Autel Robotics

The US Commerce Department has officially opened a Section 232 national security investigation into the import of drones and their components, a move that could significantly reshape the American drone industry and limit the future of major Chinese players like DJI and Autel Robotics.

DJI and Autel Robotics — two of the biggest names in the drone industry — are once again at the center of a political firestorm. Key House Republicans are calling on the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to urgently investigate whether drones made by these Chinese manufacturers pose an unacceptable national security threat to the United States.

Autel Robotics has announced a major shake-up in its drone lineup, discontinuing several models, including the EVO II Pro V2, EVO II Dual 640T V2, EVO II RTK series V2, EVO II Enterprise V2, Dragonfish Lite, and multiple ecosystem products like DG-Z2, DG-T3, and DG-T3H. If you own or rely on any of these drones, here’s what you need to know.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has updated its list of Chinese companies alleged to have connections with China’s military, officially known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The most notable new name on the list for DroneDJ readers is Autel Robotics.

The long-anticipated final text of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025 has been released, setting the stage for a potential ban on Chinese-manufactured drones. Negotiated between House and Senate lawmakers, the legislation incorporates the provisions of the Countering CCP Drones Act — targeting not just drone makers DJI and Autel Robotics, but also their subsidiaries, affiliates, and licensors.

Autel Robotics says its popular EVO Nano and EVO Lite series drones have achieved critical European certifications — C0 and C1, respectively — aligning with the European Drone Regulation (EU) 2019/945. But what do these certifications mean for drone enthusiasts, and why are they a big deal? Let’s break it down.

Remote ID technology provider Dronetag is offering an incredible Black Friday promotion on its best-selling Dronetag Beacon. For two weeks only, the Dronetag Beacon is available for just $149 — over 30% off its regular price.

The Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have jointly issued an interim rule prohibiting federal agencies from purchasing or operating drones made in countries deemed adversarial to the United States.

Autel Robotics has released a huge new firmware update for the EVO Max drone series, bringing a host of fresh features and optimizations. Here’s a breakdown of what’s new and improved in the aircraft and remote controller firmware v1.8.2.237.

In the shadow of its recent addition to the US trade blacklist, Autel Robotics has quietly launched the new EVO Lite Enterprise drone series with a flight time of up to 40 minutes.

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has submitted an amendment he intends to propose to the Senate Armed Services Committee’s annual defense policy bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025. The amendment seeks to attach the Countering CCP Drones Act to the Senate’s version of the NDAA, thus reintroducing the call for a ban on the sale of new DJI drones in the US.

In compliance with drone Remote ID regulations in the EU and UK and to ensure a better flying experience, Autel Robotics has released important software and firmware updates for the EVO II V3 series drones in the region. “We strongly recommend that you perform this update to meet the regulation compliance requirement,” the company says.

The United States has added Chinese drone maker Autel Robotics to its trade blacklist due to national security concerns. Tech giant DJI was placed on this list in 2020. But at that time, the US Department of Commerce cited “human rights abuses” as the reason behind DJI’s inclusion in its “Entity List”.

This Father’s Day, Autel Robotics is offering its best discount ever on the EVO Lite+ drone. You can pick either the Standard or the Premium drone bundle for your summer adventures, because both are on sale at 40% off for a limited time.

Autel Robotics has released a new firmware update for EVO II drones using the V3 chipset. The software bundle packs in an important new feature, plus several bug fixes and optimizations.

Autel Robotics says its EVO Max drone series has received the coveted Class C2 type certificate under the new European drone regulations. For drone operators, Max’s C2 certification involves a firmware update to ensure compliance with the latest regulatory standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The walls appear to be steadily closing in on DJI in the US – and perhaps, users of its drones as well – following official warnings issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency over alleged security threats China-produced drones pose to operators.

Autel Robotics has released a new firmware update for EVO II drones using the V3 chipset. The software bundle packs in several new features, as well as bug fixes and optimizations.

Leading global drone manufacturer Autel Robotics is facing intense international scrutiny after images in ads for its forthcoming Titan delivery UAV included what appear to be a munitions payload – presumably for military uses the China-based company recently condemned. Autel informed DroneDJ Monday the photos are fake, and that it’s working to identify their source.

Will the portion of the National Defense Authorization Act containing a ban on drones made by China-based companies like DJI be the boon for US makers the law’s political backers claim? “A definite maybe” is what a reading of a new document detailing the measure published by longtime UAV expert and innovator Mark Bathrick offers readers.

Autel Robotics has finally filed paperwork with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to bring its all-new Alpha drone to North America. The company has been teasing this product for a while now as a competitor to the DJI Matrice 30 series. Autel Alpha was also showcased at the Energy Drones and Robotics Coalition (EDRC) conference in Texas as part of a soft launch in June 2023.