Feds charge drone pilot after MLB stadium no-fly violation
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DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise FLIR Dual announcement possibly today
DJI was supposed to announce the thermal camera for the Mavic 2 Enterprise last Monday. However, that never happened. We had asked DJI for an explanation. Unfortunately, no official answer was provided. Instead, DJI Enterprise sent a mysterious tweet that the announcement might be delayed until after the Holidays. Today, we learn that it might not take that long after all. Apparently, DJI is about to announce the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise FLIR Dual today. And… we also have info on the pricing. Jump in.
DJI Inspire 2 Cinema Premium Combo is no longer available
One of our readers just notified us that the DJI Inspire 2 Cinema Premium Combo is no longer available online. I have checked a number of countries around the world and it seems that it is no longer available anywhere. Even a Dutch DJI retailer lists the product as “temporarily not available.” We do not think this is an indication that an Inspire 3 is around the corner, although we sure do wish it is. However, we do wonder if this is related to the supplier issue mentioned by DJI that caused the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 to be out of stock for more than 5 weeks now.
Skycatch High Precision Package for drone surveying selected by Canadian mining giant
Skycatch, a drone data collection and analytics company from Sann Francisco, CA, announces today that their Skycatch High Precision Package (HPP) has been selected by Teck Resources Limited (“Teck”), Canada’s largest diversified resource company, for aerial drone surveying at a number of its mining operations.
Drone show lights up the sky during the Qatar National Day 2018
Drone light shows are becoming more popular around the world and are often used to replace the traditional fireworks shows. The most recent drone show lit up the sky during the Qatar National Day 2018.
Skyward Flight Insights: Organization’s flight ops at-a-glance
Skyward introduces a brand new feature, called Flight Insights. This provides UAS Managers with an overview of all their organization’s flight operations. A feature that is especially useful for companies with large fleets of drones.
Go places with DJI – Win 2 flight tickets and a DJI product
Looking to travel to some exotic place but are you on a tight budget? Enter to win and let DJI pay for your travel and receive a DJI product for free. Of course, traveling by yourself is less fun that with a good friend or partner. No worries as DJI will provide two flight tickets to the lucky winner. Check out the details below.
Educational Discount of 10% from DJI on Mavic 2 and more
Separate from the DJI Winter Holiday discounts, DJI now offers a 10% Educational Discount to anybody with a .edu email address on the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom drones, Ronin S, Osmo Mobile 2, Spark, Mavic Air, Ryze Tello, Mavic Pro Platinum, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced, Inspire 2, Mavic Pro (refurbished), Spark Fly More Combo, Phantom 4 (refurbished) and the original Osmo Mobile (refurbished). See below for more details on the DJI Educational Discount.
Intelligent Parachute Rescue System for DJI M600
Intelligent Parachute Rescue System for DJI M600 made in Austria. In the development of the parachute rescue systems of Drone Rescue Systems GmbH, the main focus was on the reliable, autonomous crash detection. A potential operation Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) should be possible in case of emergency. This orientation also applied, as the first drone-specific parachute system was developed: the DRS-M600 for the DJI M600.
FLIR Systems launches three cooled Neutrino family thermal camera cores.
FLIR Systems launches three cooled Neutrino family thermal camera cores. Next generation Neutrino cores to enable measurement, sensing, surveillance, security, and drone Applications.
FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) today announced three Neutrino™ midwave infrared (MWIR) camera cores: the small, lightweight FLIR Neutrino LC and two FLIR Neutrino Performance series cores, the SX12 and QX. The latest models expand the FLIR Neutrino cooled camera core family for commercial, industrial, and defense original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and system integrators.
DJI launches a massive agriculture drone, the T16 in China – updated specs
DJI recently launched what seems to be a massive agriculture drone in China. It is called the T16 and the video below explains everything in great detail to anybody who can understand Chinese. Unfortunately, that does not include me. However, there are a few things that become clear as you watch the video.
Boeing 737: no evidence of drone strike as of yet
Last week crew members of a Boeing 737 passenger jet that was making its approach in Tijuana, Mexico, heard a “pretty loud bang.” Based on the photos of the damage to the commercial airline, it was speculated in the local media that the damage may have been the result of a drone collision. However, today we learn from the Aviation Safety Network that “there is no confirmation or evidence yet that a drone strike actually took place.”
SkyPixel and DJI kick off the biggest aerial photo and video contest of 2018
Like they did before, DJI and SkyPixel are starting the largest aerial photo and video contest. The competition will run from December 18th, 2018 to February 18th, 2019 and we expect many amazing photos and videos to be submitted. Contestants can win a range of prizes, including a Hasselblad X1D-50c camera, DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone and the new Osmo Pocket three-axis stabilized gimbal. See below for all the details.
