Drone policy, incidents, and industry news across the United States — from statehouses to the national airspace.
This week’s Pilot Institute update covers a Colorado drone pilot facing federal charges after grounding wildfire aircraft, a new FCC request for comment that could restrict some military-grade foreign-made drone imports, and the National Press Photographers Association’s warning that the FAA’s Section 2209 rule could create permanent restrictions with no clear way to challenge them.
DJI confirms the Osmo Pocket 4P worldwide launch for July 30, 2026 at 12:00 GMT. The dual-lens gimbal camera has no US path under the FCC Covered List.
League City Police Department plans to launch a Drone as First Responder program by December after city council approved a Motorola Solutions pilot agreement built around BRINC aircraft, with the first year free and a six-year contract value of up to $1,759,980 if the city keeps the program.
Beaver Dam police officers brought their drone unit into the city's Intro to Police Work summer school class, giving elementary-age students a hands-on look at how the department flies real public-safety missions.
A drone pilot in southern Colorado is facing federal charges after allegedly flying inside the temporary flight restriction over the Aspen Acres Fire, forcing firefighting aircraft to stop flying until the airspace was clear.
James City County, Virginia will begin dispatching AED-carrying drones to suspected cardiac arrest calls on August 1, starting a five-mile pilot around Fire Station 1 in Toano. The Duke- and VCU-led RESTORe-CARE study is expanding from North Carolina into a second live U.S. county program.
Ruston Police Department says its BRINC drone Patsy helped officers identify and arrest a fraud suspect in the agency’s first drone-assisted arrest, underscoring how Drone as First Responder programs are spreading into smaller U.S. departments.
Reno police used a BRINC Drone as First Responder aircraft to track an armed suspect through a 30-minute manhunt and guide officers to a calm arrest. The incident also shows how BRINC is competing for a growing share of the U.S. public-safety drone market.
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