspace dimensions for the FIFA World Cup 2026 flight restrictions. If you're flying in any of the host cities, you'll want to pay attention to this. Eleven U.S. stadiums are getting three-nautical-mile radius restriction up to 3,000 feet above ground level on every match day. Twelve fan festivals are getting a tighter one-nautical-mile ring up to 1,000 feet, and several of these stay active continuously for weeks! In addition, hotels and practice sites are also getting a 1NM TFRs, even in cities that won’t be hosting games. This is a reminder that LAANC authorization buys you absolutely NO exemption inside an active TFR, this is for both Part 107 operators and Recreational pilots. The FAA is also using their DETER program to fast-track enforcement.Next up, North Dakota has managed to cut Beyond Visual Line of Sight waiver times from months down to just 23 business days. This is happening through the state's Vantis network, which covers more than 5,000 square miles of managed airspace. They recently activated the FAA's Federal Radar Enclave, which feeds the network the exact same real-time radar data that federal air traffic controllers use. Because the network handles the detect-and-avoid safety case, operators who join inherit that approval work instead of starting from scratch. Frontier Precision just joined as an operator, and their waiver covers any NDAA-compliant platform under 55 pounds flying within the Vantis service volumes.In our third story this week, Flock Safety is pushing the camera specs on its American-made Alpha drone as the Drone as First Responder market heats up. Flock claims the Alpha's gimbaled camera can read a vehicle license plate from up to 2,000 feet away. The payload combines multi-sensor optics, high-definition thermal imaging, low-light sensors, and a laser rangefinder. If you aren’t familiar, the Alpha tops out at 60 mph and claims a flight time of up to 45 minutes. It also features a dual battery-swapping dock with climate control that gets the drone airborne again in under 90 seconds. In addition, the drone is designed and assembled in Atlanta, Georgia, and is fully NDAA-compliant. Last up, a Walmart drone delivery pad has turned into a major zoning fight in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Walmart wants to build a small drone launch area in the parking lot of its Denver, North Carolina store to expand its Wing-operated delivery service. However, more than 200 neighbors have signed a petition to stop it, citing concerns over privacy, noise, and wildlife. The Wing delivery drones are hybrid aircraft that take off vertically and then fly on fixed wings. They weigh about 11 pounds and carry a 2.5-pound payload, though a newer model can carry up to 5 pounds. They cruise at 60 mph at about 150 feet above the ground with a 6-mile radius. When they arrive, they don't land, but instead hover at about 23 feet and lower the package on a tether. While the FAA already governs the airspace and has cleared this kind of delivery, local county commissioners control the land-use zoning for the launchpad itself.That’s it for this week, see you next week for Post flight where we’ll discuss these stories uncensored, live Q&A on Monday, and News update on Friday! https://dronexl.co/2026/06/02/flock-alpha-camera-drone-dfr-push/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/02/north-dakota-bvlos-waivers-23/https://dronexl.co/2026/05/31/faa-publishes-world-cup-tfr-venue-list/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/02/walmart-drone-pad-zoning-fight-in-nc/

  • May 29 · 6 min

    Drone News: DJI Cybersecurity Audit, FPV Drone hits 730 km/h, SkyeBrowse Major Update

