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We have been tracking the evolution of Russia’s Shahed drones since at least the invasion of Ukraine, and the latest development is the most significant tactical shift yet. Just five weeks after they strapped an R-60 air-to-air missile to a Shahed, they’ve done it again, this time with a MANPADS. This isn’t experimentation anymore. This…
It was clear that Trump’s tariffs were never going to stop DJI. Now one of the most influential voices in US-China tech competition is making the same argument in the Financial Times. Chris Miller, author of the Pulitzer Prize-finalist book “Chip War” that shaped Washington’s semiconductor policy, published an opinion piece this weekend analyzing why…
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,…
Two weeks ago, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr signed the order that effectively killed DJI’s future in America. On Thursday, he’ll take the stage at CES 2026, the very show where DJI spent a decade building its brand, for a “fireside chat” that’s been carefully designed to avoid the questions drone pilots actually need answered, reports…
A missing man in Campbellsville, Kentucky, was located safely Thursday night after a coordinated multi agency search that included UAV drone operations, ground teams, and emergency alerts. Campbellsville Fire Rescue confirmed the subject was found less than a quarter mile from his last known location and transported for medical evaluation with non life threatening injuries,…
When people hear “drone school,” they often imagine a room full of soldiers flying quadcopters into walls like it’s their first time with a PlayStation controller. The reality is far more serious, far more technical, and considerably more expensive. The US Department of War runs the Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems University at Fort…
Wichita police arrested a 46 year old man early Friday morning after an armed robbery at a Circle K convenience store, with a Skydio X10 police drone playing a decisive role in locating and capturing the suspect, as reported by KWCH 12 News. Officers were dispatched at 5:20 a.m. to the Circle K located at…
Autonomous drones are no longer a future promise for law enforcement. In Grand Chute, Wisconsin, police are already letting software and sensors arrive before squad cars. Since April 2025, the Grand Chute Police Department has been running a pilot drone as a first responder program, collecting real world data on how autonomous aircraft can support…
Luke Maximo Bell’s team has reclaimed the record of making the “World’s Fastest Drone”, for the fourth time! In a new Peregreen V4 build video, Bell documents what changed after Australian aerospace engineer Benjamin Biggs took the crown with a 626 km/h (about 389 mph) run, and how the Bell team responded with a full…
If you live in a community that gets hammered by wildfire smoke, agricultural drift, or industrial emissions, “check the air quality” can be easy advice to give and hard advice to follow. The closest official monitor might be miles away, and the conditions can change street by street. If the only way to see the…
Walmart is quietly turning Tampa Bay into a test runway, and this time the landing zone might be your lawn, as reported by Bizjournals. The retail giant has filed plans with Hillsborough County to roll out drone delivery operations at up to seven Walmart stores across the Tampa area, partnering once again with Alphabet owned…
The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District has begun using drones to locate mosquito breeding sites and stop outbreaks before
In many rural parts of Africa, vaccines face an enemy more dangerous than misinformation or logistics, heat. Nearly one in four doses are thrown away simply because they fall outside the narrow temperature range they need to stay effective, a quiet tragedy when every vial represents protection that never reached an arm. Now Rwanda is…
Hong Kong has been easing into the drone era politely. First medical deliveries. Then a few food runs. Very civilized. No airborne chaos. No dystopian sky traffic jams yet but the city is clearly done with baby steps. At the Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 event at AsiaWorld Expo, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Transport and Logistics,…
When the FCC quietly added foreign made drones and components to its Covered List last week, the move was framed as a clean national
Mykhailo Fedorov, the man who built Ukraine’s “Army of Drones” from scratch, is taking over as Defense Minister. This isn’t just a cabinet shuffle – it’s Ukraine officially declaring that drone warfare is now the foundation of national defense strategy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the nomination on January 2, 2026, explicitly stating that Fedorov’s task…
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. I have four stories for you this week that show just how much is happening in this industry right now, from a life-saving rescue in Kentucky to regulatory changes you need to know about if you’re planning to submit a waiver. This week’s stories: Let’s get to it.…
Drones have become a serious and persistent security threat inside Oklahoma state prisons, fundamentally changing how contraband enters correctional facilities, as Koko 5 ABC reports. According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, drones have been used to deliver illegal items into prisons for at least the past four to five years, steadily replacing older smuggling…
A lost hiker was safely rescued in the McKenzie Bridge area of Oregon on December 26 thanks to a coordinated search effort that included drone technology, infrared imaging, and ground crews navigating difficult terrain. The operation highlights how unmanned aircraft systems are becoming a standard tool in modern search and rescue missions, especially in rugged…
The Avata 360 is FCC approved, under 250 grams, and brings true spherical 360 capture into an FPV platform. That alone puts it
Las Vegas officially slipped into the Upside Down this week, at least according to Netflix, after a massive drone show brought the world of Stranger Things to life above the Strip, as USA Today reports. The Hawkins inspired spectacle took place on Sunday, December 28, using an eye watering 5,000 drones to recreate iconic moments…
I’ve been tracking the expansion of police counter-drone capabilities for months, and what just happened is bigger than the headlines suggest. Missouri received $14.24 million in federal funding for World Cup drone security, but that’s not the real story. The real story is that FEMA just deployed the first phase of a $500 million program…
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works just ran a live AI demonstration that hits on one of the hardest problems in autonomy – the unknown of what happens when an unmanned mission goes sideways. In the demonstration, Lockheed’s AI-driven contingency management software detected simulated fuel issues on a Stalker XE drone, generated updated mission options in seconds,…
2025 is coming to an end, and I’ve been reflecting on what an incredible lineup DJI has when it comes to drones. No matter what your needs, no matter your budget, there’s a perfect drone for you. I get asked all the time about my favorite drone or which one I recommend. I usually give…
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