More DJI Leaks, DroneUp Layoffs, and a Failed Drone Smuggling Attempt

Welcome to Your Weekly US News Update

We have three stories for you: more DJI leaks, DroneUp layoffs, and a failed drone smuggling attempt in South Carolina. Let’s get to it!

DJI Leaks: A3S and Neo

First up this week is a bunch of DJI leaks. We’ve talked about them before, but there’s more information, especially about the A3S and the Neo.

New images of the A3S have surfaced, which appears to have a much larger gimbal on an Air 3 frame. The leaked images also confirm that the name will be A3S. These images show different specs, including a Sony CMOS sensor with 14 stops of dynamic range and an onboard panorama composition of 13,000 pixels by 6,500 pixels. The pictures are getting better, so as you know, my theory is that we’re getting closer to a release.

We’ve also seen more information about the Neo, with plenty of leaks from an Australian store that apparently leaked the actual drone. The store shared the specs, some of which we’ve seen before, including:

• 135 grams weight
• Hand takeoff and landing (I hadn’t seen that one yet)
• 4K video
• Smart Track
• Direction track
• Motion control
• Remote audio controlling or recording
• Goggle compatibility

Controlling the drone itself includes voice control, phone control, and RC control. The more I look into this, the more I’m starting to think that this might end up being like the Instagram selfie drone that we talked about a couple of years ago. I sure hope it is not a selfie drone, but we’ll see what happens.

DroneUp Scales Back Operations

Next up, DroneUp is sadly scaling back operations and closing 18 delivery hubs. Drone Up ended the hubs in Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Tampa, resulting in 70 job losses and a 17% reduction in their workforce. Deliveries in the future will be limited to 15 locations in the Dallas area.

You can see DroneUp’s response to the DroneXL request for comments, where they said, and I quote: “The decision to automate often leads to similar circumstances, but we acknowledge that this is a difficult time, especially for those with whom we’ve parted ways. The lessons we have learned in the last several years have informed a strategy to reshape the last mile of delivery with DroneUp’s ecosystem platform that is economically feasible for sellers and scalable for buyers. It remains our ambition to grow DroneUp nationwide.”

Essentially, if you read a little more into the article, you’ll see that they’re trying to get the cost of shipping down tremendously. It is fairly expensive at the moment, and they’re trying to get it to a point where it would appeal to more buyers.

Failed Drone Smuggling Attempt in South Carolina

Last up, deputies in South Carolina have confiscated large drones being used to drop contraband into the Ridgeland Correctional Institute. While responding to the known takeoff locations nearby, the deputies found two men who were flying the drones and attempted to stop them. The men ran and escaped into nearby woods.

When searching the vehicles, deputies found marijuana, tobacco, a cell phone, AirPods, and a large drone. So please, again, as always, as every week pretty much: don’t be that guy, don’t fly over prisons, and use common sense.

All right, you have a great week, and we’ll see you all on Monday for the live show, and if not, next week on Friday.