FAA

Part 107, Remote ID, TRUST, waivers, and the rulemaking that shapes what every pilot in America is allowed to fly.

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Oct 27

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eVTOL

Wisk Builds Hollister Vertiport to Write FAA Rules That Don't Exist Yet

Wisk broke ground on a 100-foot test vertiport at a California airport. The FAA has had no vertiport design circular since 2010.

Haye KestelooAug 26

A DJI Mini 5 Pro hovering above a field of goldenrod

State Law

Washington Commercial Drone Fees Jump 10x to $150 After Jet Tax Repeal

Washington will charge commercial drone operators $150 per aircraft a year from January 2027, up from $15, in the bill that repealed its luxury jet tax.

Haye KestelooAug 25

A man stands in a dry mountain valley field beside a large orange-and-black multirotor drone fitted with atmospheric sensors.

Technology

Rainmaker Says Its Drones Made 143M Gallons of Rain. Florida Calls Cloud Seeding a Felony

Western states are spending millions on cloud seeding. The one drone operator in the boom faces two state felony bans and a stalled FAA flare petition.

Haye KestelooAug 24

DJI Air 3 drone behind a red prohibition symbol under a pink BANNED? banner

FAA

The FCC's 'Military-Grade' Drone Definition Is Broad Enough to Catch Your DJI Neo 2

The FCC wants to redefine 'military-grade' drones so broadly it could stop sales of thermal, LiDAR, and dock-equipped models already on the market — including the LiDAR sensor in a 151-gram DJI Neo 2. Pilot Institute's Greg Reverdiau breaks down all seven categories and how to file a comment before September 2.

Greg ReverdiauAug 22

Close-up of a DJI Mini 5 Pro in flight, its gimbal camera and forward sensors facing the viewer against blurred green trees.

OPERATORS

DJI Ban Hits Home: Drone Pilots Ask Whether Their Businesses Survive

A new Part 107 pilot asked Facebook if the DJI ban killed his drone business before launch. 268 comments show what operators face ahead of September 3.

Haye KestelooAug 20

Amazon

Amazon Prime Air Promises 500 Cities This Year, One 15-Mile Circle At A Time

Amazon plans Prime Air drone delivery in nearly 500 US cities and towns by the end of 2026, adding Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Syracuse, and Boise.

Haye KestelooAug 19

DOCKET 26-189

Idaho Quadcopter Says The Drone Noose Keeps Tightening. The FCC Notice Answers One Fear

Idaho Quadcopter says tariffs and FCC rules are pushing hobbyists out. The FCC's own notice answers his biggest fear about the drones he already owns.

Haye KestelooAug 16

A quadcopter drone hovering beside a glass skyscraper with an upward arrow and the text Above 400ft Legally

FAA

Three Legal Ways To Fly A Drone Above 400 Feet, And The One Mistake That Brings Big Fines

Most new pilots think 400 feet is a hard ceiling. It isn't. Greg Reverdiau of Pilot Institute walks through the structure rule, FAA waivers, and CBO fixed sites, plus the LAANC mistake that trips up Part 107 pilots.

Greg ReverdiauAug 12

FAA

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.