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, we have three stories for you this week; DJI audited by US-Based Cybersecurity firm OnDefend, a custom FPV drone hits 730 kilometers per hour, and SkyeBrowse rolls out another major product update. Let's get to it. First up this week, DJI released the findings of an independent security assessment conducted by U.S.-based cybersecurity firm OnDefend on May 28, 2026. The assessment evaluated the DJI Air 3S with RC 2 controller and the Matrice 4E with RC Plus 2 Enterprise controller. Test units were procured from retail outlets and dealer stock without pre-notification to DJI.The assessment ran from October 2025 through March 2026 and produced zero critical, high, or medium-risk findings. Specifically, OnDefend reported no evidence of data transmission outside the United States, no backdoors or unauthorized remote access mechanisms, no unexplained radio frequency emissions, and no supply chain tampering or unauthorized hardware modifications. Controllers also resisted jailbreak and firmware modification attempts. Ten low-risk findings and thirteen observations were identified, primarily related to application security configurations, session handling, and wireless hardening. DJI stated it is working to address remaining items in subsequent software releases.DJI cited the findings in connection with its ongoing appeal of its December 2025 inclusion on the FCC Covered List, which was not accompanied by a documented security vulnerability. The release noted that more than 80% of the 1,800-plus state and local law enforcement agencies operating drones use DJI platforms, and that 43% of drone business users surveyed indicated DJI restrictions would have an extremely negative or business-ending impact on operations. This comes just a few weeks after the FCC's request for comment closed on reconsidering DJI's addition to the entity list, prohibiting them from introducing new models in the US.Next up, Australian aerospace engineer Benjamin Biggs just pushed his custom Blackbird drone to an absolutely blistering 730 kilometers per hour, or 454 miles per hour, on a downwind run! Flying back into the wind, the drone hit 640 kilometers per hour, giving it a two-direction average of 685 kilometers per hour, or 426 miles per hour. Unfortunately, this incredible speed run won't count for the record books. The team didn't have accredited Guinness observers on site, the winds were gusting up to 60 kilometers per hour, and the drone didn't land on a clean battery. They also lost one of their two drones at 630 kilometers per hour when the video feed completely dropped out. The team reportedly believes this was caused by the Doppler effect messing with the digital video link as the drone screamed past the pilot. Last up, SkyeBrowse has rolled out a major update to their core videogrammetry engine. If you use their software for 3D modeling, you'll want to pay attention to this. Every plan on their platform now has upgraded accuracy, better texture rendering, and faster tooling at no additional charge. According to their internal benchmarks, there is a 3X improvement in matching accuracy when you combine multiple video sources. They also upgraded their AI Floor Plans, which are now twice as accurate and can be exported from any interior model in about 20 seconds. On top of that, their Image Walkthroughs feature, which lets you navigate through structured spaces using high-quality photos, is now available to everyone for free. That’s it for this week, see you next week for Post flight where we’ll discuss these stories uncensored, live Q&A on Monday, and News update on Friday! https://www.dji.com/ca/trust-centerhttps://dronexl.co/2026/05/22/blackbird-biggs-730-kmh-drone-speed-record/https://www.skyebrowse.com/news/posts/major-product-update

  • May 22 · 2 min

    Drone News: Autel Fights Back Against FCC, MI House Passes Two Drone Bills, Thermal Drone Saves Life

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week; Autel fights back against the FCC's Covered List, the Michigan House passes two drone procurement bills while stalling on airspace restrictions, a drones-for-good story where a thermal drone saves a life in freezing temperatures. Let's get to it. And first up this week, Autel Robotics has filed a reply with the FCC, arguing that their addition to the Covered List is based on secret evidence and allegations that were actually aimed at DJI. Autel claims they were never given a chance to see the classified material used against them, which they argue violates their Fifth Amendment right to due process. What's really interesting here is that Autel is finally putting their technical operations on the public record. They stated under oath that their flight data is stored locally by default and isn't automatically uploaded to company servers. They also specified that their drone communications and stored data use AES-128 or AES-256 encryption, and that no third party has access to their software. We’ll be watching this closely. Next up, let's talk about some state-level regulations. The Michigan House just passed two out of the 15 bills in the SHIELD Michigan drone package. House Bills 5329 and 5331 both focus on procurement. They basically stop state agencies from using state funds to buy drones from companies on federal concern lists, like the DOD's 1260H list. But here's the real story for you as a Part 107 or recreational pilot. The other 13 bills didn't pass. Those were the bills that had us really worried about federal preemption. They included things like criminal penalties for flying over critical infrastructure, giving local police the authority to shoot down or disable drones, and even a mandatory state-run geofencing app. Seeing those 13 bills stall in the House is a huge win for our drone industry. And there’s still time to fight the other two, as the bills now go to the Senate for consideration. If you’re in Michigan, make your voice heard by reaching out to your State Senator! Last up, the Corman Park Police Service in Saskatchewan, Canada, used their DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise to save a man's life in brutal conditions. Officers were looking for an intoxicated man in minus 20 degree Celsius or minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit weather. The officers deployed their Mavic 3T and were able to pick up the man's heat signature inside a roadside dumpster. Officers were able to get to him before hypothermia set in. Great job to Corman Park Police Service!Join us later for Post Flight in the community, and for the Live Q&A! We'll see you then!https://dronexl.co/2026/05/19/autel-fcc-reply-covered-list-secret-evidence-dji/https://dronexl.co/2026/05/21/dji-mavic-3-enterprise-man-dumpster-20/https://dronexl.co/2026/05/14/michigan-house-passes-2-of-15-shield-drone-bills/

  • May 15 · 5 min

    Drone News: FCC Extends Firmware Waiver, FIFA World Cup No-Fly Zones, Remote ID Network for NASA

