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Haye Kesteloo

hayekesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at DroneDJ, where he covers all drone-related news and writes product reviews. He also contributes to the other sites in the 9to5Mac group such as; 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, and Electrek.

Haye can be reached at haye@dronedj.com or @hayekesteloo

 

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DroneRise – drone captures lightning in Italy

DroneRise - drone captures lightning in Italy

Good morning, today’s drone video is one in the category of travel videos. It was shot on the DJI Mavic 2 Pro and shows the beauty of the Italian landscape, and captures some lightning very nicely. I don’t know about you but whenever I see videos like these, I get ready to pack my bags and book a trip to someplace beautiful. Anyways, grab your coffee and watch this video for a few minutes. You will not regret it.

For news and headlines, it really is all about the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise that was long expected and officially released yesterday in Dallas, TX during a special media event that we were invited to attend. Thank you, DJI! We also have another article about reviews on Amazon on the HS100 drone and whether those reviews are to be trusted. Very interesting stuff.

Lastly, This week is all about DJI AirWorks here in Dallas, TX. The conference officially starts today, so expect more news to come your way here on DroneDJ. Have a good one!


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Thermal camera – DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise third party accessories

Thermal camera - Will the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise accept third party accessories

To make the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise the perfect search-and-rescue drone, you need to be able to outfit it with a thermal camera. In many cases where drones have helped locate missing people, the thermal camera made the difference. Now, in DJI’s press release it said nothing about any thermal camera form DJI, so the question is, will DJI allow the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise to accept third party accessories? We asked them to find out.


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The first affordable search-and-rescue drone. The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise.

DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise. The affordable search-and-rescue drone

Who is the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise for? That is a good question. With a zoom camera, secure onboard data storage and cold weather ability, the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise offers clear advantages to inspection and insurance companies. However, when you look at the drone’s accessories, such as the loudspeaker, dual floodlights and LED beacon, DJI obviously targets first responders, lifeguards, search-and-rescue, emergency personnel, firefighters and local law enforcement officials. For almost two thousand dollars they get a heck of drone to help them in their work. The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise is the first affordable search-and-rescue drone.


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DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise announced by DJI to kick off AirWorks event in Dallas, TX

This week will be all about the DJI Airworks 2018 event in Dallas, TX. The event officially starts tomorrow, but DJI had invited DroneDJ to be present during today’s launch of their DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise drone. As DroneDJ readers will know, this drone was widely anticipated with several photos that were leaked in recent months. DJI’s Mavic 2 Enterprise edition is based on the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, but with some significant improvements and add-ons.


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DroneRise – The Ural Air, a motorcycle with a DJI Spark integrated!

DroneRise - The Ural Air, a motorcycle with a DJI Spark integrated!

Good morning, today’s video is from one of DJI’s partners, Ural Motorcycles. They have developed a limited edition motorbike, the Ural Air, that includes a DJI Spark drone. If you’re into retro motorbikes and like to fly drones this may be the bike for you. If you’re not into motorbikes, well you may still like this video for its ingenuity. Check it out!

As far as the headlines go, we have news for you on the Hubsan Zino drone and the Xiaomi FIMI A3 drones. Both promise to compete with the DJI Spark. We’re trying to get our hands on both these models to put them through the test so stay tuned! Furthermore, we have an article about the Uniform Law Commission and how their proposed legislation may hinder our hobby or work. And lastly, news about the Phantom 4 drone pilot who got fined and grounded after repeatedly ignoring warnings from the Canadian Mounties. Grab your coffee and jump right in!

Last, but maybe the most important news for today is that DroneDJ is present at DJI’s AirWorks 2018 event for commercial drone operators and enterprise customers in Dallas, TX. And, today DJI has a special event in the ‘works’ so stay tuned and we will bring you their latest news shortly!


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The Uniform Law Commission threatens drone use and innovation

The Uniform Law Commission threatens drone use and innovation

There’s a small but very influential group of attorneys from across the country, called the Uniform Law Commission, a non-profit, American unincorporated association. Their members are appointed by state and their goal is to “to bring clarity and stability to critical areas of statutory law across jurisdictions.” One of their committees is currently working to draft “a uniform act or model law addressing tort liability and defenses associated with the unique use of aerial drones,” the so-called “Tort Law Relating to Drones.” This model legislation could potentially have far-reaching consequences for the drone industry as it aims to protect the privacy of landowners.


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Phantom 4 drone pilot fined and grounded for flying near airport

Man pleads ignorance for flying Phantom 4 illegally in Yellowknife airspace

The man who flew his Phantom 4 illegally in restricted airspace close to Yellowknife Airport, has been fined $3,000 CAD and is grounded for three years. The drone pilot had pleaded ignorance of the drone rules four times. This led to the judge saying that she had difficulty accepting the plea bargain that was proposed by both the prosecution and the defense, as we reported earlier.


