DEALS

United States

Drone policy, incidents, and industry news across the United States — from statehouses to the national airspace.

2,622
Articles
182
Beats covered
11
Reporters on beat
Sep 11
Last updated
Newport News Sends Drones to 911 Calls in 90 Seconds
Police

Newport News Sends Drones to 911 Calls in 90 Seconds

Newport News, Virginia is about to start sending drones to 911 calls before officers or firefighters arrive, with some aircraft reaching a scene in under 90 seconds. The city has eight drones staged at four launch sites, ready to lift off after high-priority calls like a homicide, a shooting, a missing person, or a medical…

Drone Pilot's Motor Trick Warns Surfer of Circling Shark
Search & Rescue

Drone Pilot’s Motor Trick Warns Surfer of Circling Shark

A drone pilot in Northern California spotted a shark circling a surfer on June 10, then used the aircraft itself to push the man out of the water before anything happened. Nick Bertocchini was flying over Seascape Beach in Aptos when the shark moved in behind a surfer named Rex and began to circle. Instead…

DJI Pocket 4P US Ban Spawns a Near-Clone: Meet Muse 2 Pro
DJI

DJI Pocket 4P US Ban Spawns a Near-Clone: Meet Muse 2 Pro

American creators who wanted the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P and got blocked by the FCC now have a workaround with a familiar shape. A US-registered brand called Xtra is preparing the Muse 2 Pro, a dual-lens gimbal camera whose spec sheet reads almost line for line like the Pocket 4P that DJI cannot legally sell…

Oakland Sheriff Drones, K-9 Find Missing Holly Toddler Safe
Police

Oakland Sheriff Drones, K-9 Find Missing Holly Toddler Safe

A Holly homeowner’s doorbell camera caught an 18-month-old boy walking alone past the 500 block of Elm Street at 11:54 a.m. on June 19, and within minutes Holly Police had Oakland County Sheriff’s Office drones and a K-9 team in the air and on the ground looking for him. The aerial search ran for the…

Michigan Drone Operator Fined $575 in Jury Conviction
DJI

Michigan Drone Operator Fined $575 in Jury Conviction

A Bay County District Court jury has convicted Bay City digital creator Ray A. Rocha of interfering with a police search by flying his drone over the same airspace where Sheriff’s deputies were running their own search on November 10, 2024. The six-person jury delivered the verdict on May 1, 2026, and Judge Timothy J.…

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

Texas DPS Seizes Eight Drones at Houston World Cup TFR

The Texas Department of Public Safety has seized eight drones flown inside the Federal Aviation Administration’s Temporary Flight Restriction zone around Houston 2026 FIFA World Cup venues since the tournament opened. One operator now faces felony charges, per KHOU, after DPS Air Ops tracked the aircraft to roughly 900 feet (274 m) over a restricted area. It is the first major US sporting event…

— 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.

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