Contraband
Gangs Deploy Super-Drones to UK Prisons — Is Jailbreak 2.0 Here?
Can you imagine high-tech drones buzzing over prison walls, not just smuggling tiny parcels, but lifting actual inmates to freedom? Sounds like
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DJI
FCC Grants Itself Authority to Retroactively Ban Drones, DJI Neo 2 and L3 LiDAR Leak, Plus $300K Fireworks Fine
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update, Halloween edition, where scary politicians create scary laws. I have three stories for you this week: The FCC votes on new powers, DJI drone and payload leaks, and a California homeowner facing a massive $300,000 fine based on—well, you’ll see—drone stuff. FCC Votes to Grant Itself Retroactive Ban…
DJI
Extreme Condition Flying With The Mini 5 Pro: Waterfalls
Today is another day of pushing the DJI Mini 5 to its physical, mental, and emotional limits. I travel all over Ecuador to get the best landscapes
US Army
101st Airborne Soldiers Build $740 Combat Drone After Telling Leadership ‘I Can Build That’
Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are building disposable combat drones for less than $800 each, dramatically undercutting commercial alternatives that cost up to $11,000 while delivering the same battlefield capabilities. The Attritable Battlefield Enabler, or ABE 1.01, costs just $740 at scale and provides small units with reconnaissance, target acquisition, and the ability to…
DJI
Trump–Xi Truce Pauses BIS ‘50% Affiliates’ Rule — But DJI Still Faces Dec. 23 FCC Deadline
A one-year U.S.–China trade truce announced after President Trump met President Xi in Busan includes a pause of the Commerce/BIS “50% affiliates” rule, tariff trims, and commitments on soybeans, fentanyl precursors, and rare earths. It does not stop the NDAA clock that could put DJI on the FCC Covered List on December 23, 2025 if…
DJI
DJI NEO 2 Hands-On: Chinese Reviewer Shows Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance and Dual-Axis Gimbal in Action
Chinese drone specialist Huaiba from “怀爸疯科技” (Huaiba Crazy Tech) has published an extensive hands-on review of the DJI NEO 2, providing the first detailed look at how the upgraded palm-launched drone performs in real-world conditions. His YouTube video demonstrates the NEO 2’s new dual-axis gimbal, omnidirectional obstacle avoidance system, and dramatically improved tracking capabilities through…
DJI
DJI Mini 5 Pro DLOG M Color Recovery – Easy Color Grading In The DJI Fly App
Good day folks. Shawn here from Air Photography. If you’re brand new to the DJI Mini 5 Pro drone and want to unlock the benefits of shooting in D-LOG M without spending months learning color grading, I’ve got great news: all the tools you need are built right into the DJI Fly app. In my…
DJI
DJI Neo 2 Launches In Asia With Major Camera And Safety Upgrades As U.S. Availability Remains Uncertain
DJI officially launched the Neo 2 drone in Asia on October 30, 2025, bringing substantial upgrades to its palm-launched platform including a larger 1/2-inch camera sensor, dual-axis gimbal stabilization, and comprehensive obstacle avoidance sensors. The Neo 2 represents DJI’s most capable sub-250-gram drone yet—but American drone pilots face an uncertain path to accessing one. The…
DJI
DJI Urges U.S. Government To Complete Security Review As Retroactive Ban Powers Take Effect
DJI issued its first official statement to DroneXL following the FCC’s unanimous vote earlier this week, warning that the company faces automatic addition to the agency’s Covered List in 55 days—potentially triggering retroactive bans that could affect recently released drones, such as the DJI Mini 5 Pro. The statement from Adam Welsh, Head of Global…
DJI
Drone Detective Bot Tracks DJI-Linked Companies Through Wireless Frequency Fingerprints
Security researcher, Konrad Iturbe has created an automated system that identifies companies selling DJI-based drones under alternative brand names by detecting the unique wireless “fingerprints” embedded in their FCC filings—a technical paper trail that reveals the true origins of drone hardware regardless of corporate branding. Iturbe’s detection methodology, detailed in his October 25, 2025 res
Police
Canada’s First Anti-Drone Prison Task Force Cuts Contraband Drops 50% in Nine Months
A basketball stuffed with tobacco and cellphones. Ceramic knives that slip past metal detectors. Drones equipped with deep-sea fishing release mechanisms. These are just some of the seized contraband items displayed by a groundbreaking joint task force in Kingston, Ontario—Canada’s first dedicated anti-drone smuggling operation targeting correctional facilities. After nine months of coordinated op
DJI
DJI’s $400 Million Problem: Italy Investigates Drone Giant For Squeezing Retailers
A $400 million fine. Raids on retailer locations. Allegations of supply threats against independent dealers. While DJI battles U.S. security reviews, Italy just opened an investigation into the company’s alleged price-fixing scheme—and the evidence was seized from distributor offices last week. Italy’s competition authority has opened an investigation into Chinese drone maker DJI and its…
DJI