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DroneRise – Dawn to dusk drone flight over San Francisco in 4K

DroneRise - Dawn to dusk drone flight over San Francisco in 4K

Good morning, today’s video was captured with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian and shows San Francisco from dawn to dusk in glorious 4K. Amazing views of the city, so be sure to check it out.

For news headlines that you may have missed, we have a Yuneec Breeze 4K drone giveaway, that you probably want to sign up for. There has been an update to the Parrot Anafi with new flight modes and a new price. Then we have the FlyCroTugs wasp-inspired mini-drones that can pull their own weight 40 times. And lastly a discount on the latest two DJI Mavic 2 drones. So grab your coffee, sit down and jump right in!


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FlyCroTugs: Small wasp-inspired drone can pull 40 times its own weight

FlyCroTugs: Small wasp-inspired drone can pull 40 times its own weight

The FlyCroTugs, Developed in the labs of Mark Cutkosky, the Fletcher Jones Chair in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, and Dario Floreano at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, are small drones that can pull 40 times their own weight. The name derives from Flying MiCro Tugging and the small unmanned aircraft are inspired by wasps and geckos. Wasps can drag much larger prey away by using a special structure on their feet called an arolium. It helps them to get grip on a surface. Geckos have a similar ability to find grip on very smooth surfaces although they use a different technique. The FlyCroTugs drones took inspiration from both the wasps and geckos and it allows them to drag items that are far too heavy to carry. If a task is too big for a single drone, FlyCroTugs can team up and achieve extraordinary results, such as opening a door. See the video below.


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DroneRise – Best of winter Baikal Lake ice captured by drone

DroneRise - Best of winter Baikal Lake ice captured by drone

Good morning, today’s short film shows some of the best footage you could capture by drone from Baikal Lake. The lake is located in Russia and is the largest freshwater lake in the world measured by volume. As you will see in the video, Baikal Lake and the surrounding area provide ample opportunity to capture beautiful winter landscapes.

For the headlines, you may have missed, we have a firmware update for the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0. And, DJI just announced their latest version of their geofencing software, GEO 2.0. An article from the Economist about deliveries by drone in Iceland. And a deal on the DJI Mavic Pro Alpine White Edition. Enjoy!


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DJI introduces 3D-like geofencing solution, GEO 2.0

DJI introduces 3D-like geofencing solution, GEO 2.0

Brendan Schulman, DJI’s Vice President of Policy & Legal Affairs, had announced during the launch of Aeroscope last year, that the company was working on a more precise and more 3D-like geofencing solution to fence off areas around airports, specifically taking into account the runways. Today, in an official announcement from the world’s largest drone maker, DJI explains that this new Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) Version 2.0 will be rolled out starting next month, first in the US. As we reported earlier, DJI also launched a global authorization team to speed up the unlocking process of geo-fenced areas for authorized professional drone pilots (for instance first responders and law enforcement officials). The unlocking should now take place within 30 minutes. The introduction of GEO 2.0 is a big step forward to keep our skies safe.


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New Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 firmware update released – v01.00.22.00

New Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 Firmware Released - v01.00.22.00

DJI just released their latest firmware update for the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 (v01.00.22.00). It seems to be a small update that optimizes the sensitivity of the remote controller’s right stick when adjusting camera parameters and another issue related to the restarting the remote controller and not resetting to the correct mode. Let us know if you run into any issues after this update.


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Dronerise – freight train captured by UAS

Dronerise - freight train captured by UAS

Good morning, today’s UAS video shows a freight train making its way up a mountain. No easy task! For news and headlines, you may have missed, we have the following. A drone video showing a Cessna flying by. A thermal video of the massive fife in Oakland yesterday. The Hubsan Zino drone, a Spark competitor? Cold weather battery test for the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom and a review on drone filters. So, make it a large coffee this time and jump right in!


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Youtube drone video shows Cessna fly-by at dusk

Youtube drone video shows Cessna fly-by at dusk

Admittedly not as crazy dangerous as the video with the helicopter (or other drone incidents) that we showed recently but still, drone videos like these show why stricter drone rules, remote id, and better education for drone pilots are needed to keep the airspace safe for everybody. Somebody by the name of ‘GS Wing Nut’ uploaded two videos to Youtube that show a manned aircraft, a Cessna according to the uploader, fly-by closely at dusk. The first video is named DJI 0679 and shows the airplane flying into view, the second video, DJI 0680, clearly shows the manned aircraft flying by at some distance. Both videos were uploaded yesterday.


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Drone with thermal camera shows hot spots in massive fire in Oakland, Calif.

