News, deep dives, and analysis — every FCC Filing story, newest first.
Russ from 51 Drones says he got this one wrong. After arguing that DJI-style drones would keep reaching American buyers through shell companies, he now says the FCC’s latest proposal targeting nine covered UAS brands shows just how far regulators are willing to go, with the Sky Rover X1 and Xtra camera line directly in the crosshairs.
This week’s Pilot Institute update covers a Colorado drone pilot facing federal charges after grounding wildfire aircraft, a new FCC request for comment that could restrict some military-grade foreign-made drone imports, and the National Press Photographers Association’s warning that the FAA’s Section 2209 rule could create permanent restrictions with no clear way to challenge them.
The FCC extended Covered List exemptions for trusted drones through January 1, 2028, but in the same move proposed cutting off imports and sales of foreign-made thermal, LiDAR, docking, spraying, swarming, defense-integrated, and 55-pound-plus drones. That combination gives approved U.S.-aligned manufacturers more runway while putting public safety, agriculture, and survey fleets on notice.
Leaked photos and an earlier FCC filing suggest DJI is testing an Osmo 360 II prototype with a larger battery, pointing to a late-stage refresh of its 360 camera lineup.
The FCC has proposed $25,000 fines against eight companies it suspects of selling rebranded DJI hardware in the United States after they ignored federal inquiries, escalating a case that could end in revoked equipment authorizations.
The Federal Communications Commission‘s Office of Engineering and Technology released Public Notice DA 26-454 on Friday, May 8, 2026, extending its waiver for software and firmware updates to previously authorized foreign-made drones, UAS critical components, and consumer routers until at least January 1, 2029. The earlier deadlines were January 1, 2027 for drones and March…
DJI teases the Mic Mini 2S on the same day the Mic Mini 2 goes on sale, adding internal recording and four-transmitter support this summer.
Security researcher Konrad Iturbe has identified the VooMax Breeze 8K drone selling on Amazon as a rebrand of a drone already tied to Fikaxo Technology Inc., one of the suspected DJI shell companies DroneXL reported on in September 2025. Iturbe, who runs the automated bot that scans FCC filings for DJI’s proprietary OcuSync frequency signatures,…
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