U.S. Government
CASA Introduces Flexible Registration for DJI Mini 5 Pro: Should Other Regulators Follow?
Australia’s aviation authority has quietly implemented a pragmatic solution to the DJI Mini 5 Pro weight controversy—one that places responsibility on operators while acknowledging the reality of configuration-based weight variance. Rather than forcing all Mini 5 Pro units into a…
DJI Zenmuse L3 LiDAR Doubles Detection Range To 950 Meters With Dual 100MP Cameras
DJI launched the Zenmuse L3 aerial LiDAR system today, featuring a 950-meter (3,117-foot) detection range and dual 100-megapixel cameras that dramatically extend professional mapping capabilities beyond the company’s previous L2 payload. The long-range system can cover up to 100 square…
DJI Confirms November 18 Osmo Action 6 Launch With US Market Access
DJI posted teaser images across its social media channels today announcing a November 18, 2025 product launch event at 12 PM GMT—and notably, the company has created a dedicated US landing page for the announcement. The teaser, titled “Square Up,…
University of Minnesota Drone Swarms Map Wildfire Smoke in 3D to Predict Fire Behavior
University of Minnesota researchers successfully completed their 11th field trial of autonomous AI-powered drone swarms that analyze wildfire smoke patterns in three dimensions, marking a significant step toward deploying academic research for real-world emergency response as climate change intensifies fire…
Australian Drone Operator Sphere Scores Rare Self-Assessment BVLOS Approval
Sydney-based Sphere Drones has secured approval under Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) new Broad Area Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Self-Assessment framework, becoming one of the first operators nationwide authorized to independently evaluate operational areas for autonomous drone…
Pony.ai’s Driverless Taxi Leap: Why this matters to drone pilots
A new chapter in urban transportation Imagine hailing a taxi in downtown Shenzhen and the driver’s seat is empty. No steering wheel to touch, no human voice greeting you—just a clean, humming car waiting to take you wherever you need…
Pentagon’s DOGE Unit Seizes Control Of Drone Program After Replicator Failures, Targets 30,000-Unit Buy
The Pentagon’s Department of Government Efficiency unit is leading a previously undisclosed effort to overhaul the U.S. military drone program, aiming to acquire at least 30,000 cheap drones in the coming months—a dramatic intervention that positions Red Cat, Skydio, and…
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 a sci-fi plot, right? Sadly, could become a real headache for security officials in the UK, as The…
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…
Extreme Condition Flying With The Mini 5 Pro: Waterfalls
Hello dear pilots! 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, places, mountains, volcanoes, and, why not, waterfalls. This time, I’m…
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…
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,…