Ishveena Singh

AutoPylot, an FAA-approved provider of B4UFLY and LAANC services, has updated its iOS and Google apps to include drone insurance facilities for both recreational pilots and commercial operators. The all-in-one flight planning solution has integrated an insurance program underwritten by Allianz Commercial directly into its platform.

The Alaska Supreme Court has struck down unregulated aerial surveillance of citizens’ homes with high-power zoom lenses. This ruling stems from a 2012 drug crime case where a man was arrested after officers flew over his property and took pictures of his marijuana plants without a search warrant. Here’s what happened…

Verizon says it has partnered with Skydio to operate the X10 as its primary drone while providing on-demand assistance to government agencies and emergency responders during crisis situations.

Confined spaces and indoor drone specialist Flyability has released a new ultrasonic thickness (UT) measurement probe for the Elios 3. The payload has been developed in partnership with ultrasonic tech specialist Cygnus Instruments, so certified UT inspectors can take accurate thickness measurements under ISO 16809 compliance and back them up with high-resolution A-scans in the most challenging areas.

With the FAA’s March 16 drone Remote ID enforcement deadline fast approaching, Czech startup Dronetag has unveiled the next generation of its Remote ID module for FPV pilots, aeromodelers, and recreational drone pilots. Dronetag BS Gen 2 is a standalone, battery-powered solution that weighs just 5 grams.

Tech giant DJI has launched two new versions of its most innovative action camera, Action 2. The upgraded Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo and Action 2 Power Combo expand the internal recording limit from 32GB to 128GB for increased storage. Plus you get more versatile magnetic accessories in the box, such as a headband.

Drone fleet management platform AirData says it is encouraging law enforcement transparency by making more public-facing features available to community-oriented police departments across the US. The company’s Public Portal program boosts public trust by improving accountability in drone use.

The wait for an official DJI retail store in the US is now over. DJI’s brand-new concept store, its first in North America, has opened its doors on New York City’s famed Fifth Avenue today.

Tech giant DJI has provided a detailed response to legislation that seeks to ban its drones in the US. If passed, the “Countering CCP Drones Act” would prevent operators from buying the latest DJI drones — and may also potentially ground existing fleets, regardless of how operators use them — because it would prohibit DJI from operating on US communications infrastructure. The bill has already advanced to clear a Congress committee hearing.

US drone maker Skydio says the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) plans to use its new X10 drones to monitor spring break 2024 crowds. The MBPD has previously used Skydio drones during large-scale public events such as Art Week 2023 and New Year’s Eve to help protect event attendees and keep the community at large safe.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has gained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly a large drone over a portion of the US 33 corridor northwest of Columbus. A 20-pound drone will now fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) to monitor traffic and assist with incident management.

The inside story of how Red Bull took DIY engineering to the next level to build a rocket-shaped drone that could keep up with an F1 car on the track.

Aerial tech and communications group Ondas Holdings has announced the establishment of Ondas Autonomous Holdings (OAH) — a new, wholly-owned subsidiary that would oversee drone sector subsidiaries American Robotics and Airobotics.

US drone maker Skydio says it has begun delivery of the first X10Ds, the company’s new flagship drone for defense and government applications. The X10D is essentially an offline variant of Skydio’s X10 platform with advanced AI. It comes with a new feature called dynamic channel switching that helps operators monitor signal interference and move to a clearer channel to improve wireless transmission signal quality during flight.

ParaZero, an Israel-based company that builds drone safety systems for commercial aircraft and urban air mobility vehicles, says it plans to develop anti-drone solutions. The pivot comes amid reports that counter-drone tech could become a $15 billion market by 2032.

DJI has released a new firmware update for the Zenmuse L2 aerial LiDAR payload. The update includes support for H.265 video encoding, extended IMU calibration interval, optimized Point Cloud LiveView display, reduced file size for point cloud recordings, and fixes for issues including an incorrect display of gimbal connectors and problems with RGB Coloring and task quality report retrieval.

A 52-year-old man who shot down a high-end DJI drone belonging to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida has been sentenced to four years in federal prison. Here’s the whole story…

Drone-based response and air-to-ground surveillance with thermal imaging are becoming increasingly important to police investigations. However, procuring an advanced drone model that can assist with public safety jobs can be quite an investment. This is why Teledyne FLIR has teamed up with PoliceGrantsHelp.com to help police agencies across the US secure grants for their drone programs.

So, you’re looking to get into the drone hobby with an affordable entry-level gadget? If you’ve done some research already, you’d know that the Mini 2 SE is the cheapest entry-level drone from DJI today. But this is 2024. And Mini 2 SE gets much of its tech stack from the Mini 2, which first came out in 2020. The most reasonable beginner drone you can grab today is the DJI Mini 3. And the best part? Mini 3 is currently on sale for $469, a significant markdown from its original retail price of $559.

A new initiative is set to introduce cross-border drone delivery services between Malaysia and Singapore. The focus will be on critical deliveries such as urgent documents, high-value electronics, medical supplies, and perishable foods.

In a bid to strengthen its global aviation security partnerships, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), recently conducted a counter-drone training in Croatia.