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The good news from leading drone and tech company DJI is that it’s finally shipping its ground-breaking Ronin 4D cinematic camera on February 16, though the accompanying bad news is the unprecedented internal Apple ProRes RAW recording capability will not be included as originally announced.

Instant logistics specialist Zipline has further expanded its already broad footprint in Africa by starting work on a new medical drone delivery hub in Nigeria’s Cross River State.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it will commence field-testing new drone traffic management capabilities as part of its ongoing effort to integrate UAVs into the national airspace, and prepare for anticipated expansion of craft operation for a variety of purposes.

The shooting of five Arizona police officers by an assailant barricaded in a house have prompted renewed calls from officials in Phoenix to equip law enforcement forces with drones, whose remote surveillance capabilities can inform cops of hidden dangers facing them.

Singapore-based ST Engineering, Sumitomo Corporation, and Skyports are joining forces for a nine-month drone delivery pilot, wherein drones will be used for shore-to-ship parcel delivery of maritime essentials.

Singapore-based drone solutions company Avetics Global says it’s set to make confined-space inspection more accessible with an affordable new product, Lumicopter. Combining the DJI FPV drone with a custom-made protective shell and LED light, Lumicopter has been designed to fly in enclosed or hazardous facilities such as storage tanks, building interiors, powerplants, ships, etc.

Creator of drone and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft vertiports, Urban-Air Port, has initiated construction of what is intended to be its first fully-operational next-generation air transport facility in the UK.

Silicon Valley hydrogen fuel cell innovator Hypoint has inaugurated a new UK unit intended to speed development of its air-cooled aviation power technology, and ready it to supply zero-carbon power to next-generation aircraft like electric takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL) as they prepare to launch services.

Named the best international short ski film of 2021 at High Five Ski Film Festival, FLOW captures world-class freeride skier Sam Favret’s recent adventures (on empty slopes, no less!) amid COVID-19 lockdowns. The mind-blowing film is made 100% from aerial footage – using FPV drones, DJI Inspire 2 with Zenmuse X7, and DJI Mavic 2 Pro. It showcases the majestic beauty and high-intensity action of skiing Europe’s famed Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in such a grand manner that you simply must take out a few minutes to watch it now.

Israel has created aviation history by approving a drone to fly in civilian airspace and not restricting its flight to uncontrolled airspace. Following its certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of the State of Israel (CAAI), the Hermes Starliner UAS by Elbit Systems will now be able to fly at medium altitudes for a multitude of long-range missions, such as securing mass public events, environmental inspection missions, precision agriculture work, maritime search and rescue, as well as border security and anti-terror operations.

Australian UAV delivery company Swoop Aero has added another impressive item to its “drones for good” list, thanks to its life-saving work delivering vaccinations and medical supplies to distant, often difficult-to-access destinations in central Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

India has imposed an import ban on drones with immediate effect. The ban, which was notified by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, prohibits the import of drones in all forms – Completely Built-Up (CBU), Completely Knocked Down (CKD), and Semi Knocked Down (SKD).

Two influential US aerial public safety organizations are teaming up to adopt and promote standardized methods in their drone testing programs – their effort to enhance safety and improve development of remote of UAV use in emergencies by police, fire fighters, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders.

Natilus, developer of long-distance, cost-cutting cargo drones, says it has secured an eye-opening $6 billion worth of advance purchase commitments for hundreds of its craft from an array of aviation clients. 

Drone solution providers Censys Technologies and Soaring Eagle Technologies have secured a fresh beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This waiver covers a 12-mile distance, which the companies stress is the longest distance ever approved by the FAA.

Drone mission planning platform Drone Harmony has finally released an iOS app. You can now execute flights planned in the Drone Harmony software platform on iPhones and iPads running iOS 14.0 or later.

Researchers supported by France’s Defense Ministry are working to develop a more effective surveillance drone that’s also less prone to detection by its imitation of birds or insects.

The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR) has announced a link-up with US aerospace company Sagetech Avionics to test platforms providing enhanced situational awareness to pilots flying craft in New York’s 50-mile drone corridor.

Drone manufacturer and automated flight specialist Skydio says it has won a contract to supply its X2D UAVs to the US Army’s Short-Range Reconnaissance Program (SRR). Valued at $20.2 million annually, the fixed-price provisionment agreement is expected to be worth $99.8 million over its five-year duration.

After five years of growth, DroneUp, which operates an on-demand drone delivery network that matches a database of more than 10,000 FAA-certified pilots to missions across the US, has undergone a branding makeover in efforts to evolve with its aspirations.

About 50 tons of floating debris – plastics, wood, cardboard, organic material, mooring lines – are collected every year from the docks in Belgium’s port of Antwerp. Not only does this waste pollute the waters, but it also has an impact on biodiversity and can cause damage to ships. This is why port authorities are now turning to drones to detect and clean up the debris as soon as possible.

Several police forces in England are participating in beyond visible line of sight (BVLOS) drone tests in what may be the first, careful steps toward long-distance use of the craft for routine surveillance and searches for suspects.