Created Friday 06 February 2015

See also: Aviation

Colorado 2020 Drones

By Robert Beckhusen February 5, 2015

Let’s imagine the worst-case scenario involving domestic drones. No, not the tiny quadcopter whose operator mistakenly crashed it on the south lawn of the White House. Let’s try something scarier.

Take several drones, and equip each with a few pounds of explosives, shrapnel and ball bearings. Then send them on a one-way kamikaze mission. As the technology advances, network the drones so they travel in a group and explode at the same time.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2015/02/05/why-we-should-care-about-domestic-drones-and-how-to-bring-them-down/

Posted by msmash on Friday December 13, 2019 03:10PM

A drone with a machine gun attached can hit targets with high precision, according to its makers. Turkey is set to become the first country to have the drone, when it gets a delivery this month. From a report:

The 25-kilogram drone has eight rotating blades to get it in the air. Its machine gun carries 200 rounds of ammunition and can fire single shots or 15-round bursts. Many countries and groups already use small military drones that can drop grenades or fly into a target to detonate an explosive. The new drone, called Songar and made by Ankara-based electronics firm Asisguard, is the first drone to be equipped with a firearm and be ready for service. Turkey expects the drones to be delivered before the end of the year.

It is hard for a drone to shoot accurately, partly because of the difficulty of judging range and angle, and partly because the recoil from each shot significantly moves the drone, affecting the aim for the next round. Songar has two systems to overcome these challenges. One uses sensors, including cameras and a laser rangefinder, to calculate distance, angle and wind speed, and work out where to aim. The second is a set of robot arms that move the machine gun to compensate for the effects of recoil.

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/19/12/13/1840229/turkey-is-getting-military-drones-armed-with-machine-guns

Brian Heater / 11:07 am PST • December 26, 2019

The Federal Aviation Administration this week issued proposed rules for the remote identification of drones in the U.S. The “next exciting step in safe drone integration” (their words) aims to offer a kind of license plate analog to identify the some 1.5 million drones currently registered with the governmental body.

https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/26/the-faa-proposes-remote-id-technology-for-drones/

It's not clear if the Interior Department's worries are justified.

Jon Fingas, 12 January 2020

The US Interior Department's decision to halt a civilian drone program might not be so temporary. Financial Times sources claim the department plans to permanently end use of nearly 1,000 drones after determining there was too high a risk of the Chinese government using them for spying purposes. While there reportedly isn't a final policy, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt would once more limit uses to emergency situations like firefighting.

https://www.engadget.com/2020/01/12/us-may-permanently-ground-civilian-drone-program/

Posted by BeauHD on Wednesday February 12, 2020 03:20PM

NewtonsLaw writes:

The FAA has issued an NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) that would effectively see the end of the traditional hobby of flying RC planes, helicopters and drones. As well as mandating remote ID on store-bought products it would effectively (over time) outlaw scratch-built craft as well. This stands to have a hugely negative impact on those STEM/STEAM programs that have in the past used drones and RC planes as a teaching tool and a way of getting kids into electronics, engineering, and aerospace-related subjects. Although many older folk have tried to rally public support for some pushback on these outrageous proposed new rules, a 15-year-old named Jack Thornton has outclassed everyone with his four-and-a-half-minute YouTube video. Not only does he explain what's going on but he makes a fantastic case for the continuation of the hobby and even uses some of the tech to create the video. I am seriously impressed by what this guy has done!

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/20/02/12/2211245/15-year-old-fights-the-faas-anti-model-flying-nprm-with-social-media

Matt Novak - 14 February 2020

Authorities in China have deployed drones to combat the spread of coronavirus in a variety of ways since the outbreak began, including disinfectant drones and drones that fly around with a loudspeaker to tell people they should keep their masks onv. But there’s another way that police in China have started to use drones, and it makes you feel like we live in the future. But maybe not the future we were hoping for.

Police are flying drones around vehicle checkpoints with a large QR code that people are supposed to scan to register their health information. And while we didn’t believe it at first, reports from China’s state-run media indicate that it’s actually happening.

https://gizmodo.com/china-using-drones-to-combat-coronavirus-covid-19-out-1841691957

The Civil Aviation Authority giveth the CAA and taketh away

By Gareth Corfield 20 Apr 2020 at 16:30

British police drone pilots have had their wings clipped after the Civil Aviation Authority issued new rules tightening up previously reduced safety limits for the airborne surveillance gadgets.

Although stories were doing the rounds that rules on drones had been relaxed for police drone fliers, in reality the rules for police had been changed back in March – and this month's rule tweak merely tightened them up again.

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/04/20/police_drone_fliers_wings_clipped/

Matt Burns / 5:00 am PDT • May 7, 2020

DJI took the wraps off its latest drone today. Targeting industrial users, the Matrice 300 builds on the company’s Matrice platform, and sports a host of improvements from longer battery life, object detection sensors on all six sides and a 15 km video transmission range.

The Matrice line has long been DJI’s all-in-one industrial product offering. These models are much larger and more utilitarian than its consumer or prosumer line and feature capabilities than align with those markets. Where consumers use drones for photography, industries and public service operations are increasingly looking to drones to gather data.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/07/djis-latest-industrial-drone-has-55-minute-flight-time-15-km-video-range/

The drone's owner was taking aerial images of a meat-processing facility.

Timothy B. Lee - 5/16/2020, 8:30 AM

A Minnesota man is facing two felony charges for shooting down a drone, The Free Press reports.

The incident began when an unnamed man flew a drone over Butterfield Foods, a producer of meat products—including chicken—in the Southern Minnesota town of Butterfield. The man later told a sheriff's deputy he was trying to prove that chickens were being slaughtered because of the pandemic.

Two employees approached the man and asked him what he was doing. Soon afterwards, someone else shot the drone out of the sky. The man says his drone cost $1,900.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/05/minnesota-man-faces-felony-charges-for-shooting-down-drone/

DoJ, FAA, FCC, Homeland Security warning highlights legal mess

Wed 19 Aug 2020 / 22:21 UTC - Kieren McCarthy

The US government has warned against the use of anti-drone technology by private companies and even American states, saying it could break current wiretap and hacking laws.

In a joint advisory put out this week by the Department of Justice, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Homeland Security, the agencies “strongly recommend” that anyone thinking of deploying such technology should “seek the advice of counsel experienced with both federal and state criminal, surveillance, and communications laws.”

The explosion in the use of drones, thanks to technological advances and relatively low prices, has had significant knock-on impacts (such as the closing of various airports around the world) and many entities are looking at what they can do to mitigate their impact.

https://www.theregister.com/2020/08/19/antidrone_us_warning/

Matt Novak - 26 August 2020 7:08AM

Brenton Tarrant, the terrorist who livestreamed his massacre of 51 people on Facebook in March 2019, used a drone to spy on one of the two New Zealand mosques he attacked, according to newly public revelations by prosecutors this week. The news of Tarrant’s drone operation paints a disturbing picture of the extensive planning and surveillance Tarrant conducted to murder dozens of people, including small children, simply because they were Muslim. Tarrant’s youngest victim was just three years old.

Tarrant, a 29-year-old Australian national, flew a hobby drone over Christchurch’s Al Noor mosque roughly two months before the attacks, studying the entry and exit points, according to the Australian Financial Review. Tarrant slaughtered 44 people in and around the Al Noor mosque with an AR-15 rifle before moving on to a second mosque named Linwood and killing seven people there.

https://gizmodo.com/terrorist-used-drone-to-spy-on-mosque-before-killing-51-1844850596

The tactic has become widespread on battlefields overseas and now appears to be proliferating to organized crime.

By Joseph Trevithick - August 28, 2020

Mexico's drug cartels are notoriously well armed and equipped, with some possessing very heavy weaponry, including armored gun trucks sporting heavy machine guns. Now at least one of these groups appears to be increasingly making use of small quadcopter-type drones carrying small explosive devices to attack its enemies. This is just the latest example of a trend that has been growing worldwide in recent years, including among non-state actors, such as terrorists and criminals, which underscores the potential threats commercially-available unmanned systems pose on and off the battlefield.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/36013/mexican-drug-cartel-now-assassinating-its-enemies-with-improvised-explosive-toting-drones

That's one way of poking the world's eyes out for a few hours

Tue 29 Sep 2020 / 18:44 UTC - Gareth Corfield

Popular plane-tracking website Flight Radar 24 has been the victim of multiple DDoS attacks over the past few days – and though the site's operators haven't attributed blame, some have wondered if a regional conflict may have been the cause.

Flight Radar 24, as its name suggests, is a website for the live tracking of air traffic. When it was taken offline in the small hours of this morning, quite a few people were rather irritated.

https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/29/flight_radar_24_ddos/

Umair - November 07, 2020

Here’s the thing - if we were to talk about drones just a couple of decades ago, the probability is high that people would find the topic almost like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. Nowadays, the use of drone technology has spread to the commercial sector, and drones are not only pretty affordable but also incredibly useful.

