DroneDJ

After keeping the rumor mill in overdrive these last couple of weeks, the highly anticipated DJI Air 3 showed up in regulatory filings today. And accompanying the new DJI drone in the FCC database are two yet-to-be-announced remote controllers, DJI RC 2 and DJI RC-N2.

If certain politicians in Australia are as intent as they appear to obtain permanent bans on all DJI drones used by government and police agencies, a new audit indicates they’ll be aided by a considerably smaller fleet of targeted UAVs involved than their anti-China peers in the US.

The UK Army is preparing to supply combat soldiers with a specially made counter-drone sight known as SMASH, which is designed to considerably increase a fighter’s ability to take out enemy mini- and micro-UAVs while in flight.

This week on the Weekly Buzz discussion, we delve into the recent surge of unexpected leaks. We finally have some details about the Air 3, and there’s even a peculiar rumor circulating about a Mini 4.

DJI has upgraded its popular Osmo Mobile 6 smartphone stabilizer with all-new ActiveTrack 6.0 subject-tracking technology. The tech giant has further introduced a new Platinum Gray color option for its best gimbal yet.

As DroneDJ readers casting even furtive glances at headlines over the weekend will have noticed, mainstream new outlets have finally – and, it seems, all at once – discovered the existence and spreading popularity of choreographed UAV performances challenging the lock fireworks long held on nighttime celestial celebrations. Drone show specialist Sky Elements added another notable item to that amassing July 4^th coverage by staging a series of spectacles across the US, including one setting what it says is a world spell-out record.

A UK court has handed a total of 31 years in jail time to a seven people who operated drone deliveries of banned items to a Manchester area prison, including drugs that a testifying expert estimated were worth as much as £1.7 million ($2.16 million). 

DJI has released new firmware updates for its popular commercial drone series, Mavic 3 Enterprise. At the same time, a new software package is also available to download for DJI’s compact agricultural and environmental monitoring drone Mavic 3 Multispectral.

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) is deploying another aerial drone to monitor boat activity in France’s English Channel waters, expanding the number of UAVs the organization has scouring shipping lanes for – among other things – emissions violations.

Insta360, the company that makes highly versatile and portable 360-degree cameras, has released the GO 3. The much-awaited 2.7K tiny action camera measures smaller than a thumb and weighs only 35g. But how does it compare against its predecessor, the extremely popular GO 2? Let’s find out…

Do you fly a DJI Mavic Air 2, Mavic 2 Zoom, or a Mavic 2 Pro drone? Listen up, because DJI has an important update for you regarding compliance with the US FAA Remote ID rules.

Up-and-coming drone delivery company RigiTech has followed breakthrough successes in France and its domestic market of Switzerland with a new achievement in Denmark, developing a specialized payload lowering system that enables fast and precise transportation of parts to offshore wind farms.

As a reflection of just how strong public sentiment in France remains against police use of drones to monitor people, officials waited well into the nation’s six-straight nights of rioting before giving law enforcement agencies the green light to fly UAVs for security purposes in response to the unrest.

China has presented a list of new rules applying to drone flight by civilian users, whose objectives for protecting public safety and national security – particularly, it would appear, the latter – don’t exactly strengthen individual liberties in the skies.

Researchers at the UK’s Imperial College London have created a prototype drone specially designed to withstand intense heat, and which through continued development may be produced as a vital data gathering tool for firefighters to minimize risk factors in various blaze-battling scenarios.

Well, the day has arrived. Product photos of DJI’s upcoming Air 3 drone have been leaked, leaving no room for speculation regarding its appearance. The images of the Fly More Combo showcase everything that will be included with the Air 3, including the new RC 2 and RC-N2 controllers.

A day to commemorate the gadget that brings everything in focus and lets us capture special moments? What’s not to love about that? June 29 is National Camera Day and you can celebrate it with freebies and special deals on some of the best photography drones and action cameras out there.

Defense and security UAV specialist group Red Cat Holdings says its cutting-edge Teal Drones affiliate has obtained a further $1.2 million to develop a new, portable UAV as standard issue equipment for soldiers, under the US Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program.

Joby Aviation has received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test fly the first air taxi completed on its production line – a development expected to facilitate the advanced air mobility (AAM) company’s delivery of the craft to its US Air Force client for experimental use next year. 

Up-and-coming cargo delivery drone developer MightyFly is preparing what the company calls the first public demonstration of an autonomous, fixed-wing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with planned flights in Michigan of its third-generation UAV hauling 100 lb. of freight.

Yesterday, we came across a few leaked photos that purportedly showcase new DJI drones. While it’s expected to see more photos of the Air 3 as we approach a possible announcement, the photos of a potential Mini 4 came as a surprise. Especially since the release of a new Mini drone would deviate significantly from DJI’s typical product timeline.