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As US-China relations deteriorate with both nations engaging in a complex geopolitical rivalry, fears over espionage and technology misuse are also becoming rampant. Chinese drone maker DJI is already facing a potential ban in the US amid national security concerns. And later this month, a Chinese student at the University of Minnesota is scheduled to appear in court for allegedly using a drone to capture sensitive photos of US military installations.

US drone manufacturer Skydio is harvesting the fruit of its decision to shift from consumer drones to specialization in enterprise and defense applications with news that its cutting-edge X10D has made the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Blue UAS list.

Amazon has gotten big news from US regulators that should help the online marketplace finally take its drone deliveries to another level: approval to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights across its Prime Air networks.

California electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Archer Aviation has signed an accord with South Korea’s transportation service company KakaoMobility to prepare air taxi services in the nation, worth about $250 million in plane sales.

The Denver Police Department has long been drone-averse, having shelved the only UAV it occasionally operated way back in 2018. Now most underlying hesitations behind that decision have gone by the boards, with force reintroducing the craft in law enforcement activity amid significant budget cuts.

DJI has released a new firmware update for Mini 3, the company’s most pocket-friendly beginner drone with advanced flight technology and up to 38 minutes of flight time.

DJI has released a significant firmware update for the Avata 2 FPV drone. The new aircraft firmware, version 01.00.0300, brings a host of enhancements and new features aimed at improving the user experience and expanding the drone’s capabilities.

DJI has released a huge update for the Fly app, giving drone pilots powerful new AI features to convert aerial footage into cinematic masterpieces with minimal effort.

The Canadian UAV sector is undergoing what could be the start of wider consolidation as diversified hardware and services provider Volatus Aerospace merges with specialized cargo transport company Drone Delivery Canada (DDC)

Against the company’s wishes, DJI remains by far the preferred drone maker among Ukraine’s defense forces, which have now procured an additional 4,200 Mavic UAVs beyond the 4,000 bought in April.

No bigger than an adult thumb, the Insta360 GO 3 is widely recognized as the world’s smallest action camera. Its compact size, versatile applications, and robust features make it a must-have for explorers, vloggers, and creative enthusiasts. And now with a 21% discount, there’s no better time to get your hands on this innovative device that can also be mounted on small FPV drones!

Live streaming drone video offers a unique and engaging perspective for various purposes, such as covering events, travel exploration, real estate marketing, news reporting, education, surveillance, sports, environmental monitoring, and artistic expression. The bird’s-eye view provided by drones captivates audiences, enhances content appeal, and offers real-time experiences that ground-based cameras simply cannot match. So, how do you choose the right camera drone for live streaming?

Long distance connectivity tech specialist Elsight has established its first foothold in Japan’s developing UAV market through a partnership it announced with the country’s leading drone manufacturer, ACSL.

With Memorial Day marking the start of summer in many places, New York City Police officials got to work over the holiday weekend introducing drones that will keep watch over the beaches of coastal boroughs for the next four months.

Texas-based Sky Elements has become the first drone light show company in the US to receive FAA approval to launch fireworks from drones.

Drones as First Responder (DFR) tech specialist Aerodome has secured $21.5 million in Series A funding to enhance its solutions and expand its engineering and go-to-market teams. The funding round, led by CRV with contributions from Andreessen Horowitz, Karman Ventures, Immad Akhund, and Ford Street Ventures, brings Aerodome’s total funding to $28 million since its seed round in October 2023.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has indicated considerable progress has been made accelerating large-scale drone production necessary for its Replicator program, which seeks to overpower the brute strength of adversaries’ military systems with huge numbers of UAV impossible to fend off. Officials said deliveries of the first of those craft have been made.

Innovative Swedish drone delivery company Aerit is no more, having filed for bankruptcy after struggling to secure additional investment needed to continue operating.

US drone maker BRINC has unveiled a new nested drone solution designed specifically for Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations. The company says its Responder drone can be auto-dispatched from its charging station in under 5 seconds, which allows it to arrive at a 911 call location in less than 70 seconds.

DJI drone operators have something new to celebrate with the introduction of geometric flight plans for the Mavic 3 Enterprise series. This latest feature, introduced with a firmware update, makes building 3D missions easier than ever, allowing users to create detailed flight plans in the DJI FlightHub 2 cloud-based drone operations management platform. Once designed, these missions can be seamlessly transferred to the drone’s controller for execution.

Republican leaders on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party are urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to open an investigation into the Drone Advocacy Alliance (DAA). The industry coalition group has been actively involved in the discussion surrounding the potential ban on DJI drones in the US and has vehemently opposed legislation that proposes a new tax system to radically increase DJI drone prices.

Members of the House of Representative tabled legislation this month that included a proposal to create a new branch of the US Army dedicated to the rapidly expanding deployment of drones in conflict situations. This week, the country’s top military brass made it very clear they don’t support the idea.

The most recent in a long series of US government agency and legislative initiatives to squeeze DJI drones from the domestic market targets a critical user category in particular: lifesaving first responder organizations. Given the literally existential stakes that the bill poses, DJI has responded with a detailed arguments against its eventual passage into law.