All of that being said, if you are still not convinced and maybe just aren’t sure what can a person even do with the drone in the first place - that’s where this article comes into place. Here, we are going to talk about different uses of drone technology that might just interest you.

https://www.noobslab.com/2020/11/uses-of-drone-technology-that-might.html

28 Dec 2020

Nano 'Bug' drone

In collaboration with UAVTEK, we have developed a nano “Bug” drone and delivered the first 30 units to the British Army, which has put it through its paces as part of a trial.

The Bug is a nano-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) weighing 196g – similar to the weight of a smartphone – with 40 minute battery life and a 2km range. It boasts a stealthy low visual profile and the ability to fly even in strong winds of more than 50mph. It was the only nano-UAV able to cope with the uncompromising weather during a recent Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) event hosted by the Ministry of Defence’s Future Capability Group.

https://www.baesystems.com/en/collaborating-with-uavtek-to-develop-nano-bug-drone

Two feet sideways and it could have been the pilot: report

Gareth Corfield - Tue 26 Jan 2021 / 16:22 UTC

A drone crashed into the windscreen of a helicopter being flown at low altitude and injured a passenger aboard the aircraft.

The Chilean Navy helicopter was reportedly being flown near the town of Santo Domingo, just south of Valparaiso in central Chile.

Pictures published by a local news website over the weekend (en espanol) show the damage, including a bloodstained facemask and a hole punched through the windscreen. Local reports said a front seat passenger, described as a mechanic, was treated in hospital after landing but was in “good health.”

https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/26/drone_helicopter_collision/

Microphones on top of drones could be crucial for rescuers after disasters.

Molly Taft - 8 June 2021 1:50PM

Screaming into the void may be a thing of the past. A team of researchers said this week that they’ve developed a system that would allow rescuers to fly drones over disaster areas and identify the sounds of people trapped who are screaming for help.

The new technique was presented Tuesday at the Acoustical Society of America’s annual conference. “If there is a building that is being destroyed, or if there is a catastrophe such as an earthquake people could be trapped under the rubble, rescue crews need to react really quickly,” said Macarena Varela, a researcher at Fraunhofer FKIE, who worked on the array and presented it to the Acoustical Society over Zoom. “It’s difficult for them to find the location of these people, but we could easily assist them in finding these locations if we’re using a UAV flying over a big area detecting human screams and other noises.”

https://gizmodo.com/scientists-teach-drones-to-hear-your-screams-1847054743

Bruce Crumley - Jun. 23rd 2021 3:08 am PT

Additional information has surfaced about the mysterious drone that officials in Tucson described as “highly modified” after it buzzed, then led a border patrol helicopter on a high-speed, hour-long chase before vanishing. A case summary of the incident details airborne police efforts to pursue and unsuccessfully identify the astonishingly powerful craft described as “very sophisticated/specialized and able to perform like no other.”

https://dronedj.com/2021/06/23/update-tucson-copter-cop-says-mysterious-sophisticated-super-drone-like-no-other/

OpenSky also lets you quickly request access to fly in controlled airspace.

Saqib Shah - June 29th, 2021

Knowing where you can fly your drone is the most important rule you have to get acquainted with before taking to the skies. Alongside the FAA's dedicated B4UFLY app, Alphabet's Wing also boasts a dedicated drone safety and navigation app that's now available in the US following its debut in Australia.

Once downloaded, you can fire it up to check airspace restrictions that will dictate where you can and can't fly. No-go areas include stadiums and sporting events; airports; security sensitive locations such as military airbases, national landmarks and critical infrastructure like nuclear power plants; and even temporarily restricted sites that may be out of bounds because of an emergency (such as a wildfire). Having an app in your pocket that gives you that info in real-time is obviously an important resource.

https://www.engadget.com/alphabet-wing-drone-opensky-app-120053888.html?src=rss

Drones are becoming more and more accessible. Here are a selection of the most interesting ways they're being used.

By Stefan Ionescu - 20 July 2021

The days when drones were primarily used by the military are long gone. Now, they are an easily available tool that anyone can purchase. With the commercialization of drone technology, their uses have also expanded significantly.

Numerous businesses have incorporated the use of drones into their workflow, and many have found an exciting hobby in drones. This has led to advancements in drone technology that were unthinkable just a decade ago.

Here are six unique ways that drones are being used in the world today.

https://www.makeuseof.com/ways-that-drones-are-being-used-today/

Drones have become more accessible and can be used for numerous purposes. So, how do they fly and what are they often used for?

By Modisha Tladi - 28 July 2021

From parcel delivery to brilliant filmmaking, drones are becoming more advanced each day. What’s great is that you can even get yourself a cool drone at an affordable price. Maybe you already own one and would like to learn more about it.

So, how does a drone actually fly? And how is a drone different from a radio-controlled (RC) plane?

Despite taking brilliant videos or capturing breathtaking pictures, what are some of the main uses of drones?

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-do-drones-fly-and-what-are-their-common-uses/

Danny Crichton / 8:00 AM PDT•August 19, 2021

Emergency response is a time-sensitive business. When fires burn or a driver crashes their car, seconds can mean the difference between saving lives and watching a situation spiral rapidly out of control. For fire and police departments, getting teams on site can be challenging, what with the vagaries of traffic and bad routing.

Houston-headquartered Paladin is a startup building a custom drone hardware and software solution for cities to be able to respond to emergencies faster and with better data. After years of development, the company is publicly unveiling its Knighthawk and Watchtower products.

The Knighthawk is a custom-made drone designed for the specific needs of emergency response personnel. It comes complete with two cameras — one 10x zoom optical and one thermal — to provide the best video feeds on a developing situation at both day and night with only a half second latency. Importantly, the drone has a time range of 55 minutes and can travel multiple miles away to reach a site, according to the company. Launch time can be as short as a few seconds from when a 911 call comes in.

https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/19/paladin-publicly-launches-knighthawk-a-first-response-drone-for-cities/

Los Alamos National Laboratory officials warned on Monday they have the ability to disrupt, seize, confiscate, or destroy drones.

Tom McKay - 24 August 2021 1:10PM

Authorities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the birthplace of the nuclear bomb and now one of the largest multidisciplinary scientific institutions in the world, is warning would-be aerial trespassers that it would be relatively trivial for them to shoot down any drones flying on its territory.

According to the Associated Press, officials at the lab issued a warning on Monday that Los Alamos is totally off-limits to unmanned aerial vehicles—something that’s been the case for years, but apparently warranted a reminder. In a statement, the senior director of lab security, Unica Viramontes, said that the facility is more than capable of defending itself against unknown aircraft.

https://gizmodo.com/feds-remind-you-they-will-shoot-down-your-drone-if-you-1847547472

5G drones are transforming broadcasting, making incredible footage easily accessible.

By Jowi Morales - 28 August 2021

In the past, if you wanted to shoot a live broadcast from the air, you had to use heavy broadcast equipment and a helicopter.

But as both broadcast and camera technologies get smaller and lighter, the shooting platform also becomes more compact.

What once required a chopper can now fit in small and nimble drones. So how can new technologies like 5G and 8K video transform live broadcasts?

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-5g-drones-can-transform-live-broadcasts/

Bold words from Boston Dynamics' new man

Gareth Corfield Wed 15 Sep 2021 10:01 UTC

There was never a rogue drone at Gatwick Airport that caused planes to be grounded over the 2018 Christmas holidays, an outgoing exec at Chinese drone-maker DJI has claimed.

In an interview given just before he takes up his new veep of governmental affairs post with Boston Dynamics, Brendan Schulman said it was “now clear” that the event “did not actually involve a drone.”

I can now comfortably say this as someone no longer in the industry, because it won't be attributed to an industry company who might sensationally be accused of being in denial

Between 19-21 December 2018, all flights at Gatwick Airport were halted after reports that a drone was flying around the airport's southern perimeter. Initially a routine safety precaution, the shutdown was extended for days as members of the public kept calling in drone sightings to police – who had failed to mention they were flying their own drone around the airport to try and spot the errant craft.

https://www.theregister.com/2021/09/15/ex_drone_vp_gatwick_hysteria_comments/

You bought a drone. Great! But do you know where you're legally allowed to fly it?

By Elliot Nesbo - 29 September 2021

Drones are growing in popularity every year, but they are still a relatively new technology. This means that when the average person buys a drone, they aren't entirely sure where they can fly it.

Drones are allowed in most parts of the United States. There are, however, a few restrictions designed to ensure public safety.

If you're about to purchase a drone, here's what you need to know about drone safety, drone regulation, and more.

https://www.makeuseof.com/drone-restrictions-what-are-they/

• And a passerby who happened to be a doctor

Katyanna Quach Thu 6 Jan 2022 06:27 UTC

An autonomous drone carrying a defibrillator helped save a 71-year-old man having a heart attack, a first in medical history, a Swedish search-and-rescue tech company has claimed.

We're told the old boy was clearing snow from his driveway in Trollhättan, Sweden, on the morning of December 9 before he was struck by crippling pains in his chest. A doctor just happened to be driving by on his way to work, saw what was happening, stopped, got out, and told an onlooker to call the emergency services while he performed CPR on the unnamed heart-attack victim.

