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DroneXL readers, get ready for a story that’s wilder than a DJI Mavic chasing a Hawaiian sunset. In Hawaii, drones are dropping mosquitoes from the skies—not to ruin your picnic, but to save endangered birds.A CNN report details how conservationists are using drones to release lab-reared mosquitoes over Maui and Kauai to combat avian malaria,…
Good day, folks. Shawn here from Air Photography. So, a couple of days ago, DJI released a firmware update for both the DJI RC Pro 2 and the DJI RC 2. This new firmware update is pretty small, but it adds the ability to add a password to your controller. That’s going to give you…
Brace yourselves, pilots: The SkyRover X1 mini drone just dropped, looking suspiciously DJI-familiar. Your top queries, answered with zero fluff. Good day, folks. Shawn here from Air Photography. So, this is going to be a question-and-answer style video for the new SkyRover X1 mini drone. This was launched earlier this week, and there’s been a…
What if a simple ping-pong ball could stop a monster wildfire? That’s the dramatic reality unfolding northeast of Redding right now. In an innovative approach to battling the Green Fire northeast of Redding, California, U.S. Forest Service firefighters deploy drones to drop ping-pong balls filled with chemicals, to spark controlled backfires in inaccessible terrain. This…
We have three stories for you this week. First, DEXA secures a nationwide BVLOS waiver for drone deliveries. DroneDeploy launches Progress AI, and a drone pilot finds a missing girl in Wisconsin. Let’s get to it. First of all, let me acknowledge the fact that I am not Greg. It’s Ben. Greg and the team…
Picture this: A truck of ‘refrigerators’ lands in Russia, but they’re really powering killer drones – the wild story behind Beijing’s sanction sidestep. Chinese manufacturers have covertly supplied engines to a Russian drone maker, labeling them as “industrial refrigeration units” to evade Western sanctions, enabling a surge in attack drone output for use in Ukraine.…
DroneXL’s Jasper Ellens has obtained an exclusive YouTube review video of the yet-to-be-released DJI Osmo 360, set for launch on July 31, 2025. This sponsored hands-on showcase provides drone professionals and recreational pilots with an initial impression of the new 360-degree camera, highlighting its potential for immersive aerial and ground footage integration. Source and Sponsorship…
the U.S. military’s recent test of small, long-range attack drones at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, was less a triumph and more a lesson in humility
Brace yourself: DJI’s diving into 360 cams with 8K power, challenging GoPro and Insta360 head-on. DJI just dropped a short teaser on its channels, hinting that its new DJI Osmo 360 camera is just around the corner and ready to take on the likes of GoPro and Insta360 in the fully spherical video space. The…
Buckle up, pilots: The FAA just ditched outdated rules, opening skies to advanced light-sport aircraft – including potential eVTOL game-changers. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a new FAA rule at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, that eliminates outdated regulations hindering innovation and safety in recreational Light Sport aviation. This development expands the…
In the city that never sleeps, drones are waking up to watch over us: Mayor Adams’ latest tech move explained. New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the formation of the Drone Operations Committee on July 23, 2025, appointing Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry as chair. This initiative coordinates drone operations across city…
Picture drones buzzing over Ukraine, each carrying a 33-pound warhead, powered by Chinese tech meant for hobbyists. On July 22, 2025, Ukraine’s DIU exposed this reality, raising alarms for drone pros. The Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) revealed that a new Russian drone, which uses a Chinese-sourced technology, serves the dual purpose of a decoy and…
Building defenses that swat drones like flies without breaking the bank. A National Interest report dives into a Pentagon task force tackling drone
Security researcher Kevin Finisterre, working with peer experts, has now linked the SkyRover X1—the drone reviewed recently by Shawn of Air Photography—straight to DJI’s cloud via code hidden in its smartphone app. This confirms earlier hunches that SkyRover is little more than a renamed DJI Mini 4 Pro, a finding that arrives as U.S. lawmakers…
Colombia’s military tests a new domestically produced drone that packs significant firepower to counter escalating aerial attacks from drug traffickers, who arm cheap commercial models with homemade explosives. This development highlights the rapid evolution of drone technology in asymmetric conflicts, as reported by NPR. Criminal Groups Arm Drones for Surveillance and Strikes Drug traffickers in…
South Korea’s defense ministry suspended Major General Kim Yong-dae, head of the Drone Operations Command, over suspicions that military drones were illegally sent to North Korea last year as part of preparations for former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law imposition. This development raises questions about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in sensitive inter-Korean…
Hong Kong’s police force is advancing its use of drones in urban and border patrols, leading to quick detections and arrests in initial trials, as part of a broader “smart policing” strategy. This development highlights how drones are becoming integral tools for law enforcement, offering aerial surveillance that complements ground operations. Initial Drone Patrol Trials…
A leading drone industry executive has sounded the alarm on unregulated drone operations, highlighting a recent collision during Texas flood rescues as a stark example of preventable dangers. In an opinion piece published on Fox News, Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp, urges immediate action to modernize U.S. airspace management before threats turn catastrophic.…
Drone fans, prepare to have your heartstrings tugged! A volunteer drone pilot in Milton, Wisconsin, used a DJI drone to find a missing 4-year-old girl in a dense cornfield.
Good day, folks! Shawn here from Air Photography. Today, I’m excited to share a new drone entering the market: the SkyRover X1. The sub-250 g drone market is flooded with options, and I usually steer clear because many are lackluster and underperform. However, the Sky Rover X1 is an exception. Initially, I was hesitant when…
A computer engineering student at St. Mary’s University is leveraging artificial intelligence to create data that teaches drones to mimic bird-like flight patterns, potentially revolutionizing extended missions like search and rescue by addressing power limitations. Joshua Riojas, 22, draws on machine learning to help unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) stay aloft longer using natural air currents.…
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its final report on a drone light show gone wrong, where 427 of the 500 drones plummeted into Victoria Harbor, Australia, in July 2023. The show was held in support of the Matildas, Australia’s national women’s soccer team, ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Drone…
The Laredo Police Department has launched a drone program that dispatches autonomous aircraft to high-priority 911 calls, enabling them to deliver Narcan during overdoses, provide live footage to officers, and arrive at scenes in less than three minutes. This initiative expands the department’s use of drones beyond traditional surveillance and crime scene tasks into real-time…
Hyundai Motor Company advances drone-assisted forest restoration with the IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station, a system that deploys large drones to scatter seed balls in wildfire-scarred areas, promising faster recovery in hard-to-reach terrains. This development builds on the company’s 2023 IONIQ 5 Monitoring Drone Station and targets regions like Uljin on Korea’s East Coast,…
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