Billy Kyle

News, deep dives, and analysis — every Billy Kyle story, newest first.

Articles

Beats covered

Reporters on beat

Sep 27

Last updated

Top-down drone photo of a Main Line estate near Philadelphia showing the gray roof, brick patio and swimming pool surrounded by trees

Billy Kyle · Industry

Redfin Just Handed Drone Pilots a Client Checklist. Use It

Redfin tells home sellers how to prep for a drone shoot. Here is the checklist pilots should send clients, with photos by Billy Kyle and Ken Dono.

Haye KestelooSep 276 min read

FAA's ICE NOTAM Gets Teeth: Change 13 Is the Enforcement Escalation Drone Pilots Should Fear - FAA Cracks Down on Drone Violations with $341,413 in Proposed Penalties - FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024: Key Changes for Drones and Advanced Air Mobility

FAA

FAA publishes FDC 6/2824, scrapping the ‘ICE NOTAM’ blanket drone ban and adopting ‘Department of War’ language

FAA issues FDC 6/2824 replacing the ICE NOTAM: drops blanket drone ban and National Defense Airspace classification, adds Department of War and DOJ to covered agencies.

Haye KestelooApr 15

FAA

FAA’s ICE NOTAM Gets Teeth: Change 13 Is the Enforcement Escalation Drone Pilots Should Fear

FAA Order 2150.3C Change 13 removes investigator discretion for drone pilots, mandating legal action for violations of invisible DHS/ICE mobile restrictions under NOTAM FDC 6/4375.

Haye KestelooMar 12

DJI Bolsters Drone Data Security with FlightHub 2 On-Premises and 2025 White Paper

DJI

Wilmington PD Expands DJI Drone Fleet

The Wilmington Police Department is quietly building one of the more capable local police drone programs in North Carolina, and this week it gave WWAY3 a closer look at the aircraft helping officers respond faster and safer. Front and center was the Avata, a compact FPV that looks more like something from a racing league…

Rafael SuárezFeb 26

Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4: Why the Upgrade’s Worth the Fight

Legal

200 Million TikTok Users Got Four Deadline Extensions. ~850,000 Drone Pilots Got Nothing. Here’s Why.

When TikTok faced its January 2025 ban deadline, something remarkable happened. The app briefly went dark. Users flooded RedNote in protest, with 3 million Americans downloading a Chinese app they couldn’t even read as a middle finger to Congress. The story dominated news cycles for days. President Trump extended the deadline. Then extended it again.…

Haye KestelooJan 25

Amazon

DJI Mavic 4 Pro Hits Amazon With Up To 19% Discounts: Your Complete Buying Guide

DJI Mavic 4 Pro now available on Amazon with Prime shipping and up to 19% off. Three packages from $2,199. Stock limited after FCC Covered List expansion.

Haye KestelooJan 14

Amazon

DJI Avata 2 Hits 15% Off on Amazon: Two FPV Combos Worth Considering Before Inventory Tightens

After spending the morning tracking DJI deals across Amazon, two DJI Avata 2 discounts stand out for pilots who have been waiting to jump into FPV flying. The DJI Avata 2 Fly Smart Combo has dropped to $789 from $929, while the Fly More Combo with upgraded Goggles 3 sits at $849, down from $999.…

Haye KestelooJan 13

DJI

DJI Ban: Why Everyone Owes Drone Pilots Honest Answers

DJI's Head of Global Policy Adam Welsh sat down with YouTuber Faruk from iPhonedo to discuss the December 23 DJI ban. Hard questions ...

Haye KestelooDec 18

Billy Kyle

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.