Apparently, it took just over three minutes for a drone, built and operated by Askim-based Everdrone, to be dispatched and arrive carrying an automated external defibrillator (AED). The doctor, named as Mustafa Ali by Everdrone, used the equipment to keep the guy alive at least until an ambulance arrived. The victim is said to have fully recovered in hospital.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/06/defibrillator_drone_heart_attack/

The tiny aircraft was engineered by a team of students at the University of Maryland.

Peter Holderith - February 2, 2022

Drones aren't anything new—multi-rotor aircraft are becoming a bigger part of people's lives every day. From the latest batch of up-and-coming urban air mobility companies to hobby applications, electric aircraft with four or more motors are commonplace, and generally, they use conventional multi-bladed propellers to keep themselves aloft. That's not what's going on with this particular drone developed by engineering students at the University of Maryland, though.

Assembled for a student design competition hosted by the Vertical Flight Society, it's a mixture of old and new. With rotors reminiscent of Leonardo DaVinci's aerial screw illustrations from the late 1490s, it flies like any other drone would, all while looking extremely bizarre and having interesting flight characteristics.

https://www.thedrive.com/tech/44100/davinci-style-drone-with-600-year-old-screw-rotor-design-actually-flies

Drones aren't commonly thought of as potential targets for hackers. So, are they at any particular risk?

Elliot Nesbo - 30 March 2022

Drones are increasingly popular devices for both recreational and commercial use. They are now found in various industries and used to transport goods and surveillance purposes.

As the number of drones in the sky increases, the question of security is becoming increasingly important. Privacy issues aside, a rogue drone has the capacity to damage both people and property should it be directed towards them. So, can drones be hacked? And if they can be, how would a hacker do it?

https://www.makeuseof.com/can-drones-be-hacked/

This is great for homeowners

Mike Prospero - 16 April 2022

I’ve flown many of the best drones, having a grand time taking them up hundreds of feet and capturing sweeping panoramas of New York City, farms in Upstate New York and more. It’s remarkable how well they can take stunning photos and videos and how easy they are to fly. Anyone who wants to get a new view of the world should check them out.
But I’ve found a far more mundane, but highly practical use for drones: checking my gutters for leaves.

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/i-found-one-of-the-best-uses-for-a-drone-and-its-not-what-you-think

Haje Jan Kamps - 4:35 PM PDT April 20, 2022

Drones can be dangerous, and we’ve seen consumer-grade drones used for all sorts of nefarious purposes. Back in 2018, some drone sightings interrupted travel plans for 140,000 travelers in London, and drones were reportedly used in an attack against the U.S. power grid last year, too. There are a number of products to take drones down from the sky, from the humble and time-tested shotgun, gun-like deployed nets from DroneShield and ground-based drone net cannons, to more creative solutions, such as very cool and extraordinarily illegal signal scramblers. Lithuanian hacker Aleksey Zaitsevsky has another option with the prototype of a high-speed racing drone that can self-destruct, using its own propellors to spread out a net to take down other drones.

It’s one of the coolest designs we’ve seen for drone take-down technologies, and it has the additional benefit of being potentially cheap to deploy; a good racing drone operator can use the two cameras to position the drone — the front-facing camera can be used to find the drone, and the top camera can be used to position the net exactly where it is needed, before detaching the individual rotors to send the net toward the offending drone.

https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/20/interceptor-drone/

Devin Coldewey - 11:01 AM PDT May 4, 2022

If drones are to take over any of the numerous tasks they are supposed to, they’re going to have to get a lot smarter — and learn to work together. In a demonstration of both of these things, Chinese researchers show off a swarm of drones collectively navigating a dense forest they’ve never encountered.

We’ve seen drone swarms before, going back a long ways in fact, but while they’re often well coordinated, they’re not collectively autonomous. That is, although they fly in an adjustable formation and avoid obstacles, their trajectories are being controlled by a central computer monitoring their positions and issuing commands.

As you can imagine, it would be useful to have drones that can coordinate their movements with each other, absent any central organizing function. But this is difficult to effect, since the bulk of the sensors and computational resources needed to quickly and effectively perceive and react to the environment are detrimental to the very agility needed to do so.

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/04/swarming-drones-autonomously-navigate-a-dense-forest-and-chase-a-human/

Developed at the City University of Hong Kong, the spinning drone can also capture stable video.

Andrew Liszewski - 13 May 2022 12:30PM

Although humans can fly with the help of copious engineering, Mother Nature has already come up with much simpler ways to soar, like the way a maple tree’s spinning seeds scatter by floating on the wind like unpowered helicopters. It’s a beautifully efficient design, and one that inspired this similarly lightweight drone that can even record video—despite constantly spinning.

We’ve seen other researchers look towards the mighty maple tree for inspiration before, including engineers from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, who created sensor-laden microchips with tiny wings that allow them to passively float on a breeze and spin as they descend, making them easier to distribute across large areas without requiring each microflier to have its own power source.

https://gizmodo.com/drone-camera-low-power-30-minute-flight-time-maple-leaf-1848922275

A bold solution to a serious problem.

Laura Tucker - Jun 3, 2022

The news of yet another school shooting shook much of the U.S. and confused the rest of the world. Ideas to remedy the situation range from arming teachers to limiting access to guns. The CEO of Axon, the company behind Taser stun guns, has another idea. He wants to stop the shootings with armed drones.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/axon-armed-drones-stop-school-shootings/

Plan envisioned using drones to take down school shooters

Katyanna Quach - Tue 7 Jun 2022 02:14 UTC

Nine members of non-lethal weapons-maker Axon's AI ethics board resigned Monday after the company's CEO announced plans to build drones equipped with tasers to prevent US school shootings.

When an 18-year-old shot dead nineteen students and two teachers, whilst wounding several others at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Axon's founder and CEO, Rick Smith, began thinking about how he could help stop mass shootings. His best idea: deploying taser-equipped drones in classrooms and public venues.

Axon develops body cameras and non-lethal weapons for law enforcement. Smith thought he could combine both capabilities and install them onto a drone that, in theory, could immobilize shooters. Smith announced Axon had formally begun developing such systems last week.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/07/axons_ai_ethics/

Awesome. Drone. Software.

We’re creating the most sustainable drone mapping software with the friendliest community on earth.

https://www.opendronemap.org/

If you want to stop this drone, you have to physically knock it out of the sky.

Andrew Liszewski - 21 July 2022 10:35AM

The easiest way to knock a drone that poses a safety or security threat out of the sky is to hinder the wireless communications between the aircraft and those at its controls. But signal jammers that target radio frequency communications are useless against a new type of drone control system that uses laser beams instead.

As drones have become more adept at remotely delivering incendiary devices and even espionage, we’ve seen countless different ways developed to prevent them from completing their missions, including net-firing cannons, other drones that intercept and attack mid-flight by shooting off their own propellers, and even powerful lasers that can literally fry an airborne drone from miles away. But many of those systems also require complex detection devices that can identify and accurately track the movements of a drone. A much easier solution is to simply use signal jammers to disrupt communications between a drone and either its pilot or the satellites that let it steer autonomously.

https://gizmodo.com/laser-controlled-drones-fso-fsoc-no-signal-jamming-1849314022

Shock-absorbing legs and advanced thruster control could let drones land almost anywhere.

Andrew Liszewski - 23 August 2022 10:15AM

Although most consumer-oriented drones are able to land themselves, their automated landing systems require a flat landing site, minimal winds, and low speeds to safely touch down. That’s not always available, so researchers have developed a new landing system that allows drones to land in rougher conditions, even on surfaces sloped as steep as 60-degrees.

It seems inevitable that, one day, the skies will be buzzing with thousands of drones delivering everything from fast food orders to prescription meds. But before that day arrives, these automated delivery systems are going to need robust failsafe systems. That’s especially true when it comes to finding safe places, away from people, when the need for an emergency landing arises. There are lots of risks to a drone simply touching down on the first flat open space it finds, but what if landing options weren’t so limited? What if a drone could land in the places where people fear to tread?

https://gizmodo.com/drones-emergency-landing-steep-roofs-house-rooftops-1849445310

Posted by BeauHD on Monday September 26, 2022 06:13AM

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Interesting Engineering:

Florida-based tech startup Undefined Technologies announced its unique ionic propulsion drone has passed an outdoor flight test, meaning it's on track for commercial release in 2024, according to a report from New Atlas. The drone, called Silent Ventus, uses proprietary technology to ionize the oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the surrounding air to create an “ionic wind” that propels the machine in the direction it wants to go. According to Undefined, the drone could be used for cargo. Though it's not been used for large-scale drone projects on Earth before, ionic propulsion isn't a new technology. In fact, it's currently one of the best technologies humans currently possess for deep space exploration propulsion and other space applications. According to Undefined, its “Air Tantrum” ionic propulsion technology produces up to 150 percent more thrust than current ion thruster technologies.

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/22/09/25/1713251/drone-startup-claims-it-flew-its-ion-propulsion-drone-on-45-minute-test-flight

Hear me out, if you can hear anything at all over the sound of the drones

Devin Coldewey - 9:58 AM PDT October 26, 2022

It’s year five, or maybe 10, of “drones are going to revolutionize transport,” and so far we’ve got very little to show for it. Maybe it’s time to put these foolish ambitions to rest and focus on where this technology could actually do some good, rather than pad out a billionaire’s bottom line or let the rich skip traffic.

