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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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Medford Drone Catches Drive-By Shooter at Walmart
Walmart

Medford Drone Catches Drive-By Shooter at Walmart

A man suspected of firing multiple rounds into a Medford apartment complex was arrested without incident Tuesday morning. A drone spotted him first. It’s a clean, quiet example of police drone work done exactly right. From Swing Lane to the Walmart Parking Lot The shooting happened in the early hours of March 4 at an…

Gilroy Greenlights Drone as First Responder Pilot
Skydio

Gilroy Greenlights Drone as First Responder Pilot

The Gilroy City Council just approved its first Drone as First Responder program. The city gets the whole first year for free, as KSBW reported. That’s not a minor detail. That’s the kind of low-stakes entry point that gets hesitant councils off the fence. From “After Officers” to “Before Officers” Gilroy’s existing drone program has…

Clearwater Police Launch Skydio Drone Program for Spring Break
Skydio

Clearwater Police Launch Skydio Drone Program for Spring Break

One drone. 45 seconds to scene. A 2.5-mile beach packed with tens of thousands of people. Clearwater just made a smart bet, and the aircraft they chose says a lot about where American law enforcement is headed, as WTSP reports. Spring Break Is a Traffic Problem With a Badge Clearwater Beach is one of the…

Tulsa Deputies Used An Autel EVO II to Disarm a Suicidal Man
Autel Robotics

Tulsa Deputies Used An Autel EVO II to Disarm a Suicidal Man

No shots fired. No physical confrontation. A deputy spoke through a drone from 200 yards away and a man with a gun laid down and surrendered. This is what de-escalation looks like in 2026. A Crisis Call on the West Tulsa Levee On January 27, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office received a call about Joseph…

Oklahoma Drones Drop Poison Pellets to Kill Invasive Cedar Trees
Oklahoma

Oklahoma Drones Drop Poison Pellets to Kill Invasive Cedar Trees

Oklahoma has a slow-motion wildfire crisis growing one tree at a time. Drones dropping herbicide pellets tree by tree may be the most cost-effective answer anyone has found yet, as reported by KOSU. The Tree That Is Eating Oklahoma Eastern redcedars are winning. By 1950, they had invaded 1.5 million acres of Oklahoma. By 1985…

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