Drones thermal sensors heat

Oakland firefighters have been battling a massive fire overnight at a construction site where townhomes are being built. The fire was reported at 2 a.m. this morning. About 90 firefighters were on the scene as the massive fire ripped through the townhouse construction site located at West Grant and Filbert Street in Oakland, Calif. The Alameda County sheriff’s deputies brought a DJI Inspire 1 in to get footage of the fire. The drone equipped with a thermal camera shows exactly where the hotspots are.


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DroneRise – Fall drone video shows Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Good morning, today’s video is a fall drone video. It was shot with a DJI Mavic Pro (and a Sony A7s) and shows the Cuyahoga Falls in Ohio. Here in NY, the leaves are turning as well and the colors should be at their best not too long from now. Some upstate NY areas are peaking right now. Fall is a great season to shoot drone videos and if you have some great looking footage, please send them our way and we will be sure to share them here on DroneDJ.

As far as news goes, there’s the DJI Enterprise announcement for their DJI Airworks event next week. It is no secret that we are expecting DJI to launch the Mavic 2 Enterprise. We will be at the event as well and will be bringing you the latest news on the event and probably the Phantom 4 RTK as well. Then we have news from Uber, the ride-share company that wants to deliver your burger by drone. The closest near-miss ever between a drone and a passenger jet over the UK. DJI’s 2019 RoboMaster Competition and part 2 of flying your drone in the mountains. Grab your coffee and jump in!


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Uber wants to deliver your food by drone in 2021

Uber wants to deliver your food by drone in 2021

Uber is looking to hire an operations executive to start delivering food by drone as early as next year according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. According to the since-deleted job listing, the drone executive will “enable safe, legal, efficient and scalable flight operations.” A spokesperson for the San Francisco company said that the posting did “not fully reflect our program, which is still in very early days.” It does indeed seem to be very early as the FAA first has to develop the rules that will allow commercial drone operators to fly beyond visual-line-of-sight and over crowds of people. But, like Amazon, Uber is not afraid to show its ambition.


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DJI opens up the 2019 RoboMaster Competition. You can sign up now for the international robotics competition

DJI Kicks Off Recruitment For Its Global Robotics Competition

DJI just opened up their international robotics competition, 2019 RoboMaster Competition. Students from universities around the world are invited to enter the competition and possibly win a Grand Price of $75,000. Last year almost 200 teams participated with around 10,000 young engineers from around the world. See below for DJI’s official announcement as well as the instructions to sign up for the competition.


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Update: What you need to know when flying your drone in the mountains

What you need to know when flying your drone in the mountains

Flying your drone high in the mountains is no easy task. If you go really high up, like what was done by Bartek Bargiel in the rescue of Rick Allen, you may even have to de-restrict your drone through a hack. At high altitudes, the air has a lower density, which makes it more difficult for your drone to fly. Lower temperatures also diminish your battery’s performance. This French video (English subtitled) explains in great detail what’s involved when flying your drone in the mountains.

Updated on 10/22/2018 with the video Part 2.


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passenger jet drone

Near-miss between drone and passenger jet over London

According to a report by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB), which investigates near misses, a drone was just 10 feet away from hitting a Virgin Atlantic plane over London. The Virgin jet was flying at around 250 mph at an altitude of 3,200 feet on its approach to London Heathrow Airport. The drone incident or near-miss took place on June 25th and is believed to be the closest call ever between a drone and a commercial airliner over the UK.


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DJI Enterprise Airworks announcement: “For the Frontiers”

DJI Enterprise Airworks announcement - For the Frontiers f

Next week DJI’s annual commercial drone event, DJI Airworks will take place in Dallas, TX. Many of us are expecting the Chinese drone maker to launch the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Edition, which was recently confirmed in these FCC filings, at the event. Earlier this summer we already saw some high-resolution images of the drone as well as a few leaked images with different devices mounted on top of the drone. Now DJI Enterprise tweeted this mysterious announcement “For the Frontiers” with an October 30th date. The announcement says “It’s time for our ‘biggest’ unveil of the year” and includes an image that shows the outline of what almost seems to be a pair of binoculars. It seems safe to say the DJI will be announcing the new Mavic 2 Enterprise later this month. The remaining question is, of course, what is that thing mounted on top? Let’s take a closer look.

Update 10/22/2018: DJi just sent out another tweet with a new photo. See below.


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DroneRise – 4K drone video of Matara, Sri Lanka

DroneRise - 4K drone video of Matara, Sri Lanka

Good morning, today’s drone video showcases the town of Matara in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of information on the drone that was used to create the video other than that is was shot in 4K. Nonetheless, this 4k drone video is worth a watch, so grab a cup of coffee and check it out. As far as news goes, we have an official letter from DJI demanding that a video of a misleading drone collision test will be removed. Ongoing investigations of a near miss at Albury Airport in the UK. Boys flying a drone and disturbing endangered dotterels. A UFO spotted over New Jersey. An amphibious drone and more.


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