The promise of drone deliveries, drone taxis and personal drone attendants has never sat, or rather floated, right with me. There’s so little to be gained, while braving so much liability and danger, and necessitating so much invention and testing. Why is anyone even pursuing this?

https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/26/drones-in-cities-are-a-bad-idea/

Posted by EditorDavid on Saturday December 17, 2022 06:44PM

On Friday, long-time Slashdot reader NewtonsLaw wrote:

Manufacturers of drones made after 16 September 2022 must, from today (16 December), ensure that those drones are “Standard Remote ID” compliant. This means that the drones must broadcast packets of data once per second (using Bluetooth or Wifi) that contain the position speed and path of the drone, a unique identifier and the operator's position including height above ground….

Already, several companies have announced their intention to build networks of receivers that will create a realtime database of all drone activity in the USA, showing the positions of the drones and their operators and flagging any non-compliant craft.

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/22/12/18/0241255/america-now-requires-drone-manufacturers-to-include-remote-id-transmitting

Posted by msmash on Friday July 14, 2023 08:20AM

New military and commercial craft aim to go far higher than jumbo jets and stay there for months, offering more flexible alternative to satellites. From a report:

This month a drone took off from a missile range in New Mexico and climbed into the stratosphere, joining a race to deliver unmanned aerial vehicles that can fly higher and longer than ever before. Drones have already shaken up warfare, recently playing a prominent role in the war in Ukraine. But militaries have long sought craft that can provide intelligence at a height beyond the reach of most radar and missile-defense systems, and for extended periods. For commercial users, high-altitude drones can be a way to beam internet services into areas with low connectivity.

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/23/07/14/1110206/drones-reach-stratospheric-heights-in-race-to-fly-higher-longer

Posted by EditorDavid on Saturday July 22, 2023 03:34PM

Long-time Slashdot reader maxcelcat writes:

A fleet of some 500 drives were performing a display over Melbourne's Docklands in the lead up to the FIFA Women's World Cup. About 350 of them didn't come back and are now being fished out of the Yarra River, no doubt somewhat worse for wear.

According to the operators, the drones experienced some kind of malfunction or loss of signal, which triggered a fail safe — an automated landing. So hundreds of drones landed safely… on the surface of a river!

https://idle.slashdot.org/story/23/07/22/2147205/hundreds-of-drones-crash-into-river-during-display

Crystal Crowder - Jan 10, 2024

The best drones with a camera let you capture moments from a unique perspective. Whether you’re just a hobbyist getting a few nature photos or a professional filming events from the air, choosing the right drone is important. Start your comparison shopping with this list.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/best-camera-drones/

Ian Laffey - 3:06 PM · Feb 18, 2024

we designed, 3d printed and built a <$500 drone with that calculates GPS coordinates without a signal using a camera + google maps

in 24h

https://twitter.com/ilaffey2/status/1759353732075294766

Posted by EditorDavid on Sunday February 25, 2024 06:34PM

From a report:

A team of drone enthusiasts have built a sub-$500 drone that uses a camera and Google Maps to provide itself with GPS co-ordinates, removing the need for a GPS satellite signal. And all of this was done in 24 hours during the El Segundo Defense Tech Hackathon. The drone the trio opted for is a custom designed and 3D printed fixed wing featuring a large single motor towards the rear and a downward facing camera used for geo-referencing…

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/02/25/2110255/500-drone-calculates-its-gps-coordinates-offline-from-downloaded-google-maps-and-a-camera

Congressman warns tech is getting the 'Huawei Playbook' treatment

Laura Dobberstein - Thu 27 Jun 2024 13:44 UTC

US Congress members warned against Chinese dominance of the drone industry on Wednesday, elevating the threat posed by Beijing's control of the technology as similar to that of semiconductors and ships.

At a hearing hosted by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), congressman John Moolenaar called semiconductors, drones, and ships “key technologies and sectors that will determine future conflicts”.

As the committee's chairman, Moolenaar also elucidated that Beijing is successfully strategizing to dominate the technologies using a method he referred to as “the Huawei Playbook.”

“Pick a national champion in a strategic industry. Subsidize. Employ predatory pricing to offer its products at a massive, anti-competitive price point. Expand globally. Drive out the competition. Then leverage newfound dependencies to advance CCP interests,” summarized the chairman.

Moolenaar suggested the US clear its skies of Chinese-made drones, and advocated for sanctions and other methods that “install market access barriers.”

While drones are not the only industry Beijing seeks to control, CEO of US drone-maker Skydio Adam Bry pointed out that the impact of such methods on the drone industry is “especially severe.”

https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/27/congress_china_drones/

A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu

Noah Smith - Aug 03, 2024

Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would ground over 70% of America’s industrial drone fleet. The Countering CCP Drones Act seeks to ban DJI, a Chinese unicorn and the world’s largest commercial drone manufacturer, from supplying its drones in the United States. So why has the bill sent drone pilots into a panic? Here is the unfortunate truth: there is no real alternative to DJI.

Like much of our electronics, the majority of drones deployed in the United States are made in China. It’s a bigger hole in our industrial base than you might think. Drones operate behind the scenes of every American industry — they inspect our civil infrastructure and electric grid, shoot movies, conduct land surveys, detect diseases in crops, prospect for minerals, locate gas leaks, and create 3D models. If you get mugged in one of over 1,500 American police precincts (including Santa Monica, where I live), the first responder on the scene might be a drone. But — as the war in Ukraine has demonstrated — even commercial-grade drones will play an increasingly important role in national security. To protect our critical industries and field an effective fighting force, the United States must develop a competitive drone industry, then get DJI out of our airspace.

https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/why-america-fell-behind-in-drones

The RAVEN walks, it flies, it hops over obstacles, and it's efficient.

John Timmer - Dec 5, 2024 3:34 PM

Most drones on the market are rotary-wing quadcopters, which can conveniently land and take off almost anywhere. The problem is they are less energy-efficient than fixed-wing aircraft, which can fly greater distances and stay airborne for longer but need a runway, a dedicated launcher, or at least a good-fashioned throw to get to the skies.

To get past this limit, a team of Swiss researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne built a fixed-wing flying robot called RAVEN (Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments) with a peculiar bio-inspired landing gear: a pair of robotic bird-like legs. “The RAVEN robot can walk, hop over obstacles, and do a jumping takeoff like real birds,” says Won Dong Shin, an engineer leading the project.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/12/robotic-bird-like-legs-let-drones-hop-over-obstacles-launch-to-the-skies/

Drones have rescued hundreds of people from peril around the world. We've mapped their stories to show the incredible impact of drone technology in helping vulnerable people.

Drone Rescues Mapped

Drones have found missing people, brought supplies to trapped survivors, peered through smoke and darkness to find unconscious victims.

This map compiles every drone rescue we know of from news stories and social media posts from rescuers. Zoom in and click on an incident to learn more about what happened.

https://enterprise.dji.com/drone-rescue-map/

The video is pretty emotional.

Matt Novak - January 7, 2025

A dog in Illinois who’d been missing for a week was found on Sunday thanks to a local pet rescue organization and a thermal imaging drone. And the moment they found the poor pup is so triumphantly heartwarming, that you’ll probably wind up watching the rescue at least a couple of times like we did.

The ordeal all started on Dec. 31, when a Bernese Mountain Dog named Charlie went missing in the Crystal Lake area of northern Illinois. Charlie’s owner Kate Belmonte was understandably distraught and posted messages to Facebook about Charlie. “He is not wearing his collar,” Belmonte wrote. “He is very friendly and energetic but can be shy around strangers. He is still a puppy and probably can’t find his way back home. He likes to go exploring by ponds and wetlands. Please let me know if you see anything!!”

Belmonte got help from Dog Gone Pet Recovery, a local animal rescue organization, who enlisted Smithic Air for drone support. The drone had thermal imaging that allows you to spot warm objects on the ground.

https://gizmodo.com/drone-video-captures-the-moment-this-lost-dog-with-a-broken-leg-was-finally-found-2000546993

Jon Fingas - 8:39 AM PDT•June 7, 2022

Volocopter’s drone taxi is one step closer to entering service. The German firm has revealed that its four-seat electric VTOL aircraft, the VoloConnect, completed its first flight in May. The machine’s initial trip was brief at two minutes and 14 seconds, but the maneuvers proved that the production-level aerodynamics and performance held up in real world conditions. There have been three flights so far.

The 60-mile range and 155MPH flight speed might not sound like much. However, they promise autonomous commuter flights beyond major urban centers — you could fly to a business meeting from the suburbs. The VoloConnect is effectively a companion to the VoloCity, a shorter-ranged eVTOL flier meant strictly for urban jaunts.

https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/07/volocopters-longer-range-drone-taxi-completes-its-first-test-flights/

Vanessa Bates Ramirez - July 20, 2022

As organizations increasingly look to employ drones for everything from deliveries to pest control to surveillance, safety in the skies is becoming an issue that demands more attention. Regulations around drones and their flight vary widely between countries and regions, but to really start scaling the technology there will need to be more standardization in terms of who can fly where, how fast, how high, etc.

