News, deep dives, and analysis — every Florida story, newest first.
I’ve been tracking Florida’s disastrous DJI drone ban for over a year, and the bill is finally coming due. When we first reported on St. Cloud’s $890,000 Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program last month, the story was about the exorbitant cost of compliance. Now, new data shows the program is an operational success,…
We have been reporting on how private equity and venture capital are reshaping the drone industry for years. Today, The New York Times published an investigation that exposes the identical playbook being used against volunteer fire departments, and the parallels are impossible to ignore. The pattern is now undeniable: Wall Street investors are systematically targeting…
Arizona fire chief warns looming DJI ban will cost lives: "In my opinion, lives are going to be lost because this air capability is going to be taken away."
The Army’s push to scale up unmanned systems took a public step forward during the Drone Maneuver Competition at the National Drone Association Conference in Winter Park, Florida, where the Army Drone Team demonstrated speed, accuracy and teamwork, while showing how competitive flying can strengthen real-world operational skill, according to The Department of War press…
The St. Cloud Police Department has become the first in Central Florida to implement a fully autonomous “Drone as First Responder” (DFR) program, according to AirMed&Rescue. It is a move that highlights the soaring cost of public safety compliance under Florida’s strict new anti-China drone laws. While the program promises to reduce response times, it…
Florida is seeing a sharp rise in unauthorized drone flights as the holiday season pushes thousands of new drones into the hands of first time pilots, and aviation experts say many of these operators simply do not understand the rules before taking off, which is creating safety risks across the state, as My News 13…
Florida schools may soon get a new air force, as News 4 Jax reports. And no, it is not staffed by teachers with pilot licenses. A team of former Navy operators and top drone racers has built a drone system that can respond to an active shooter in about fifteen seconds. The company behind it,…
Republican infighting over Chinese drone restrictions could determine whether DJI survives in the American market. A Capitol Hill push by GOP China hawks to impose new restrictions on DJI is facing unexpected resistance from Republican senators who warn the company’s drones have become critical tools for U.S. farming and energy firms, according to Politico. The…
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