Vaccines delivered by drone in island nation of Vanuatu
Deliveries by drone are making progress around the world. More so than here in the US for now, but hopefully, that will change soon. In the island-nation of Vanuatu, vaccines were delivered by drone this week. Many of the villages spread out over the various islands are so hard to reach that about 20% of the children miss their shots. Drones have shown to be a viable solution to this problem, making Vanuatu the first nation in the world with a childhood vaccine program that is officially drone-dependent.
Delayed thermal camera for Mavic 2 Enterprise at CES 2019 instead
We have been informed by one of our trusted sources, that the thermal camera for the Mavic 2 Enterprise, that was to be announced today, will be announced at CES 2019 instead. There is no explanation provided for the delay, but it seems that DJI has thought at the last moment that it might be better to launch the thermal camera for the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise, at the Consumer (!) Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month, together with the new ‘Pro’ Remote Controller with built-in display for the Mavic 2. There’s also more information on the type of delayed thermal camera btw… Jump right in.
Thermal camera for the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise delayed?
It seems that today’s announcement of what we assume is a new thermal camera for the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise might be delayed. We have reached out to DJI for an official statement, but have not heard back as of yet. I hope this is not the beginning of a new trend. I’m sure you remember, the delay of the release of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom last summer. As soon as we hear back from DJI, we will update you here on DroneDJ.
JJPRO EPIK – A GPS drone for less than $150
There aren’t a lot of good GPS drones with HD cameras and intelligent flight modes for less than $200. The JJPRO X5 Epik an exception and currently is on sale for less than $130. It is one of the best beginner drones you can buy and is an excellent option for anyone looking to get into aerial photography.
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DJI launches new DJI Pro website for professionals
DJI continues to build out their DJI Pro brand that was first introduced earlier this year. Recently, the drone maker added the DJI Pro YouTube channel. Now they have launched a dedicated website for professional filmmakers, photographers and documentary makers.
Killer whales join woman during swim workout [drone video]
We have seen more crazy drone footage including swimmers and wildlife (sharks mostly), but I think this video may top them all. In this drone video, you will see how killer whales join a woman during her swim workout off the coast of Coromandel, New Zealand. Initially, the woman swam straight to the shore and got out of the water, but then she decided to go back in and complete her swim. A tourist captured the event with his drone.
How to get into FPV drone flying – Step one
Flying FPV or first-person view can take your drone experience to the next level. ESPN is now televising the Drone Racing League and you can see why it is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing sports. If this is something you want to try there are a couple of ways to get started. Some people start with an all-in-one kit like the FatShark101, but that isn’t what we’d recommend. The first thing you need to choose is your remote. Whether you refer to it as a remote, a radio or a transmitter it is the place to start. The drone comes later. You can read about that in Step 2.
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Amazon takes 40% off Force1 drones from $42 shipped
Force1 makes excellent beginner drones. Right now through December 31, you can save 40% off selected drones using the code 40FROMSANTA at Amazon. There are four drones including the U49WF, a medium-sized camera drone. It is on sale for $90 but is regularly $150. The U45WF is an ultra-durable camera drone that is on sale for $60 but is normally $100. The U34 is a micro FPV drone that usually costs $100 but is on sale for $60. The F111WF is a portable drone that folds up for portability. Typically it is $70 but is on sale for $42. I have personally flown all four of these drones and they are good for beginners. These drones make excellent gifts and Force1 provides excellent customer service should you have any questions flying these drones. These are currently the best prices for these drones and look to be near all-time lows. Read More
UVify and DR1 Racing team up to make drone racing even better
UVify is one of the top manufacturers and developers when it comes to FPV racing drones. They recently have announced that they are partnering with DR1 Racing to offer a new class of drone racing for the series that will feature UVify’s Draco-4X4 quads.
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Ryanair Boeing 737 passenger jet comes within 50 feet of drone
Just as I was researching the possible drone collision with this Boeing 737, I came across another close call. A Ryanair Boeing 737 passenger jet apparently came within 50 feet of hitting a drone as it approached Stansted airport in England.
Boeing 737 passenger jet damaged. Possibly hit by drone before landing
Crew members said that they heard a “pretty loud bang” shortly before landing. In photos from the local press, significant damage to the nose of the Boeing 737 passenger jet is visible. Grupo Aeromexico SAB started an investigation whether a drone had indeed collided with the passenger jet as it was approaching its destination in Tijuana, Mexico.
Thermal camera for the Mavic 2 Enterprise? A DJI Enterprise announcement
DJI Enterprise sent out a tweet today announcing the introduction of something new on December 17th, at 9 am EST. The accompanying image shows what seems to be a hot cup of coffee, taken with a thermal or infrared camera. There is also a bit of a cryptic message saying: “It’s going to be 
” Will it be a thermal camera for the Mavic 2 Enterprise?