The UK is taking the lead on drone mobility, with an announcement this week of plans to build a 165-mile (265 kilometer) “drone superhighway.” Project Skyway is being led by Altitude Angel, a UK aerospace and unified traffic management company, and involves a consortium of other stakeholders, including British Telecommunications Group.

https://singularityhub.com/2022/07/20/a-165-mile-drone-superhighway-will-soon-be-built-in-the-uk/

And guess which ACDC classic will blare at the 2024 ribbon cutting?

Brandon Vigliarolo - Thu 21 Jul 2022 15:00 UTC

The United Kingdom - or, rather, a 165-mile stretch of it - will soon be the home of the longest autonomous drone highway in the world.

Project Skyway's 265km route will stretch from Reading to Coventry, forming a “T” shape by jutting out north of Oxford and running to Cambridge. Milton Keynes and Rugby are also in the Skyway's airspace.

Leading the project is Reading-based Unified Traffic Management and Altitude Angel, also a traffic management company. Britain's national telco BT is also part of it, and is providing connectivity for drones in the Skyway through its EE subsidiary's network. A number of other UK startups are participating as well, Altitude Angel said in a statement. Funding for the project comes from the InnovateUK programme.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/21/265km_drone_superhighway_to_launch/

‘Zephyr’ is designed to either beam down data or spy for weeks, but lasted about 90 minutes

Tue 29 Sep 2020 / 04:32 UTC - Simon Sharwood, APAC Editor

A drone that Airbus once flew for 25 days without landing and suggests as either an airborne communications platform, or a stratospheric spy, broke up after its automation failed in rougher-than-expected weather.

So says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which yesterday released its investigation into the September 2019 crash of a “Zephyr” drone that was being tested in the far north of the country.

https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/29/airbus_zephyr_accident_report/

Brian Heater / 7:00 AM PDT•August 25, 2021

In a blog post this morning, Alphabet drone delivery company Wing announced that it is set to hit 100,000 customer deliveries over the weekend. The news comes on the second anniversary of the service’s pilot launch in Logan, Australia, a city of roughly 300,000 people in the Brisbane metropolitan area.

It also, notably, arrives a few weeks after Wired reported that Amazon’s own drone delivery efforts are “collapsing inwards.” Wing comms head Jonathan Bass told TechCrunch that the service is set to enter additional markets in the coming months.

“I think we’ll expand quite a bit,” Bass told TechCrunch. “I think we’ll launch new services in Australia, Finland and the United States in the next six months. The capabilities of the technology are probably ahead of the regulatory permissions right now.”

https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/25/wing-approaches-100000-drone-deliveries-two-years-after-logan-australia-launch/

Posted by BeauHD on Thursday August 26, 2021 05:50PM

Alphabet's drone company Wing delivered 10,000 cups of coffee, 1,700 snack packs and 1,200 roast chickens to customers in Logan, Australia, over the last year, the company said Wednesday in a blog post outlining its progress. CNBC reports:

Wing was launched in 2019 in Australia, following a series of drone tests that began in 2014. The service, which was initially part of Alphabet's experimental research division, allows users to order items such as food through a mobile app and is fast approaching 100,000 deliveries since its launch. Wing hopes to one day deliver products to people all over the world without having to rely on drivers or delivery trucks like other companies.

https://developers.slashdot.org/story/21/08/26/2118239/alphabets-drones-delivered-10000-cups-of-coffee-1200-roast-chickens-in-the-last-year

Victoria Song - 30 August 2020 3:11PM

The Federal Aviation Administration has given the go-ahead for Amazon’s fleet of Prime Air drones. Yes, that means Amazon can now begin trialing air deliveries. With drones. Commence weeping, for the commerce dystopia is one step closer to coming true.

That said, just because Amazon got approval from the FAA, it doesn’t mean that tomorrow an Amazon drone will drop off a can of Fido’s dog food into your front yard. It means that Amazon has obtained a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, which according to the FAA’s website is currently “the only path for small drones to carry the property of another for compensation beyond visual line of sight.”

https://gizmodo.com/the-faa-cleared-amazons-drone-fleet-so-were-a-step-clo-1844905386

Darrell Etherington / 8:48 am PDT•August 31, 2020

Amazon has been granted an approval by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that will allow it to start trialing commercial deliveries via drone, Bloomberg reports. This certification is the same one granted to UPS and a handful of other companies, and while it doesn’t mean that Amazon can immediately start operating a consumer drone delivery service for everyone, it does allow them to make progress toward that goal.

Amazon has said it’ll kick off its own delivery tests, though it hasn’t shared any details on when and where exactly those will begin. The FAA clearance for these trials is adapted from the safety rules and regulations it imposes for companies operating a commercial airline service, with special exceptions allowing for companies to bypass the requirements that specifically deal with onboard crew and staff working the aircraft, as the drones don’t have any.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/31/amazons-prime-air-drone-delivery-fleet-gains-faa-approval-for-trial-commercial-flights/

The FAA granted Amazon 'air carrier' status.

Christine Fisher - 31 August 2020

As of today, Amazon is officially an “air carrier.” The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Amazon Prime Air the designation, which allows Amazon to begin its first commercial delivery trials in the US, Bloomberg reports. The company will use the hexagon-shaped next-gen hybrid drone it showed off last year.

Amazon has not revealed when or where it will begin its commercial delivery trials, but as Bloomberg points out, it does have test sites in the Northwest and in the nearby Vancouver area. Amazon has also tested drones in the UK. Still, we’re probably a few years away from a commercial drone delivery service. In part because the FAA still needs to define regulations beyond the trial phase.

https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-air-faa-approval-drone-delivery-trials-142035317.html

Posted by msmash on Thursday January 02, 2025 08:42AM

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday it is considering new rules that would impose restrictions on Chinese drones that would restrict or ban them in the United States citing national security concerns. From a report:

The department said it was seeking public comments by March 4 on potential rules to safeguard the supply chain for drones, saying threats from China and Russia “may offer our adversaries the ability to remotely access and manipulate these devices, exposing sensitive U.S. data.”

China accounts for the vast majority of U.S. commercial drone sales. In September, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the department could impose restrictions similar to those that would effectively ban Chinese vehicles from the United States and the focus will be on drones with Chinese and Russian equipment, chips and software. She told Reuters in November she hopes to finalize the rules on Chinese vehicles by Jan. 20. A decision to write new rules restricting or banning Chinese drones will be made by the administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes over on Jan. 20.

https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/01/02/1642245/us-considers-potential-rules-to-restrict-or-bar-chinese-drones

Boffin agency seeks help to shoot 100kW through the air with lasers, but contributors don't have long to deliver Brandon Vigliarolo - Tue 14 Jun 2022 15:30 UTC

US military researchers are trying to turn in-flight refueling tankers into laser-shooting “airborne energy wells” for charging drones, and they want the public's help to figure out how.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) published a request for information (RFI) from anyone willing and able to contribute their tech, with a few caveats. It needs to fit on existing in-flight refueling tankers (the newer KC-46 and Cold War-era KC-135, specifically) and be able to deliver 100kW of power.

Militaries around the world have been using in-flight refueling for decades to extend aircraft patrols and long-range missions. With a history of development stretching back to the 1920s, the practice has since developed into a standard part of operating an air fleet powered by aviation fuel.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/14/darpa_drone_wireless_charging/

Published Jun 23, 2021 | Kara Murphy

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may have struggled with LAANC authorization, but they moved ahead with releasing TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) – a free online training program that pilots flying a drone recreationally are required to take and pass. Even if someone possesses Part 107 certification, they must complete this training and show proof of it, if asked by the FAA or law enforcement, in order to legally operate a drone, if they're flying recreationally, in the United States.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/4668719994/faa-releases-trust-free-online-training-required-for-recreational-pilots-to-fly-legally

Published Dec 26, 2020 | Kara Murphy

A drone pilot from Philidelphia, Pennsylvania, was slapped with a $182,000 fine from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The individual, whose identity remains anonymous, incurred this massive fee after conducting at least 26 separate flights that violated Federal Aviation Regulations between December 2019 and August 2020.

The story made its rounds in the news earlier in the month. Recently, respected aviation attorney Jonathan Rupprecht, who was granted access to a copy of the penalty letter, went more in depth on the nature of the violations. He explains how the FAA can easily determine each wrongdoing and build a case against the offender. Rupprecht is not certain how the pilot was caught but speculates that videos of illegal flight activity posted to YouTube provided overwhelming evidence of lawbreaking and were thus reported to the FAA.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/6343616131/how-one-drone-pilot-got-slapped-with-182-000-in-fines-from-the-faa

The bill is the latest in the state's attempt to militarize its oil and gas infrastructure.

Molly Taft - 14 June 2021 2:20PM

Louisiana’s looking out to protect its pipelines and chemical plants from drones, raising the specter of nefarious climate protesters to pass the legislation. But the main pilots they’ve busted so far appear to be literal children.

A bill before Gov. John Bel Edwards would seriously increase the penalties for flying drones over petrochemical facilities and pipelines, doubling the previous fine from $2,000 to $4,000 as well as increasing the maximum prison sentence from one year to two years for a second offense.

https://gizmodo.com/flying-a-drone-near-a-pipeline-could-soon-cost-you-4-0-1847093675

These Holy Stone drones are on sale, so pick your favorite.

