Haye Kesteloo is the Editor in Chief and Founder of DroneXL.co, where he covers all drone-related news, DJI rumors and writes drone reviews, and of EVXL.co, for all electric vehicle news. Haye can be reached at haye @ dronexl.co or @hayekesteloo. Also on LinkedIn, Muck Rack, Instagram and YouTube.
Australia’s aviation authority has officially confirmed that the DJI Mini 5 Pro will be classified as a “small restricted RPA” rather than a sub-250g micro drone, according to correspondence obtained by Adelaide drone operator Corey Roberts of Airworks Pty Ltd. The decision places Australia firmly in line with the United States, Canada, and the United…
A new entry in DJI’s shell company lineup has appeared on Amazon, but U.S. pilots can’t buy it yet. The Skyrover S1 mini drone, distinct from the previously reported Skyrover X1—represents a different strategy from DJI’s rebranding playbook. Rather than cloning existing models, this unreleased drone appears to hybridize the budget-friendly DJI Mini 4K camera…
DJI’s shell company strategy continues expanding with the Skyany X1, a new Amazon-available drone that’s essentially identical to the previously reported Skyrover X1—both rebranded DJI Mini 4 Pro drones manufactured in Malaysia. The discovery, highlighted in a recent video by Half Chrome‘s Jack Towne, reveals how DJI is accelerating its workaround operations as the December…
German defense giant Rheinmetall has accelerated loitering munitions production to full capacity at its Italian facilities, securing over $213 million in orders from eight European countries as the Ukraine war drives unprecedented demand for precision strike drones. The company announced that series production is now operating at “full speed” at two plants in Sardinia operated…
A drone hovering at just 75 feet near San Diego International Airport’s active runway created a dangerous close call with incoming passenger aircraft in late August, with air traffic control recordings revealing confusion about whether the aircraft was authorized police equipment or an illegal operation. The drone incident highlights growing coordination gaps as police drone…
The Transportation Security Administration has proposed security screening requirements that would require fingerprint background checks for retail employees who handle items delivered by drones—potentially including every Walmart worker who stocks shelves. Industry leaders are pushing back hard, warning the regulations could kill the drone delivery business just as it’s gaining momentum. The prop
The U.S. Army is canceling billions of dollars in traditional weapons programs and replacing them with commercial-style drones after an experimental brigade achieved three times the normal enemy kill rate using tactics borrowed directly from Ukraine’s drone revolution. Col. Joshua Glonek’s 3,500-soldier brigade from the 10th Mountain Division killed three times as many enemy fighters…
A major rail workers union has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to prohibit drone flights over rail yards and main lines, arguing that railroad management is increasingly using unmanned aircraft for employee surveillance in what the union calls one of the most dangerous work environments in America. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail…
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