China

Export controls, the Shenzhen supply chain, and the geopolitics of the world’s drone-manufacturing superpower.

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Oct 19

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DJI

DJI Power 1000 Mini Global Launch Set for April 20

DJI's newest addition to its Power lineup is officially going global with the DJI Power 1000 Mini, a more compact, feature-packed power station.

Josh SpiresApr 14

DJI

DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Photographed Up Close by OsitaLV Ahead of Expected April Launch

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 showed up in close-up photos posted today by OsitaLV (@OsitaLV on X), a verified DJI BBS pilot and aerial filmmaker with 24,000 followers. The two images show the camera body and quick-start guide inside what appears to be a carrying case, giving the clearest look yet at the physical hardware.…

Haye KestelooApr 8

Overhead black-and-white view of a DJI Phantom quadcopter surrounded by folding DJI Mavic drones and other multirotors arranged on a white surface

DJI

First DJI Pocket 4 Unboxing Points to April 16 Launch

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 just went from packaging leaks to hands-on video. The first unboxing footage of the upcoming gimbal camera has surfaced on YouTube, and it includes a specific claim: the official launch date is April 16, 2026. If that holds, DJI’s most anticipated camera of the year arrives sooner than most of…

Rafael SuárezApr 8

Skydio

WSJ exposes Chinese parts inside America’s humanoid robots, and Congress is already running the DJI playbook

WSJ reveals Tesla, Figure AI humanoid robots depend on Chinese parts. Congress is using the same ban strategy it deployed against DJI drones.

Haye KestelooApr 7

China

Chinese Researchers Release Open-Source Flight Control Software for Bamboo Drones

Researchers at Northwestern Polytechnical University’s (NPU) School of Civil Aviation in Xi’an, China have published what they describe as the world’s first open-source flight control system built specifically for bamboo-frame unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), releasing the software and hardware configuration files free to any developer worldwide. The paper appeared on February 28 in the journal…

Haye KestelooApr 6

DJI Mini 5 Pro Best Settings Guide - Best Deals on Amazon for DJI Drones - The Toy Association lobbied its way to an FCC toy-drone exemption while DJI, Autel, and the operators who fly for a living stay banned. A look at who wins in Washington.

Police

China built the world’s drone industry, now it’s grounding its own pilots

China is imposing some of the harshest drone restrictions on the planet, even as its government pours billions into building a “low-altitude economy” around the same technology. The New York Times reports that new regulations taking effect in May will require real-name registration for all drones, advance permits for flights in restricted zones covering most…

Haye KestelooApr 5

Wildfire

House Passes ACERO Act Unanimously, Sending Drone Wildfire Bill to Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 390, the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) Act, by a unanimous vote on February 24, 2026, sending the bipartisan wildfire drone bill to the Senate. Sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA-20) and co-led by Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-4), the legislation directs NASA to expand its existing…

Haye KestelooMar 27

Brinc

BRINC Launches Guardian Drone With Starlink and New Seattle Factory to Scale 911 Response

BRINC launches Guardian, the world’s first Starlink-connected 911 response drone, with 8-mile range, 62-minute flight time, and a new Seattle factory.

Haye KestelooMar 24

China

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.