Gabriela Vatu - 14 February 2023

We love having fun in nature and capturing beautiful images, so what better way to do it than with a great drone? Thankfully, Holy Stone has some pretty cool deals right now, so you can get a nicely-priced drone right away!

https://www.makeuseof.com/holy-stone-drone-deals/

Google-owned Wing said it was a 'precautionary controlled landing' – right into 11,000 volts

Brandon Vigliarolo - Fri 30 Sep 2022 17:30 UTC

A delivery drone operated by Alphabet subsidiary Wing crashed into power lines in the Australian town of Browns Plains yesterday, knocking out power for more than 2,000 customers.

The drone, which was carrying an unknown payload, made what Wing described to Australian media as a “precautionary controlled landing” that led it to “[come] to rest on an overhead power line.”

The crew who responded to the incident, Energex spokesman Danny Donald told The Age, they didn't even have to get the drone down off the lines. “It landed on top of 11,000 volts and whilst it didn't take out power, there was voltage tracking across the drone and the drone caught fire and fell to the ground,” Donald said. “So we didn't actually have to get the drone off, as such.”

Energex, the electricity company responsible for power in the region, said that there was no permanent damage to the network, and so Wing wouldn't be responsible for any repairs.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/09/30/delivery_drone_crashes_into_power/

The SuperScooper Quebec 1 has been grounded from the damage.

Matt Novak - January 10, 2025

At this point, every drone hobbyist knows the rules that you don’t fly near aircraft responding to an emergency. But irresponsible dolts still continue to make trouble whenever disaster strikes. A civilian-flown drone collided with a firefighting aircraft over the Palisades Fire on Thursday. And that aircraft, a Canadair CL-415 known as the SuperScooper Quebec 1, has now been grounded due to damage to its wing.

“Quebec 1 sustained wing damage and remains grounded and out of service. There were no reported injuries. The incident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration,” the L.A. County Fire Department said in a statement posted to X.

The incident happened around 1 p.m. local time and it’s not yet clear how long the firefighting aircraft will be unable to operate. The Quebec 1 was repeatedly scooping up 1,600 gallons of ocean water to dump on the Palisades Fire which has destroyed countless homes in the L.A. area since starting earlier this week.

https://gizmodo.com/firefighting-aircraft-collides-with-some-idiots-drone-over-palisades-fire-2000548657

2:13 PM PST January 10, 2025 - Charles Rollet

Don’t fly your drone into an active wildfire. Although capturing video of the devastation can be tempting, it could stop firefighters from doing their job. That’s exactly what happened in Los Angeles on January 9 when a drone collided with a “Super Scooper” firefighting plane, The LA Times reports.

This happened as LA fights its worst wildfire in history, burning thousands of homes and killing at least 10. The drone collision forced the plane to abort its mission and touch down elsewhere for repairs. Photos of the plane show a noticeable hole in one of its wings:

https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/10/a-drone-punched-a-hole-into-an-la-firefighting-plane/

Posted by BeauHD on Friday January 31, 2025 05:00PM

Earlier this month, a civilian drone collided with a Canadian CL-415 firefighting plane combating the Palisades Fire, causing damage that grounded the aircraft and temporarily halted all aerial firefighting operations. Federal and state officials have since identified the operator of that drone as Peter Tripp Akemann of Culver City, who has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, pay a fine and complete community service. Prosecutors said he could still face up to a year in federal prison. The Los Angeles Times reports:

The drone, which authorities say was flying in restricted airspace on Jan. 9, put a fist-sized hole in the left wing of a Super Scooper – a massive fixed-wing plane that can drop large amounts of water onto a fire. The collision knocked the plane out of commission for about five days and destroyed the drone.

“Like a lot of individuals, he was curious about what was happening in that area,” acting U.S. Atty. Joseph T. McNally said on Friday. “The problem with that… is with the amount of firefighting planes you have in that area dropping so they can get water in the Pacific Ocean it interferes with those operations. It's not the time to fly drones anytime that we have these emergencies in Southern California.”

As part of the plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the government of Quebec, Canada, which supplied the plane, and the company that repaired the plane. It cost at least $65,169 to fix the aircraft, prosecutors said. Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of wildfire relief efforts.

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/01/31/237207/drone-pilot-to-plead-guilty-in-collision-that-grounded-aircraft-fighting-palisades-fire

He'll pay almost $70,000 to repair the plane and do 150 hours of community service.

Matthew Gault - February 4, 2025

Peter T. Akemann, the co-founder of the Treyarch video game studio, has pleaded guilty to recklessly flying a drone during the California wildfire. According to his own admission, the video game exec launched a DJI drone during the fires last month and it crashed into a firefighting plane. He’ll pay $65,169 to repair the plane and do 150 hours of community service related to wildfire relief.

Akemann is a 56-year-old gaming veteran with a long history in the industry. Treyarch, the studio he co-founded, is responsible for the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise and the Black Ops run of Call of Duty games.

On January 9, as wildfires raged across California, Akemann drove to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. He went to the top floor of a parking lot there and launched a DJI Mini 3 Pro towards the Pacific Palisades with the goal of surveilling the fire.

“Defendant flew the Drone at least 2500 meters away from its launch point and lost visual sight of the Drone while flying it,” according to court records. Then the DJI drone crashed into a Super Scooper firefighting plane that was on hand to dump water onto the fires. The crash tore a 3-inch by 6-inch hole in the left wing and it had to land. According to local news, the crash delayed firefighting efforts by a half-hour.

https://gizmodo.com/video-game-exec-pleads-guilty-to-crashing-drone-into-firefighting-plane-during-la-wildfires-2000558981

An Interactive Tutorial for Beginners

v0.1 - Last updated 2024/05/18 - FVPSIM

Welcome to the world of drone flying, where the sky is your playground and the possibilities are endless! Whether you're a photography enthusiast, an aspiring filmmaker, or simply a thrill-seeker looking for a new hobby, flying a drone opens up a whole new realm of excitement and exploration. In this tutorial, we'll take you through everything you need to know to take to the skies with confidence and skill.

So what's the main difference between flying a drone versus driving a car? Mainly, drones move in 3D spaces whereas cars (if not jumping ) runs on a 2D surface. It's probably common to you of the X-Y-Z axes in 3D environments. In areospace, we call them a little differently, which is Roll/Yaw/Pitch, as illustrated below

https://fpvsim.com/drone-flying-101

Some think that they can prevent confrontations from escalating. Civil-liberties groups are sceptical

Jun 1st 2023 - Simon Willis

According to the 911 call, the men were smoking marijuana. There were five of them, all black, standing together one spring morning in a car park in Brookhaven, an affluent suburb of Atlanta. In other parts of America, weed is perfectly legal. But not in the state of Georgia, where possession is a crime punishable by up to ten years in prison. The caller gave the police the location of the car park and descriptions of the men. Less than a minute later the cops had found them – from an altitude of 400 feet.

They were located by a small quadcopter called a Matrice 300 RTK, one of two such devices operated by the Brookhaven police department. Police drones are becoming more common in the skies above American cities: according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a non-profit that tracks police technology, almost 1,200 forces now have them. Many are used for specialised tasks like crime-scene documentation or reconnaissance during armed stand-offs. But Brookhaven is one of only 16 American police departments using drones as first responders. Whenever a 911 call comes in, or an officer radios for back-up, they send out a copter. More often than not, it arrives ahead of the humans.

https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/06/01/drone-cops-are-coming-for-small-town-america

Whitney Kimball - 16 September 2020 2:45PM

The Department of Justice released a chilling audit yesterday detailing the imminent threat of drones to prison security. What could these robotic sky criminals of the future look like? Bellies large enough to hold a convicted murderer, chainsaw launchers, invisibility cloaks that allow them to soar at top speed through clear blue skies undetected? Anything is possible.

The report opens in the present day, 2020. According to cited Bureau of Prisons data, there were 57 drone “incidents” at BOP federal facilities in 2019—though naturally, the agency believes such incursions to be underreported. In one case, a prison claims to have thwarted a drone attempting to carry “20 cell phones, 23 vials of injectable drugs, dozens of syringes, and multiple packages of tobacco, among other contraband items.” 57 incidents, spread over 365 days and several thousand prisons. There’s an even more dire threat posed by of drones though:

https://gizmodo.com/prisons-fear-escape-by-drone-presumably-because-theyve-1845077542

Brian Heater - 7:50 AM PDT July 7, 2024

As deep-pocketed companies like Amazon, Google and Walmart invest in and experiment with drone delivery, a phenomenon reflective of this modern era has emerged. Drones, carrying snacks and other sundries, are being shot out of the sky.

Incidents are still rare. However, a recent arrest in Florida, in which a man allegedly shot down a Walmart drone, raises questions of what the legal ramifications are and whether those consequences could escalate if these events become more common.

