DroneDJ

Step aside Blue Thunder, the law enforcement future belongs to UAVs. That, in any case, is what one Ohio police force has decided in swapping its helicopters for what its leader says are more affordable, effective, and quieter drones.

Italy took a significant step closer to the launch of advanced air mobility (AAM) services with an event at Rome’s Fiumicino’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport featuring the country’s first crewed test flight of an electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane designed for use as an air taxi.

The DJI Digital FPV System for drones is now compatible with RunCam’s new 120fps Wasp camera series.

DJI has filed paperwork with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a new drone joining the Mavic 3 family. The official release of DJI Mavic 3 Classic onto the FCC database indicates that the tech giant’s latest drone could hit the market soon.

It’s a heist that would make Danny Ocean proud. In a stunningly brazen theft that even the police admit is “completely unprecedented,” a group of conmen is said to have used a DJI Mini drone to steal $147,000 (150,000 euros) from an ATM in the French city of Reims.

Drone giant DJI received more confounding news for its US operations this week when the Department of Defense (DoD) included the firm in a group of Chinese companies it has entered on an official blacklist.

If you’re a baseball fan, or just appreciate exceptional sports content in general, chances are you’ve seen or shared the viral Wrigley Field drone video that the Chicago Cubs put out last weekend. Now, catch the breakdown of all the hard work that has gone into making that video appear as thrilling as it does.

Next-generation aircraft developer Joby is pairing up with air taxi infrastructure company Skyports in a trial vertiport they’re calling the Living Lab, which will be used for testing the configuration and operation of future hubs.

Will Joby become the Tesla of futuristic electric takeoff and landing craft (eVTOL) and operator of sustainable air taxi services while having to battle the kind of ferocious nay-saying that Elon Musk did? In some ways it already has, after attracting the unwanted attention of a hostile hedge fund that’s reinforcing its short positions on the company’s stock by circulating in-house research dramatically decrying the activity and revenue targets Joby presented to its investors as utterly unattainable.

A new video has emerged on social media showing what is described as Ukraine using an anti-drone gun to force a surveilling Russian DJI Mavic Pro drone to execute an emergency landing.

European drone research and promotion organization AiRMOUR has released the results of its large opinion survey of sector stakeholders and members of the public on attitudes toward use of UAVs in different activities – particularly in response to medical emergencies. While not necessarily surprising, the findings bode well for increased acceptance of the craft operating in European Union skies in future.

Skydio has launched a new five-year, end-to-end autonomous drone package called SAFE for organizations building fleets around Skydio X2 aircraft. The all-inclusive plan guarantees predictable budgeting, future hardware refreshes, and ongoing updates and support from the NDAA-compliant drone maker.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an application window for people interested in becoming government-approved recreational drone test administrators.

Chinese drone company GreatHigh says it has established four new Guinness Book of Record achievements during a recent aerial show, including the largest number of UAVs flying in the same performance with 5,164 craft working aloft at once.

Canadian drone startup Spexi Geospatial has secured $5.5 million in seed funding to fuel the world’s first standardized “fly-to-earn” drone imagery platform powered by blockchain technology.

There’s a new app on the market, and it’s one that transforms any phone or tablet into a drone tracking device.

Leading instant logistics company Zipline is launching drone delivery of prescriptions and other medicines to the households of Intermountain Healthcare patients across Salt Lake City – an anticipated rollout that will eventually be capable of serving over a million people in Utah.

Wisk, the Boeing-backed developer of electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, has unveiled its sixth-generation passenger aircraft it calls the “first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger… candidate for type certification” from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Europe’s middle-mile drone delivery specialist Dronamics is moving to make its flagship Black Swan UAVs entirely carbon neutral through a linkup with UK company Zero Petroleum to supply fossil-free fuel for future aerial cargo transport.

Tampa Bay drone and robotic services company FLYMOTION has joined the expanding list of homegrown and national businesses and emergency responder organizations now hard at work to locate and care for survivors, and assist large areas of southwest Florida start recovering from the devastating passage of Hurricane Ian.

Did you receive a “Golden Ticket” from DJI with your Mini 3 Pro or Avata drone order this year? The tech giant has finally revealed the deals and discounts this Golden Ticket will get you at the upcoming DJI Store Day 2022 event.

Spain’s National Police force is going big on drone deployment in its law enforcement activities, and has announced the introduction of EHang’s EH216 automated passenger vehicle to its fleet of smaller UAV.

There seems to be disagreement on a new element in the war between Ukraine and the invading Russian army. While some media reports in recent weeks have sounded alarms about the punishing potential of Iran’s drones being deployed by Russia for strikes in Ukraine, US officials have shrugged off the craft as rather rinky-dink contraptions prone to dysfunction, and of only limited concern.