Drone News Update

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Drone News: Drone Ban Update, Anzu Investigation, 300k in FAA Fines, Drones for Good, Best Buy Leaks Aug 30, 2024

Show notes

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

Drone News: More DJI Leaks, DroneUp Layoffs, and a Failed Drone Smuggling Attempt Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

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/

Drone News: Mavic 3E Gets CAT 2, Serious Drone Injury, Aloft LAANC Onboarding, & DJI Neo Specs Leak Aug 16, 2024

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Drone News: Sacrificed Drone Saves Lives, Autel Evo Lite Enterprise, & Drones Inspect KLM Aircraft Aug 09, 2024

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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/

Drone News: Drone Ban CCP Update, 1st Cat 2 Drone, New DJI Model, & FAA Authorizes Commercial BVLOS Aug 02, 2024

Show notes

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/

Drone News: Man Arrested for Flying Over SpaceX, 2 New Drone Rumors, & Drone Spying at the Olympics Jul 26, 2024

Show notes

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/

Drone News: Drone Flies Above Blue Angels, FAA FRIA Map, and a Burglary Suspect Caught by a Drone Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

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/

Drone News: Senate Bill Release, 55 Drones Lost, Freefly Astro Prime, & Watts Innovations Shuts Down Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

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/

Drone News: Assaulted Drone Pilot, SkyeBrowse Update, and a PSA on Flying Drones Near Wildfires Jul 05, 2024

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Welcome to your weekly UAS news update, we have 3 stories for you this week. An assaulted drone pilot wins in court, SkyeBrowse's latest update, and our yearly PSA about flying drones near wildfires! Let's get to it. A drone pilot won a court case after being assaulted during a property shoot in Tucson, Arizona. Zach Zywiak, a real estate photographer, was attacked by a neighbor while operating his drone. The court ruled in Zywiak's favor, dismissing the neighbor's claims and focusing on the physical assault. The person who attacked him claimed that Zywiak harrassed him first, but the judge had a hard time believing that someone who was hired to film a million dollar listing would go out of their way to assault a neighbor. Following the incident, Zywiak said he implemented new safety measures, including wearing a drone operator vest and using a 360-degree camera. Next up, SkyeBrowse has announced major upgrades to its 3D modeling platform, significantly enhancing speed and quality. The updates include a 40% boost in loading speeds and improved interior mapping capabilities. With SkyeBrowse, you can quickly process complex interior spaces from short videos rather than hundreds of photos. The platform now supports better 8K, 4K, and 2K textures, depending on the subscription tier. If you're not familiar, SkyeBrowse is used by multiple verticals, including law enforcement, real estate, and emergency services, by making 3D modeling more efficient and accessible. And now it's time for our yearly PSA regarding flying drones near wildfires. The shortest was to say this is: don't be that guy. But more seriously, if you fly your drone near firefighting operations, they will stop their operation, potentially leading to more acres burnt, houses burning down, or even lives lost. Illegal drones disrupted firefighting efforts during a brush fire in Del Mar Heights, California on June 25. These operators forced the delay of three water drops, potentially worsening the fire. Authorities identified an individual lawnching drones during the operation, but it is unclear if charges will be filed. The fire burned 23 acres, forced evacuations, and was only 50% contained by the next morning. Another similar story was reported out of Oregon at the Upper Applegate Fire in Jackson County 3 days earlier. Again. Don't be that guy. And yes, I know, DJI released an e-bike. I love mountain biking but this is not something we will cover on this channel...unless it starts flying. What would you like DJI to make next? An air fryer? An electric laundry basket? Perhaps a speed boat? Let us know in the comments. And that's it. Hope you had a happy 4th of July, no live on Community today, have a good weekend and we'll see you on Monday for the live!

Drone News: Declassification of Drone Security Risks, DJI Air 3S Leaks, & Arrest for Shooting Drone Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update we have 3 stories for you, DJI Air 3S Leaks, Chairs of Homeland Security calls for declassification of national security risks for Chinese drones, and a man arrested for shooting at a drone.

First up, DJI Air 3S Leaks! More leaked images show the possible Air 3S or Air 4 with the same exact body style as the Air 3. The leaked image also appears to retain the dual camera setup and the obstacle avoidance. It’s unclear what upgrades may be added to the new drone, but speculations include a larger sensor size, longer flight time, and potentially more smart features. We’ll have to wait for more leaks or an announcement from DJI! https://dronexl.co/2024/06/25/dji-air-3s-leak/ Next up, the chairs of Homeland Security and Energy and Commerce Committees have called on the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Energy to declassify security risks posed by Chinese drones. Mark Green and Cathy Rodgers, House Representatives, requested the declassification of security threats found by the government. Their letter includes the publication of found issues to law enforcement agencies, the federal government, and the American public for a better understanding of possible security threats found in the drones. The two Committee Chairs requested a briefing no later than July 2nd, 2024. We’ll keep you updated as this unfolds. https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-06-18-Green-Rodgers-to-CISA-DOE-re-PRC-Made-Drones.pdf Finally, a man was arrested this week in New York after shooting down his neighbor’s drone. Joseph Dishaw was arrested for menacing and criminal possession of a weapon after state troopers responded to a report of a drone being shot down. Dishaw allegedly became angry when his neighbor flew his drone over his property and shot down the drone using a shotgun. It’s unclear if there will be any federal charges for shooting at the aircraft. We’ll keep you updated if we see more.

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