In the Florida case, Walmart was conducting delivery demonstrations in Clermont, Florida — roughly 25 miles west of Orlando — when a loud sound was heard during the craft’s descent. According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Dennis Winn, allegedly admitted to shooting the drone. He allegedly told authorities this wasn’t his first experience with drones flying over and around his home, leading him to believe that the small, unmanned crafts might be spying on him.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/07/what-happens-if-you-shoot-down-a-delivery-drone/

Posted by BeauHD on Tuesday July 09, 2024 06:00AM

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch:

As deep-pocketed companies like Amazon, Google and Walmart invest in and experiment with drone delivery, a phenomenon reflective of this modern era has emerged. Drones, carrying snacks and other sundries, are being shot out of the sky. Incidents are still rare. However, a recent arrest in Florida, in which a man allegedly shot down a Walmart drone, raises questions of what the legal ramifications are and whether those consequences could escalate if these events become more common. […] While consumer drones have been proliferating for well over a decade, the question of legal ramifications hasn't been wholly clear. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave us a partial answer following a 2016 drone shooting in Arkansas. At the time, the FAA pointed interested parties to 18 U.S.C. 32. The law, titled “Aircraft Sabotage,” is focused on the wanton destruction of “any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce.”

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/07/09/015206/what-happens-if-you-shoot-down-a-delivery-drone

Amanda Silberling - 9:00 AM PDT July 9, 2024

Florida man is back with a vengeance, and this time, he’s going after Walmart delivery drones.

Yes, really. Walmart was demonstrating its delivery drone technology in Clermont, Florida — about 25 miles outside of Orlando — and a man allegedly shot the drone out of the sky when it flew near his house. Apparently, he thought it was spying on him.

Is delivery drone target practice a legitimate concern for companies like Walmart, Amazon and Google, which have experimented with these futuristic deliveries? On one hand, this Florida man drone shooting wasn’t an isolated incident. On the other hand, there are far more serious barriers to the adoption of delivery drones. Namely, the cost.

In 2022, Amazon was estimated to be spending $484 dollars on each drone delivery, and while that price has been estimated to drop to around $63 dollars, that’s still almost 20 times more expensive than ground delivery. And if someone shoots down your drone while you’re trying to reach your customer, then that’s another $2,500 or so down the drain.

https://techcrunch.com/video/techcrunch-minute-this-is-what-happens-when-you-shoot-down-a-delivery-drone/

Shooting at any aircraft is charged as a felony with up to 20 years in prison as the recommended penalty.

Bradley Brownell / Jalopnik - July 3, 2024

Walmart recently partnered with drone delivery startup Wing to offer packages shipped same-day by air. There is a laundry list of hurdles to overcome in order for this to be a reality, from regulatory approval, technological integration, and simply making it cost-effective to operate. One of the hurdles that Walmart and Wing have recently stumbled over is gun owners. Last week a Florida man admitted to shooting down a Walmart delivery drone, which he claimed was surveilling him, with a 9mm pistol as it flew over his home.

Lake County resident Dennis Winn saw the drone, went inside to get his gun from his safe and fired a single shot at the drone, which was “roughly 75 feet in the air.” Winn is apparently a crack shot, because he hit the drone in center mass, and a bullet hole was found in the drone’s payload area once it returned to a nearby Walmart store.

https://qz.com/walmart-delivery-drone-shot-down-guns-1851575709

In 2023, most drones will need to broadcast their location.

Igor Bonifacic - 28 December 2020

On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shared its latest set of drone regulations. When the new rules go into effect early next year, they’ll allow licensed drone operators to fly their UAVs at night, provided they complete additional training and outfit their vehicles with anti-collision lights. The new allowance is seen as a crucial step in allowing companies like Amazon and Alphabet’s Wing subsidiary to operate drone delivery services — even as some of them have seemingly scaled back their ambitions.

However, if you fly drones recreationally, today’s announcement includes an even more significant change. Starting in 2022, the FAA’s Remote ID requirement will necessitate every drone sold in the US that weighs more than 0.55 pounds (that includes popular models like the DJI Mavic Air 2) to come with a way to broadcasts its location and identification — as well as your location — to local authorities. One way to think of the technology is as a digital license plate for your drone.

https://www.engadget.com/faa-remote-id-night-time-flight-235350517.html

By David Shepardson - December 28, 2020 11:06 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Small drones will be allowed to fly over people and at night in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday, a significant step toward their use for widespread commercial deliveries.

The FAA said its long-awaited rules for the drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, will address security concerns by requiring remote identification technology in most cases to enable their identification from the ground.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-drones-faa/u-s-to-allow-small-drones-to-fly-over-people-at-night-idUSKBN2921R8

Brian Heater / 1:34 PM PST•December 28, 2020

The FAA today announced that it will be issuing two new rules for drone pilots in the U.S. The first is the implementation of a long-awaited Remote ID. The system effectively works as a kind of digital license plate for unmanned aircraft, broadcasting identifying details, including the location of the craft.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/28/new-faa-rule-requires-remote-id-for-drones/

All drones weighing over a quarter kilogram will need Remote ID transmitters.

Eric Bangeman - 12/29/2020, 9:41 AM

After months of uncertainty, corporations and hobbyists alike finally have a set of drone guidelines from the Federal Aviation Administration. The final rules are a step back from some proposed restrictions, as they will allow flights over crowds and some nighttime operations. But all drones weighing over 0.25kg (0.55lb) will need to have a unique Remote ID, as will smaller drones that are flown over crowds.

One proposal that didn't make the final cut would have required Remote ID to connect over the Internet to a location-tracking database so drone operations could be monitored in real time by the FAA (and law enforcement). The FAA believes that Remote ID, which will locally transmit the location of both drone and “control stations,” meets the needs of national security and law enforcement.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/12/faa-finally-sets-rules-for-piloting-small-drones/

DJI still dominates, but HoverAir and Autel have some interesting alternatives.

Steve Dent- Wed, Apr 9, 2025, 5:00 AM PDT

Drones have become an important tool in a creator’s bag of tricks, allowing them to capture aerial footage that elevates their videos. And nowadays, they’ve become more accessible as video quality and features have dramatically improved while prices have dropped.

Recent budget-friendly models include DJI’s Neo and Flip drones, along with the HoverAir X1 Pro lineup, all under $500. If you’ve got more to spend, the options are similarly plentiful with drones like the DJI Mini 4 Pro and HoverAir X1 Pro Max. And for the price of a good mirrorless camera, you can get DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro that offers awesome image quality, range and other features.

Price is obviously key, but you also need to consider features like video quality, obstacle avoidance and tracking. To help you decide which one is best for you and your budget, we’ve assembled this guide to the best drones you can buy right now, complete with models aimed at novices, professionals and filmmakers.

https://www.engadget.com/cameras/best-drone-120046775.html?src=rss

September 10, 2020 by Palmer Luckey

I’ve been going to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) every January ever since I wasn’t allowed to, back when I was 16 years old with a specious ModRetro business card and little tech industry experience beyond my very first prototype of what would eventually become the Oculus Rift. While Anduril doesn’t make consumer electronics, I still attend every year to scout out new technology and meet with friends, partners, and suppliers who brave the Vegas crowds in search of tech esoterica.

Twelve years of watching drone technology at CES emerge and then boom has made one thing abundantly clear: China Won. American companies have built a lot of cool science fair projects that get lots of media attention, but minimal real-world deployment – from light shows to food delivery. We also design a lot of interesting low-volume consumer drones, but most of them lean heavily on Chinese R&D and then go on to have their product manufactured in China. Yes, I know, I am fully aware I did the same thing years ago with Oculus.

https://palmerluckey.com/america-is-back-on-top-baby/

Bizarre design uses a solar-powered motor that's optimized for weight.

John Timmer - 7/17/2024, 11:40 AM

On Wednesday, researchers reported that they had developed a drone they're calling the CoulombFly, which is capable of self-powered hovering for as long as the Sun is shining. The drone, which is shaped like no aerial vehicle you've ever seen before, combines solar cells, a voltage converter, and an electrostatic motor to drive a helicopter-like propeller—with all components having been optimized for a balance of efficiency and light weight.

Before people get excited about buying one, the list of caveats is extensive. There's no onboard control hardware, and the drone isn't capable of directed flight anyway, meaning it would drift on the breeze if ever set loose outdoors. Lots of the components appear quite fragile, as well. However, the design can be miniaturized, and the researchers built a version that weighs only 9 milligrams.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/researchers-build-ultralight-drone-that-flies-with-onboard-solar/

Don’t worry, they look like they wouldn’t hurt a fly

Lindsay Clark - Wed 17 Jul 2024 16:39 UTC

Researchers have developed very lightweight solar-powered flying robots in a bid to overcome the limitations of small-scale drone flyers.

Weighing just 4.21 grams — roughly the same as a sugar cube — the so called CoulombFly has achieved sustained flight under natural sunlight conditions, by means of a new light-weight rotary engine.

In a paper published in Nature today, Mingjing Qi, associate professor at China's Beihang University, and his colleagues describe a device which combines an electrostatic propulsion system consisting of a motor and a 10-centimeter propeller with a high-voltage power convertor and solar cells.

Their aim was to overcome some of the limitations associated with the current generation of tiny flying bots, which, though impressive in their scale, tend to afford flight times limited to around 10 minutes. Current designs, reliant on batteries and electric motors, start to lose efficiency as they get smaller, as factors like friction exert a relatively greater influence.