DJI NEO 2 DELAYED – China First. Europe Release Date In November
For everyone outside Asia excited to order a DJI Neo 2 tomorrow…. I am sorry, but you won’t be able to. There are a number of reasons why this might be happening, but one of the more prominent explanations is that DJI is changing tactics and is going full “China first” with their marketing. But…
Zipline
1X’s $20,000 NEO Humanoid Robot Launches With A Catch: It Needs Humans To Do Your Chores
California-based 1X Technologies opened pre-orders this week for NEO, the first consumer-ready humanoid robot designed to handle household tasks—but Wall Street Journal testing revealed a surprising reality. The $20,000 robot that promises to fold your laundry and load your dishwasher can’t actually do any of that autonomously yet. Every task requires a remote human operator…
DJI
DJI Teases Mystery Device With “In Tune With Every Move” Launch Event
DJI dropped a cryptic teaser on X this morning, sparking immediate speculation that the drone giant may be entering an entirely new product category. The mysterious announcement, posted to DJI’s official social media channels, reveals little more than a circular, button-like device with a glowing green LED and the intriguing tagline “In Tune With Every…
DJI
FCC Grants Itself Retroactive Power To Ban DJI Drones, Shell Companies Face December Deadline
The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 yesterday to grant itself unprecedented authority to retroactively ban equipment from companies on its Covered List, directly targeting DJI’s rapidly expanding network of shell companies ahead of a critical December 23 deadline. The FCC can now block devices containing Covered List components and revoke previously authorized equipment in specific…
Xiaomi
DJI’s $15 Mobile Receiver Transforms Smartphone Audio—But U.S. Creators Can’t Buy It
Youtuber iPhonedo has uncovered a quietly released DJI accessory that could revolutionize mobile audio recording—if American customers could actually purchase it. The DJI Mic Series Mobile Receiver, a tiny $15 device that enables wireless microphone connections directly to smartphones, has been available in China since mid-October but remains conspicuously absent from U.S. markets as DJI…
DJI
DJI Enterprise Teases Possible Zenmuse L3 LiDAR Payload For November 4 Launch
DJI Enterprise has released a teaser pointing to a November 4, 2025 launch event at 7 AM EST, with leaked photos suggesting the reveal could be a new LiDAR mapping payload—possibly the rumored Zenmuse L3. The cryptic tagline “See Through, Far and True” accompanied by a distinctive pink/purple display screen visible in both the teaser…
DJI
DJI Mini 5 Pro’s 250-Gram Drone Problem: Inside The Last-Minute Design Changes That Broke The Weight Limit
An industry insider has revealed the specific pre-production decisions that pushed the DJI Mini 5 Pro drone over the critical 250-gram regulatory threshold, ending four generations of the company’s success in the sub-250g category. According to the long-time trusted DroneXL source, two last-minute design changes—new propellers and an upgraded speaker—added approximately four grams total, transform
FPV
Get Your Ham, Save Your Bacon
Most drone operators are breaking this law without realizing it. You are actually required to have a ham radio license in order to operate analog FPV systems in the US.
Reviews
iFlight Nazgul Evoke F5 V3 Review: The Dual-Geometry FPV Drone That Does It All
Today I’m excited to finally share my thoughts on the iFlight Nazgul Evoke F5 V3 with the DJI O4 Air Unit Pro, which I’ve been flying for the past couple of weeks and I have a lot to say about. In his latest video, Mike from Drone Supremacy puts this innovative ready-to-fly FPV drone through…
DJI
DJI Mini 4 Pro vs Mini 5 Pro: The Biggest Upgrade Has Nothing to Do With Image Quality
After weeks of testing both the DJI Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro in Alaska’s demanding conditions, I discovered the most compelling reason to upgrade has little to do with the new 1-inch sensor. In my latest video, I break down everything from image quality and flight performance to the design changes that actually…
Legal
Drone Surveillance Nets $300,000 Fine For California Homeowner Who Says He “Wasn’t Even Home”
A California homeowner faces a staggering $300,000 fine after a city drone recorded illegal fireworks at his property on July 4th—even though he insists he wasn’t there. The case, part of a nearly $1 million drone enforcement crackdown in Stanton, raises troubling questions about warrantless aerial surveillance, constitutional protections against excessive fines, and whether property…
China
China’s Military Deploys Cost-Efficient DeepSeek AI Across Drone Swarms and Robot Dogs
China’s People’s Liberation Army has rapidly integrated DeepSeek artificial intelligence into military weapons systems ranging from autonomous combat vehicles to drone swarms, according to a Reuters investigation that reviewed hundreds of research papers, patents, and procurement records. The development threatens to reshape the balance of autonomous warfare capabilities between Beijing and Washin
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