DroneDJ

DJI has released a new version of its drone flying app just days after introducing an update with more natural-sounding voice prompts. The latest Fly app v1.10.6 comes after DJI users in Europe noticed v1.10.4 had capped the maximum drone height at 120 meters for them.

For people still laboring under the illusion that windsurfing is the staid, plodding option amid diversifying – and, annoyingly, increasingly motorized – aquatic board sports, a new drone video out of Fiji provides some updated perspective to those notions.

Insta360, the Chinese company that has revolutionized 360° video and stills for the masses, has just released its latest camera. It’s called the Go 3 – and it “goes” where no other Insta360 camera has gone before.

XTEND, the developer of XOS human-guided autonomous operating system for drones and robots, says its own range of XTENDER, Wolverine, and Griffon drones have achieved full NDAA compliance. The Israeli company now plans to ramp up production at its Florida facility with an aim to equip the government with more than 1,000 US-made drones over the next two years.

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer Lilium announced it has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its proposed basis of air taxi certification, making it what the company says is the first power-lift aircraft developer to obtain that all-clear by both US and European Union regulators.

A bipartisan group of legislators has introduced a new bill in the US House of Representatives to extend existing counter-drone capacities of federal agencies set to expire in September, and partially broaden those to authorities on the state, local, and tribal level.

Autel Robotics has issued a fresh statement explaining that military use is not the “original intention” of its product design. The development comes on the heels of Autel “lookalike” drones being discovered under the brand name Patriot at the recently concluded St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia.

While it is unlikely that DJI will announce the Air 3 this week, leaks regarding the new drone continue to surface, providing some details such as pricing. Igor Bogdanov has shared information about the price of the two Fly More Combos that will come with the drone, along with the new controllers expected to be announced simultaneously.

As of last week we are officially in summer, time for warm weather and vacations around the world, perfect for flying drones. Before you bring out your favorite quadcopter from storage, here are a few tips on what to do before your first flight.

The Paris Air Show broke all records for attendance with its habitual large-draw long-haul passenger planes and military jets, but the main stars of the 2023 biannual event were arguably the next-generation electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis making their first appearance.

Editor’s update: DJI Store Day 2023 deals are now live.

Tech giant DJI has announced the official dates of its annual Store Day sale. From exclusive deals and free gifts on new drone purchases to special discounts on action cameras, the 2023 DJI Store Day has plenty to offer.

Activity by US drone operators were critical in saving a trio of lives in recent days, including a youth in Colorado’s whose DJI craft spotted an otherwise hidden vehicle flipped in a sinkhole over the weekend.

Cranston Police in Rhode Island say they have arrested a convicted sex offender on a fresh felony charge of video voyeurism. The accused was reportedly using a small drone to peer inside the bathroom window of a woman in his neighborhood.

While drones are doing wonders across multiple industries and sectors, not everyone uses them with good intentions or with complete knowledge of airspace rules and regulations. The latter has become especially true for sporting events in different parts of the world.

You know a release is right around the corner when we get new leaks every day – so many that we actually missed one that came out on Wednesday. It appears that the DJI RC and RC-N1 controllers will become outdated once the Air 3 is announced.

Students at the University of Arkansas will be able to take a course designed to help drone pilots prepare for careers in the quickly expanding UAV sector through a program it’s providing in partnership with aerial services and delivery company DroneUp.

Southern Company says it has been granted a conditions-based waiver by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct autonomous beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations across its energy network from Georgia to California.

Newly published figures are offering an idea of just how enormous the problem of drone use to deliver contraband to prisons around the world has become, showing nearly 100 suspected UAV drops made to a single Canadian jail last year alone.

Canadian drone hardware and systems developer Draganfly is diversifying its aerial activities in Ukraine through a new, multi-year contract to create a UAV training program destined for agencies under command of the nation’s Interior Ministry, including the National Guard and police.

Editor’s update [June 27, 2023]: DJI has released v1.10.6 of the Fly app following complaints by users in the EU region that v1.10.4 had imposed flight height restrictions on their drones.

Drone maker DJI has released a curious little update for DJI Fly, the app you need to operate popular consumer aircraft including the Mini and Mavic series.

Editor’s update [June 27, 2023]: The new Insta360 GO 3 camera is now available to buy with prices starting at $380. The product is also available to buy on Amazon with next-day delivery in many cities.

Insta360, the maker of highly versatile yet ultra-portable 360-degree cameras, has dropped a new teaser for a product it says will bring about a “tiny revolution.” And it could very well be the GO 3!

Defense and security aerial tech company Red Cat Holdings has announced the night vision-excelling Teal 2 has become the second small aircraft produced by its Teal Drones affiliate to qualify for the Department of Defense (DoD) Blue sUAS list.

The DJI rumor train is back in action, with multiple leakers giving clues that the Air 3 reveal is nearing. While the date hasn’t been officially nailed down yet, it feels close enough to provide you with five features I hope to see when the drone is announced.