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Rafael Suárez

Rafael Suárez

Rafael Suárez is a drone journalist and content creator with more than 20 years behind the lens. He began in film photography in 1998, moved to digital in 2005, and has been flying and filming with drones since 2016. As a commercial videographer he has produced work for premium brands including BMW, Porsche, and MINI, and his documentary work champions a #flysafe mentality across the industry. Based in Quito, Ecuador, he covers drone news, hardware, and the policy and business shaping the industry for DroneXL, and shares reviews and cinematic flight on his YouTube channel. A dad and a lifelong aviation nerd, he's happiest when something is in the air.

1,178
Articles
144
Beats covered
2025
Writing since
Aug 13
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DJI Drone Helps Find Missing Elderly Man in the Cold
DJI

DJI Drone Helps Find Missing Elderly Man in the Cold

A DJI drone helped rescue a missing 90-year-old Atoka County man who spent nearly 12 hours lost in freezing temperatures. Wagoner County Emergency Management deployed its team after Oklahoma officials called for help. Ground crews, horses, and even the National Guard searched the area, but it was the drone team that made the breakthrough. Volunteer…

Contraband is entering Georgia prisons from Drones— again
White House

Contraband is entering Georgia prisons from Drones again

Contraband delivery by drone has surged recently inside Georgia’s prison system, as reported by The Georgia Recorder. Previously, a months-long investigation that led to 150 arrests had driven drone activity down. In December, only 15 drone incidents had been reported. But by November, incidents climbed to 63, a sharp resurgence. The illicit drops range from…

Dutch Mobile Anti Drone Fix Before Skyranger Arrives
Counter-Drone

Dutch Mobile Anti Drone Fix Before Skyranger Arrives

The Netherlands is rushing to build a mobile anti drone system after seeing how fast drones are reshaping modern war. As reported by Defense News, Dutch officials want something that troops can use right now while they wait for the first Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 units, which will not arrive until 2028. State Secretary for Defence…

Young Pilots Impress at the 2025 Dee Howard Drone Competition
DJI

Young Pilots Impress at the 2025 Dee Howard Drone Competition

San Antonio’s largest drone competition showed how hands-on learning is shaping the next generation of technical talent. Nearly two hundred fifty students from sixteen school districts filled the Boeing Center at Tech Port for the 2025 Dee Howard Foundation Drone Competition. Eleven of those districts came from the San Antonio area. Students worked through tight…

Taiwan’s Drone Takeover Plan Sparks Big Security Debate
Counter-Drone

Taiwan’s Drone Takeover Plan Sparks Big Security Debate

Taiwan is moving fast to build new systems that can stop small commercial drones from flying near airports, power plants, and other key sites, as SCMP reports. Part of the plan includes takeover technology. This tech can jam a drone, spoof its signals, and even hack it so operators can land it safely. At a…

Magnus Effect Drone Looks Like It Should Not Fly
Technology

Magnus Effect Drone Looks Like It Should Not Fly

Most drones follow a formula that feels almost automatic now. Four rotors. Stable electronics. Predictable flight. Even the more exotic platforms stick to familiar ideas, like hexacopters, octocopters, or tilt rotors that shift between hover and cruise. But once in a while a build appears that ignores every rule. Starsistor’s latest creation is one of…

DJI Neo 2 Makes the Neo 1 Cry in 4K
DJI

DJI Neo 2 Makes the Neo 1 Drone Cry in 4K

Almost a year ago, I bought the DJI Neo. Back then, I imagined it would be the cheerful little budget drone that could introduce beginners to the joy of flying without scaring their wallets into therapy. And in many ways, the Neo 1 did deliver… within reason. Very reasonable reason. The kind of reason where…

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8,400+
Articles published
340+
Beats & desks
2020
Covering drones since
100%
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