DJI Avata 360 FCC Approval, NASA Drone Testing, Texas Drone Fishing

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have three stories for you this week. DJI gets FCC approval for a new Avata 360. NASA is testing new drone navigation software in Death Valley for future Mars missions. And Texas clarifies that using drones for fishing is illegal under federal law. Let’s get to it.

Hey everyone, it’s Ben. Greg is out of office this week, but rest assured he will return for next week’s episode.

DJI Avata 360 Gets FCC Approval With 11 Days Until Ban Deadline

First up, DJI just managed to get another product through the FCC certification process, the rumored Avata 360. Pretty excited about this one.

The FCC filing shows two model numbers, which usually hints at different bundles or battery options. This approval comes right as the clock is ticking on a potential U.S. ban. So, DJI is clearly pushing to get this out the door.

It also comes on the heels of the Antigravity A1 launch this week, meaning the A1 is now available for purchase at $1,599 for the base bundle.

Early leaks point to some really impressive specs for the Avata 360:

The filing also mentions a 38.67Wh battery compared to the 31.7Wh on the Avata 2. That’s a 22% capacity increase. It will also likely feature O4 transmission and improved obstacle sensing.

Of course, this all happens under the shadow of the potential ban, which makes this release even more significant. It could be one of the last new DJI drones we see in the U.S. for a while, but we’ll have to see how that plays out.

Speaking of DJI and the upcoming FCC restrictions, we’re collecting data. We want to hear from you and how this could affect you or your business. Even if it won’t, that’s still valuable info. Click on the link in the description and fill out as much as you’re willing to share. We appreciate all those who have already participated. We’ll be putting this data to good use.

NASA Tests Mars Drone Navigation in Death Valley

Next up, a really cool story from NASA. The agency has been testing drones in Death Valley to prepare for future flights on Mars.

If you remember, the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars was a huge success, but it ran into problems when flying over smooth, featureless terrain like sand dunes. Its navigation system relied on tracking visual features on the ground. And when there were none, it got confused.

So to solve this for future missions, a team from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory went to the hottest, driest place on Earth to test new navigation software.

The project is called Extended Robust Aerial Autonomy, and the goal is to create drones that can fly farther and adapt to unpredictable terrain without a human in the loop.

The team brought three research drones to Death Valley and flew them in temperatures over 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius). They tested how different camera filters helped the drones track the ground and how new landing algorithms performed in cluttered areas.

This research was significant enough that the National Park Service granted them only the third research drone permit ever issued for Death Valley. The team is also working on other cool projects like a robot dog named Lassie M that can feel the ground to adjust its walk and a huge winged aircraft called the Mars Electric Reusable Flyer.

Pretty cool tech that will eventually trickle down to us.

Texas Clarifies Drone Fishing Is Illegal Under Federal Law

Next up, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has issued guidance clarifying that using a drone for fishing is illegal. Now, this isn’t a new Texas law. Instead, they’re clarifying how a long-standing federal law, the Airborne Hunting Act, applies to drones.

The law is officially known as Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 19.11, and it prohibits using an aircraft to take or attempt to take wildlife.

So, how does this apply to drone fishing? Well, the federal regulations define “aircraft” as any device used for flight in the air, which definitely includes drones. The definition of “wildlife” includes fish, and the term “take” means to pursue, hunt, capture, or even attempt to do so.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, using a drone to carry and drop your bait counts as aiding in the act of fishing, which is prohibited under the act.

This has been a popular technique for surf and bank fishermen to get their lines out past the breakers, but it’s officially off limits.

This also opens the door for other states to begin restricting drone use in hunting. We commonly see thermal drones used for deer recovery, but according to this clarification and federal regulations, this could seriously impact folks who use drones for hunting as well.

We’ve already seen Michigan uphold its ban on drone deer recovery, and states like Missouri have updated their wildlife codes to specifically address thermal drone use. Texas is now joining that conversation at the federal level.

We’ll keep you updated as we see more.

That’s a Wrap

No Postflight this week with Greg and Jason out. If you haven’t watched Postflight before, it’s kind of an extended news update where Greg, Jason, and I have an uncensored discussion on these stories and more. It’s hosted on the Pilot Institute community every week and definitely worth a watch.

Have a great weekend and we’ll see you on Monday for the live Q&A.