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Fans of UAV tourism and event videography will find their aerial ambitions confounded in London this weekend with flight restrictions related to the coronation of King Charles III grounding all drone and small plane flights below 2,500 feet in the British capital.

In another sign that the advent of urban air mobility (UAM) services like air taxis is near, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued its latest blueprint on how those new, largely battery-powered aircraft will be phased in during early operation.

A leading drone maker from Japan, ACSL, says its compact 4K video drone SOTEN will be available to buy in the US later this year. The company has opened a new subsidiary in California to ensure that the aircraft is both competitively priced and compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — key considerations for many government users.

French industrial monitoring, inspection, and security company Azur Drones is moving to enrich service to existing clients and expand its business to new customers through the launch of its second-generation SKEYETECH E2 automated UAV – a platform whose adaptability the firm says will meet the diverse demands of differing mission objectives.

US drone maker Skydio has updated its 3D Scan software to enable autonomous indoor mapping missions at large-scale facilities such as construction sites, factories, and warehouses. And the good part is, if you’re already a Skydio 3D Scan customer, you will be able to leverage this new Indoor Capture feature at no additional cost. 

Commercial drone flight planning and execution platform Drone Harmony has announced support for the new DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise series. Moreover, the Swiss company now supports DJI Matrice 30 drones, which essentially means its platform is compatible with the entire drone lineup from DJI Enterprise.

Leading instant logistics specialist Zipline isn’t just turning heads with its increasingly innovative drone delivery activity around the globe, but it is now also causing jaws to drop with fundraising effectiveness that has reportedly almost doubled its valuation to $4.2 billion.

Just a month after reports circulated about its increasingly tight financial situation, German air taxi developer Lilium says it has secured $100 million in what it expects will be $250 million in new funding.

Finland’s Nokia has released what it calls the first-ever turnkey nested drone solution for public safety and enterprise users boasting CE certification by fulfilling the European Union’s safety requirements.

ModalAI, a Blue UAS framework manufacturer of autonomous drone technology, has launched a new 42mm x 42mm autopilot called VOXL 2 Mini.

Sniffer Robotics, whose SnifferDRONE methane leak detection system is the only drone-based solution approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) for use at municipal solid waste landfill sites, has raised $2 million in seed funding.

Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is launching a new drone program, ARROW, that would benefit 10 remote communities during emergencies.

Commercial drone solutions specialist A2Z Drone Delivery has developed a long-range hybrid VTOL aircraft that can carry 11 lbs (5 kg) payloads over a distance of 24.8 miles (40 km). According to A2Z, the operating cost of its new flagship RDSX Pelican delivery drone is as little as 13 cents per kg per km. 

Legislators in Arkansas have joined a still small but powerful and gradually expanding cohort of officials in the US moving to formally ban use of drones made in China for official purposes – a blacklisting movement that first became popular among politicians in Washington targeting sector powerhouse DJI.

Airspace monitoring and security tech company Dedrone is expanding its work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in testing its drone detection and identification systems at an increasing number of airports, where it will also demonstrate its mitigation solutions for invasive craft.

Though Autel announced the nearing release of its new enterprise and prosumer Evo Max 4T drone back in January, new images and spec leaks of that craft and other new company UAVs on social media offer an idea of just how big a challenge to DJI’s powerful Matrice 30 series those are intended to pose.

The latest firmware update for DJI Osmo Action 3 is out now, and it brings significant improvements to the video quality of the action camera.

A trial program overseen by the UK’s Skyports Drone Services in Scotland is in the running for a national award for its efforts in pioneering UAV transport of meals to remote Highland schools.

Flying a first-person view (FPV) drone is an exhilarating, unrivaled aerial experience. And for someone who is new to FPV flying, there’s nothing better than feature-rich DJI products to feel the thrill of immersive flight with minimal risk of anything going wrong. So, if you’re wondering if you can experience FPV flight with your DJI Mini 3 Pro, the answer is yes. Yes, you most certainly can.

Leading developer of battery-powered air taxis, Joby, is finishing April with a pair of major business accords, including a deal worth $55 million to provide its electric vertical takeoff and landing planes (eVTOL) and flight training to the US Air Force.

Leading drone delivery company Wing is pushing ahead with plans to considerably scale its aerial activity through intensified testing of its craft in the kinds of challenging weather conditions the entire sector will have to overcome if it’s to become a true challenger to legacy road transportation.

DJI might be pushing the boundaries of consumer drone technology with its latest product, the world’s first triple optical camera drone, but the company is on the hook for a mighty $279 million judgment after a federal jury in Texas decided it infringed on two patents held by Textron, a US aerospace manufacturer.