Drone policy, incidents, and industry news across the United States — from statehouses to the national airspace.
Florida-based Unusual Machines has secured its largest Pentagon contract to date, winning a deal to supply 3,500 drone motors and components to the U.S. Army—just months after Donald Trump Jr. joined the company as an adviser with a $4 million stake. The Financial Times first reported the contract award on Friday, reigniting conflict-of-interest concerns that…
California-based startup Seneca has emerged from stealth mode with $60 million in funding to deploy AI-powered autonomous firefighting drones capable of suppressing wildfires within minutes of detection. The round, believed to be the largest early-stage investment in wildfire defense technology, was led by Caffeinated Capital and Convective Capital. Founded by Stuart Landesberg—who previously buil
The DJI Mini 5 Pro officially isn’t for sale in the United States—except it absolutely is, and it’s shipping faster than packages of chocolate from Canada that are being destroyed in customs. While UPS admits to “disposing of” thousands of international packages stuck in Trump’s tariff chaos, the brand-new drone that DJI won’t sell Americans…
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. In my latest video, we have three stories for you this week. A Florida senator is pushing for an emergency retroactive ban on certain DJI and Autel drones. Not good. And then we also have a new drone payload that can physically restrain suspects from the air. And…
An 8-year-old boy who walked away from his home in Merrimac, Massachusetts, was safely located within 72 minutes Thursday morning thanks to the department’s Drone Unit. Officer William David operated the drone that spotted the child in a wooded area behind his home, demonstrating how small-town police departments are using drone technology to save lives…
Western military drones like the American Switchblade have proven too expensive and ineffective for Ukraine’s high-intensity battlefield, forcing a strategic shift to mass-produced FPV drones that cost a fraction of the price. The Economist reports that sophisticated Western systems costing tens of thousands of dollars are being outperformed by Ukrainian-made drones assembled for as little…
A San Diego judge has ordered the City of Chula Vista to pay over $500,000 in legal fees after losing a groundbreaking four-year legal battle over public access to police drone videos, delivering a costly lesson in transparency that could reshape how law enforcement agencies nationwide handle drone footage requests. Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal…
Illegal drone activity is spiking across U.S. national parks as the federal government shutdown enters its 23rd day, with tour guides in Yosemite reporting multiple daily sightings compared to their normal rate of about one drone per week. The enforcement vacuum comes as the National Park Service operates with skeleton crews after losing 24% of…
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