Robotics
US Marines Build HANX, The First NDAA Compliant 3D Printed Drone
The U.S. Marine Corps has quietly crossed an important threshold in military drone development by creating its first fully NDAA compliant
China
Export controls, the Shenzhen supply chain, and the geopolitics of the world’s drone-manufacturing superpower.
574
Articles
81
Beats covered
9
Reporters on beat
Sep 28
Last updated
Sony
DJI RS 5 Global Launch Brings Z-Axis Stabilization and 50% More Motor Torque to Filmmakers
DJI RS 5 launches globally with Z-axis stabilization, 50% more motor torque, and AI tracking module. Priced from $569, the gimbal supports mirrorless cameras up to 6.6 lb.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Drone Video Accidentally Advertises DJI
The Department of Homeland Security recently released a short promotional video highlighting its drone operations, complete with soaring music, slow motion aircraft, and bold on screen language about innovation and airspace security, as reported by Futurism. It is exactly the kind of polished clip meant to project confidence, control, and technical dominance. Then someone noticed…
Anduril
Anduril Launches AI Grand Prix: $500K Autonomous Drone Racing Competition Where Software Engineers Compete For Jobs
Anduril is launching the AI Grand Prix, an autonomous drone racing competition where humans don’t fly the drones—they write the software that does. The $500,000 prize pool comes with something potentially more valuable: a job offer that bypasses Anduril’s standard recruiting process, TechCrunch reports. Palmer Luckey’s Pitch: Autonomy Has Arrived The AI Grand Prix is…
Legal
200 Million TikTok Users Got Four Deadline Extensions. ~850,000 Drone Pilots Got Nothing. Here’s Why.
When TikTok faced its January 2025 ban deadline, something remarkable happened. The app briefly went dark. Users flooded RedNote in protest, with 3 million Americans downloading a Chinese app they couldn’t even read as a middle finger to Congress. The story dominated news cycles for days. President Trump extended the deadline. Then extended it again.…
DJI
DJI vs. TikTok: The Chinese Drone Giant Tried a US Strategy First, Then Abandoned It for Shell Companies
TikTok just pulled off what many considered impossible. On Thursday, ByteDance agreed to spin out a U.S. TikTok entity where non-Chinese investors will own approximately 80 percent of the American app. ByteDance keeps just 19.9 percent. The deal effectively neutralizes the national security concerns that had lawmakers demanding a sale-or-ban for years. Meanwhile, DJI sits…
DJI
China’s PLA Demos 200-Drone Swarm Controlled by Single Soldier, Revealing the Pentagon’s Worst Nightmare
China's PLA demonstrated a 200-drone swarm controlled by one soldier. We analyze the anti-jamming claims, Pentagon's Replicator struggles, and what it means.
Ukraine
China vs. Ukraine: FT Investigation Exposes Beijing’s Dual-Track Drone Strategy That Leaves Kyiv Behind
Chinese component suppliers are scheduling factory visits to ensure Ukrainian and Russian drone buyers never meet in the same building. That detail alone tells you everything about Beijing’s actual position in this war. A major Financial Times investigation published January 21, 2026 reveals the mechanics of how China has become the hidden fulcrum of the…
— The DroneXL Briefing · Free
The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.
One email with the drone news that matters — DJI, FAA, public safety, and everything in between, straight from the newsroom. No spam, no fluff.
Free forever. Unsubscribe in one click.
8,400+
Articles published
340+
Beats & desks
2020
Covering drones since
100%
Independent