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week. First, the FCC extends the firmware waiver for foreign drones, the FAA announces strict No Drone Zones for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and lastly, Pierce Aerospace is building a massive Remote ID network for NASA. Let's get to it. First up this week, we have some interesting news regarding the FCC and foreign-made drones. The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology just released Public Notice DA 26-454. This notice extends the waiver for software and firmware updates on previously authorized foreign-made drones, including DJI and Autel, until at least January 1, 2029. The original deadline was January 1, 2027, meaning after this deadline, foreign-made drones that were previously approved by the FCC, would not have been able to get software updates. This is your Mavic, Air, Mini drones that you currently have on the shelf. This extension basically allows for updates not until early 2029. The waiver covers Class I changes, which are your standard security patches and bug fixes. But it now also includes Class II changes, which are more substantial software updates intended to prevent consumer harm. The FCC is basically admitting that blocking security patches on the millions of DJI and Autel drones already sitting in American homes would create a worse cybersecurity problem than the ban was meant to allegedly fix. Ban foreign drones because they allegedly are a security risk, but allow them to get updates so they don't become a security risk.Next up, if you are planning to fly anywhere near the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you'll want to pay close attention to this next story. The FAA and law enforcement have officially designated all World Cup stadiums and surrounding event spaces as strict No Drone Zones. During the matches, the FAA will be putting Temporary Flight Restrictions, or TFRs, in place to secure the airspace. This means taking off, landing, or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal rules. The FAA is working closely with the FBI and local law enforcement, and they will be actively monitoring the airspace to detect and track unauthorized drones. Even if you are an experienced Part 107 pilot or you have a standard airspace authorization, you are not permitted to fly during these active TFR windows. The penalties for violating these restrictions are severe, including heavy fines, potential criminal charges, and having your drone confiscated.And in our third story this week, Pierce Aerospace has been selected to deploy a large Remote ID sensor network throughout Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. They were chosen by Metis Technology, the prime contractor for NASA's Aerospace Research Technology and Simulation contract. Pierce Aerospace will be deploying their YR1 and YR2S Remote ID sensors in a layered network to support NASA's Air Traffic Management and Safety project. As a reminder, Remote ID is the FAA's requirement that drones broadcast their location via telemetry data. This new sensor network will provide regional coverage to help NASA figure out how to safely integrate new technologies like package delivery drones and electric air taxis into our National Airspace System.We’ll see you on Monday for the live and on post flight in the premium community where I’m sure this week we’ll be sharing some opinions… Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2026/05/11/fcc-extends-foreign-drone-firmware-waiver-2029-da-26-454/https://www.faa.gov/fifaworldcup2026https://www.pierceaerospace.net/blogs/news/pierce-aerospace-selected-to-build-remote-id-network-for-nasa-paving-the-way-for-drone-and-air-taxi-flight-in-the-bay-area

  • May 8 · 7 min

    Drone News: Section 2209, Public Comments, Drone Incursions, ACSL x Draganfly, 7 yrs of News Update

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have five stories for you this week; the FAA dropped Section 2209 NPRM, the public comment window is closing on DJI's FCC Covered List challenge, a record-breaking 218 drone incursions over wildfires last year, ACSL is Partnering with Draganfly, and today marks 7 years of uninterrupted drone news! First up this week, the FAA has finally filed its long-overdue Section 2209 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, or NPRM. This opens a 60-day comment window that will determine how fixed-site facilities can apply for permanent drone restrictions over their property. The 181-page rule creates a new 14 CFR Part 74 framework with two tiers: a Standard Unmanned Aircraft Flight Restriction and a Special UAFR. The FAA proposes limiting eligibility to 16 critical infrastructure sectors, which could encompass more than 9,000 eligible facilities. The proposed rule includes a transit lane for commercial operators! Drones operating under Parts 91, 107, 108, 135, and 137 will be allowed to transit a Standard UAFR if they broadcast Remote ID, transit in the shortest practicable time, and notify the facility. Unfortunately, recreational flyers are not on that list. This rule explicitly does NOT grant facility operators counter-drone authority, such as jamming or drone capture. It is strictly an airspace designation. Next, the deadline to submit public comments on the FCC petition regarding DJI's placement on the Covered List is rapidly approaching on May 11, 2026. DJI is challenging the FCC's December 2025 decision that effectively blocks the authorization of new affected products for sale or import into the United States. DJI has pursued legal action in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. So far, more than 460 comments have been submitted, and the Department of Defense has recently urged the FCC to reject DJI's petition.Third up, the U.S. Forest Service reported a staggering 218 drone sightings over active wildfires in 2025. Most of these happened during the Eaton and Palisades, which includes the one on January 9, 2025 where a privately flown drone actually collided with a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper aircraft, punching a 3-by-6-inch hole in the left wing. Remember, DJI removed mandatory geofencing enforcement from its consumer drones in early 2025, shifting to advisory warnings. Check for TFRs on tfr.faa.gov.Next up, Draganfly Inc. and ACSL signed an exclusive master distributor agreement on May 7, 2026, making Draganfly the sole Canadian distributor of ACSL's drone technology. The agreement also includes technical integration work between the two companies' platforms. The initial product offering is the ACSL SOTEN. Under the integration component of the agreement, Draganfly's Apex and Commander 3XL drones will be made compatible with SOTEN's swappable payloads and the TAITEN ground control station, allowing operators to mix components across both manufacturers' systems. SOTEN joins Draganfly's existing lineup of Apex, Commander 3XL, and Heavy Lift platforms.And last up, Today marks 7 years of uninterrupted drone news! We’ve covered a ton of ground since we started, with over 460,000 students, over a million enrollments, including 148,000 Part 107 students, 61,000 free stickers, which will continue to be free thanks to community donations, over 28,000 active members in our community, over 365,000 free TRUST certificates issued, and over 19,000 WINGS credits issued on the FAASafety platform. Thank you for your support! We’ll see you on Monday for the live and on post flight in the premium community!https://dronelife.com/2026/05/05/public-comment-window-closing-fcc-weighs-dji-challenge-to-covered-list-ruling/https://dronexl.co/2026/05/01/218-wildfire-drone/https://dronexl.co/2026/05/05/faa-section-2209-nprm-drops/https://acsl-usa.com/https://draganfly.com/

