Proposed DJI Ban for EVERYONE, Philly Pilot Back in Court, new LiDAR, and Air Aware FRIA

Welcome to our Weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week. First, there’s a new bill proposed to ban all DJI drones for all users. This is an important issue, so please pay attention. A Philadelphia YouTuber is back in court and in deep trouble again. We also cover the WingtraOne that gets LiDAR, and finally, Airware is facilitating flight in FRAs (FAA Recognized Identification Areas). Let’s dive in.

Drone News This Week

Lei de Combate aos Drones do PCC

First up, a significant bill has emerged from the US House of Representatives, known as the Lei de Combate aos Drones do PCC, or HR 2864. This bill aims to revoke all FCC authorizations for existing and future DJI drones. For those unaware, the FCC issues approvals for devices that transmit radio frequencies, so revoking DJI’s approval would mean these drones could not legally transmit radio frequencies. This would impact all DJI drone users, including recreational flyers and those operating in non-critical infrastructures.

The bill is sponsored by Wisconsin Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, alongside co-sponsors Corey Mills from Florida, Michael Guest from Mississippi, and John Moolenaar from Michigan. We urge you to contact your representatives if you oppose this bill. Over a thousand people have already done so at the time of this recording.

Philadelphia’s “Dronelife” YouTuber faces a new legal challenge

Next, Philadelphia’s “Dronelife” YouTuber faces a new legal challenge. The FAA has proposed a $182,000 fine against him for dangerous flying back in 2021. A new complaint in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleges repeated violations despite previous warnings and Education from the FAA.

The complaint lists 26 incidents between December 29, 2019, and August 4, 2020, with each violation potentially costing $1,500 under Federal Aviation Regulations, totaling $182,000 in fines.

Wingtra released a new LIDAR unit

On a brighter note, Wingtra has released a new LIDAR unit for their WingtraOne Gen 2, offering vertical accuracy of 3 cm from 200 feet high and the capability to map 890 acres in a single flight. This is a game-changer for mapping and LIDAR applications over large areas. The LIDAR payload is priced at about $6,000, which is quite reasonable.

Airware includes FAA Recognized Identification Areas

Lastly, due to popular demand, Aloft Airware now includes FAA Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs) in their app, allowing users to identify where they can fly their drones without Remote ID. We are excited to continue updating Airware with new features based on your feedback.

Thank you for watching. As always, like, subscribe, and we’ll see you next week.