DJI has issued surprise updates for the Avata FPV drone and Mavic 3 aircraft, promising to fix some known issues. What exactly those fixes are, however, remains a mystery.

Use of first-person view (FPV) drones has been described as providing a thrilling new perspective all UAV pilots should experience – as well as being an essential tool for many professional filmmakers. Now the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team is finding another use for its new DJI Avata craft: saving people lost or otherwise missing in the vast wilds of Scotland.

The continuing evolution of rules and legal interpretations on official drone use in the US took another twist this week with the decision by a California appellate court rebuffing Chula Vista municipal police claims that all videos its UAVs capture on duty are “records of investigations,” and as such protected from public scrutiny.

What a year it has been for DJI drone fans! From the dual-camera Air 3 to the omni-sensing Mini 4 Pro, the company released some of its most powerful, feature-rich drones in 2023. But as more advanced products are launched, older offerings reach their End of Life (EOL). We know of at least five DJI products whose service and support will end in 2024, and the list includes popular heavy-lifter Matrice drones.

Are you planning to fly your DJI drone this winter? Then you should know common drone issues caused by low temperatures, as well as safety and camera settings tips to follow before, during, and after the flight to keep your aircraft in the best shape.

EHang continues to advance toward the introduction of air taxi services following the reception of the “Type Certificate” of its EH216-S electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) craft from China’s regulators, and most recently inaugurated its Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Operation Demonstration Center in Shenzhen’s Bao’an district. Yet despite – or perhaps because of – its continued progress, the startup’s US detractors appear bent on complicating its launch of passenger activity with repeated attacks.

Seattle-based UAV security and emergency situational awareness specialist BRINC has recruited another big US client to its LEMUR 2 drone offer, with the New York city of Schenectady voting Tuesday to approve a nearly $700,000 contract with the startup to introduce the craft as police department asset.

ACSL, a leading drone maker from Japan, says the first batch of its compact 4K video drone SOTEN has arrived in the US. Shipping is expected to begin early next year.

DJI has released a new firmware update for the RC 2 drone remote controller, making it easier for users to export screen recordings and screenshots.

South Korea is enthusiastically planning for the introduction of future advanced urban air activities using UAVs and air taxis to lift delivery trucks and cars into the skies. Now officials in the nation’s capital are preparing to use drones to better manage vehicles that will be left clogging Seoul’s streets.

Controversy over the construction of a reef-anchored judging stand is undermining excitement over the 2024 Summer Olympics’ surfing competition – only the second appearance of the sport in the quadrennial global gala’s history. Now a work-around solution is being forwarded by international officials, who propose using drones among other tech alternatives to provide scorers views needed for evaluating rides.

Officials in Ukraine have made a series of announcements on plans to dramatically increase drone production in the nation’s effort to drive out invading Russian forces, including a pledge to manufacture over a million first-person view (FPV) craft for attack and reconnaissance missions.

The largely productive year for the drone sector is drawing to a close with the less fortunate news that trailblazing North Carolina startup PrecisionHawk has filed for bankruptcy, and is shuttering the business.

DJI has released new firmware updates for its latest smartphone gimbals, Osmo Mobile 6 (OM 6) and Osmo Mobile SE (OM SE). And to reap the benefits of the new software package, you will also need to update the DJI Mimo app.

Just in time for the festive season, DJI has released a huge firmware update for the Air 3 dual-camera drone. The fresh software package comes with a bunch of new features and handy improvements across the board.

Vision Assist is a new safety feature by DJI that has been added to the Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro drones through a firmware update. Also available for the Mavic 3 series, Vision Assist shows live footage from the aircraft’s front, rear, left, and right directions during flight for enhanced safety.

Tech giant DJI has released a major new firmware update for its latest sub-250-gram drone, Mini 4 Pro. The firmware significantly improves camera functions, aircraft safety, and device compatibility. Read on to see what all is new…

Like the state itself, everything is really, really big in Texas – including the distances separating remote towns from teeming urban areas. Now Texas Tech University is moving to bridge those gaps that often undermine healthcare in more isolated locales by testing drone deliveries using Australian UAV company Swoop Aero craft.

Sony Electronics has released a major new firmware update for the Airpeak S1 commercial drone. The update features advanced mapping and improved safety protocols for enterprise users while making the drone compatible with additional iPad and iPhone models.

Reports that Russia‘s armed forces are starting to claw away at the specific aerial advantage Ukraine has long held with its production and skilled use of small drones took on a significant footnote this month. The qualifier designates what’s described as the mass manufactured, inexpensive AQ 400 Scythe loitering munition – a UAV capable of 750-kilometer flights deep into occupied Crimea or Russia’s heartland, and created to shift the momentum of the war in Kyiv’s favor.

In the latest episode of US government vs. drone maker DJI, lawmakers are demanding oversight into the Department of Defense’s role in allowing American companies to export critical components to DJI. In the middle of the controversy is Maryland-based Ceva whose technology is powering some of the most popular DJI drones including the Mavic 3, Mini 3 Pro, Air 2S, and DJI FPV aircraft.

Manufacturer of high capability security and defense UAVs, Performance Drone Works (PDW) has announced its C100 heavy-lift C100 quadcopter has been named to the Blue sUAS list of drones approved for US government operation.

Drone fleet and airspace management tech specialist Aloft has announced the release of its new UAV flight planning tool Air Aware, an application the company says “effectively replaces the B4UFLY app.”