  • May 1 · 4 min

    Drone News: DJI's Products in Limbo, Autonomous Airplane Flights, Drone Show Makes History

    Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, We have three stories for you this week: DJI reveals that 25 unreleased products are stuck in regulatory limbo, Reliable Robotics raises 160 million dollars for autonomous cargo flights, and Starlight Aerial Productions makes history at Sun N Fun. Let's get to it. First up this week, DJI has filed a sharply worded brief in its Ninth Circuit court fight with the FCC, and they finally put specific numbers on how much the current ban is hurting their pipeline. According to the filing, the FCC has already voided authorizations for 14 existing products, which includes five drones and nine other products that are currently unreleased, and 25 planned product launches for 2026… This means a total of 39 DJI projects won’t hit the market this year due to the FCC ban. According to DJI, this will cause a 1.56 billion dollar loss this calendar year alone. DJI's legal team filed a briefing, arguing that the FCC is trying to run out the clock by not making a formal decision. They are also making a major constitutional argument, claiming that FCC staff shouldn't have the power to ban entire product categories without a full Commission vote and judicial review. DJI is asking the court for a six-month pause on the ban to force the FCC to make a formal decision and issue a final ruling. This is obviously a massive deal for our drone industry, specifically consumers, public safety, and even some enterprise. We will keep a close eye on how the court responds.Next up, Reliable Robotics has closed a 160 million dollar funding round, bringing the company's valuation to nearly 1 billion dollars. The company, led by a former SpaceX engineer, is trying to certify an uncrewed Cessna 208 Caravan under Part 23 airworthiness rules. Instead of building a brand new drone from scratch, Reliable's system retrofits an already-certified Cessna 208 with a continuous autopilot that handles taxi, takeoff, cruise, and landing, all while a ground operator monitors the flight. They actually flew a Cessna with no one on board for 12 minutes back in November 2023. Now, they are planning to run autonomous cargo routes between airports in New Mexico and Colorado starting this summer. This is a huge step for large Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations. By putting autonomy into an airframe the FAA already knows and trusts, they are cutting a clear pathway for autonomous commercial cargo. If they actually start moving paying freight in US-controlled airspace this summer, that will be another major jump forward, and will set a massive precedent for every commercial operator out there. Last up, Starlight Aerial Productions and the Red Bull Air Force, staged what they describe as a first in airshow history: three people in wing suits flying through an illuminated drone formation at approximately 2,000 feet AGL during the night show. The demonstration was part of the event's "Red, White & Blue at 52" theme, marking both the 52nd annual expo and the 250th anniversary of the United States. The performance required months of planning, safety validation, and rehearsals coordinated among the FAA, Starlight, and the Red Bull Air Force to integrate crewed human flight with unmanned aerial systems in a live audience setting. The drone formation used American-made Lumenier Arora drones and was choreographed to create a three-dimensional lighted gateway timed to the wingsuiters' flight paths. And let me tell you, it was a great show and super cool to see the wing suits fly through the drone show! Be sure to join us in the Premium Community for Post flight, where we share our opinions that aren’t always suitable for YouTube, and on Monday for the live! We’ll see you next week! https://dronexl.co/2026/04/21/reliable-robotics-160m-nimble-partners-faa-certification/https://dronexl.co/2026/04/22/dji-ninth-circuit-opposition-brief-fcc-ban-1-56-billion/https://starlightdroneshows.com/

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