Qi and his team have devised an electrostatic propulsion system based around a motor, a 10-centimeter propeller, a high-voltage power convertor and solar cells. The motor is made up of a rotor and a stator. The stator combines eight pairs of alternating positive and negative electrodes arranged in a ring.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/17/lightweight_solarpowered_flying_robots_are/

Posted by BeauHD on Tuesday July 23, 2024 03:00AM

Simon Sharwood reports via The Register:

Chinese researchers have created a drone that weighs just over four grams – less than a sheet of printer paper – and may be able to fly indefinitely. Documented in a paper published last week in Nature, the drone uses an electrostatic motor that weighs just 1.52 grams and is powered by solar cells that produce 4.5V. The paper asserts that the drone's design has a lift-to-power efficiency two to three times better than that found in traditional drones. The authors suggested that if rechargeable batteries can be added, the craft could be capable of 24-hour flying operations.

Shenzhen-based firm is among 13 Chinese companies added to list that clears way for sanctions.

7 Oct 2022

Correction

This article has been updated with a response from DJI.

The United States Defense Department (DoD) has added more than a dozen Chinese companies, including the world’s largest drone manufacturer, to a blacklist of firms with alleged ties to the Chinese military, clearing the way for restrictions on their business.

Shenzhen-based DJI Technology, which is estimated to control more than half of the global market for commercial drones, is among the 13 firms added to the blacklist released by the Pentagon on Wednesday.

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/10/7/chinas-drone-giant-dji-added-to-us-sanctions-list

It's a modest upgrade to the Mini SE.

Igor Bonifacic - February 8, 2023 10:30 PM

The rumors were true, DJI is releasing a new Mini 2 SE drone that features a couple of upgrades over the company’s existing entry-level drone. Most notably, DJI has equipped the Mini 2 SE with its in-house OcuSync 2.0 transmission system, meaning the drone can now effectively fly more than twice as far away as the original Mini SE. That model’s “Enhanced WiFi” system limited its range to up to 4km. The new system should also maintain a more stable video feed at greater distances. That said, the addition of OcuSync 2.0 might not be as valuable as the numbers suggest. Most jurisdictions require that you maintain a visual line of sight with your drone, and with a UAV as small as the Mini 2 SE, it’s very likely you’ll lose sight of it long before you get a chance to fly it 10km away.

Additionally, DJI says the Mini 2 SE can fly for 31 minutes on a single battery charge, a modest upgrade from the previous model’s maximum 30-minute flight time. Aside from those changes, the Mini 2 SE is nearly identical to the model it’s about to replace. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Like its predecessor, the Mini 2 SE weighs less than 249 grams, meaning you’re not required to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration. The new drone also carries over the aging but decent camera system found on the Mini SE. It comes with a three-axis gimbal and a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor capable of capturing 2.7K video and 12-megapixel stills.

https://www.engadget.com/dji-mini-2-se-drone-announced-specs-availability-pricing-033004194.html

The long rumored update to the DJI Mini SE can now also be piloted from up to 10 kilometers away.

Andrew Liszewski - 9 February 2023

The DJI Mini lineup offers some of the best drones on the market for novice pilots, starting with the very affordable $279 DJI Mini SE. Today, DJI revealed an upgraded version of that entry-level model, the DJI Mini 2 SE, which comes with some minor performance improvements, and like everything else these days, a small price bump.

The DJI Mini 2 SE is nearly identical to its predecessor, including a three-axis gimbal for mechanical image stabilization. Those images come courtesy of a 1/2.3-inch camera sensor, which tops out at 12MP still photos and 2.7K video. For comparison, the DJI Mini 3 Pro revealed last May, which is the priciest option in the DJI Mini lineup, shoots with a 1/1.3-inch sensor that captures 48MP stills and 4K video at 60fps. The new DJI Mini 2 SE also still lacks the fancy automatic obstacle avoidance sensors of pricier options.

https://gizmodo.com/dji-mini-2-se-range-battery-life-price-drone-no-license-1850093361

Haje Jan Kamps - 5:01 AM PST•February 9, 2023

It’s a couple of years since DJI first launched its Mavic Mini, and last year it brought the Mini 3 Pro. It’s utterly confusing why the current drone is called the Mini 2 SE, but in any case, it’s the newest flying creature in the hovering menagerie that is the DJI lineup.

The drone has a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor that can shoot 12 MP photos and can shoot video at 2.8K. Not gonna lie; that’s a curious choice for resolution for video and a rather odd sensor size. The 1/2.3-inch is used in compact mirrorless cameras, but most serious photographers tend to opt for larger sensors for heat dissipation and better depth of field options. DJI promises it all makes sense once your palm-sized flying camera is buzzing about capturing footage.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/09/djis-mini-2-se/

Brian Heater - 25 April 2023

DJI has spent the last several years doubling down on its imagining prowess — tripling down as it were, in this case. Makes sense. Aside from the underlying fun of flying these things around, all of the most immediate consumer/prosumer applications revolve around picture taking and video.

The new Mavic 3 Pro embraces the prosumer side of that dichotomy with a triple-camera system. At its heart is a Hasselblad camera — naturally, given that the drone giant purchased a majority stake of the much-loved Swedish camera maker back in 2017. It’s the same 4/3 CMOS model found on the standard Mavic 3 series, which is capable of shooting 12-bit RAW images.

The three-camera system appears to offer a lot more optical flexibility than you’ll find on other off-the-shelf consumer-focused drones, with a trio of focal lengths at 24mm, 70mm and 166mm. The system can shoot up to 5.1K at 50 FPS and 4K at 120 FPS.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/25/djis-latest-mavic-drone-is-a-beast/

The Matrice 350 RTK is available starting today, but if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it.

Andrew Liszewski - 17 May 2023

As impressively capable as DJI’s consumer drones have become, they’re all designed for one specific task: capturing compelling footage using built-in camera gear that’s engineered to be light and small. If you’re instead looking to attach your own hardware for other uses, such as inspecting a towering wind turbine with a laser scanner or mapping a large area of land, you need to upgrade to DJI’s Matrice line, and the new 350 RTK boasts a payload capacity of almost six pounds and flight times reaching an hour.

The Matrice 350 RTK does come with built-in cameras, but they’re used for the drone’s “six-directional binocular vision system” that works alongside an infrared sensor system to ensure that obstacles posing a threat to the drone can be automatically detected and avoided. Optionally, the Matrice 350 RTK can be further upgraded with a circular scanning millimeter (CSM) radar pod mounted atop the drone that’s designed to detect more subtle obstacles like wires, power lines, and thin tree branches from a distance of up to 100 feet away, and ensure it doesn’t get close enough to make contact with its spinning propellers.

https://gizmodo.com/dji-matrice-350-rtk-can-fly-for-55-minutes-1850449013

DJI and Autel Robotics have one year to convince skeptical national security agencies that their equipment doesn't pose a threat to the U.S.

Todd Feathers - December 19, 2024

The world’s largest drone maker, Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), will have another year to convince American defense agencies that its products don’t pose a national security threat to the U.S.

The Chinese company faced an immediate ban on the use of its products if the U.S. Senate had included language from the Countering CCP Drones Act, which passed the House in September, in its final version of the National Defense Authorization Act. But the Senate chose instead to grant DJI and Autel Robotics, another Chinese drone maker, a temporary reprieve.

The NDAA, which the Senate overwhelmingly approved on Wednesday, is now waiting for President Joe Biden’s signature. It includes a provision directing an “appropriate national security agency” to examine DJI and Autel products—including drones and any other communications or video surveillance equipment—to determine whether they pose a risk to the U.S.

The agency has one year from the enactment of the NDAA to make its decision. If it determines that the companies’ products pose a threat, the Federal Communications Commission will be required to place those products on the so-called covered list, which bans the marketing and sale of certain devices. Owners of DJI and Autel products would still be able to use devices they purchased prior to the companies being added to the covered list.

https://gizmodo.com/djis-popular-chinese-drones-get-temporary-reprieve-may-still-be-banned-2000540839

Previous outlawing attempt flew off, will this one stick the landing?

Matthew Connatser - Fri 26 Jul 2024 21:58 UTC

US senators have been asked again to consider banning the use of drones made by Chinese manufacturer DJI in American airspace after a previous attempt to outlaw the machines was dropped.

A ban was put forward by House Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as part of her proposed Countering CCP Drone Act. This draft legislation was eventually rolled into this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), also known as HR 8070. Some lawmakers in the United States have been considering banning DJI following warnings from the FBI and CISA that the Chinese-made drones could collect data about America and its inhabitants while out and about and send that info back to Beijing.

After the grounding of DJI was approved by the House in June, the NDAA made its way to the Senate, landing in the lap of the Armed Services Committee to read over and adjust. The committee's final version of the NDAA or S 4638 makes no mention of the ban on DJI drones, though. And that version was passed last month 22 to 3, and will be voted on by the whole Senate in the near future, without the drone ban.

But DJI and fans of its drones in the US shouldn't celebrate just yet. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has already proposed an amendment that would add the ban in its entirety to the bill.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/26/us_senate_dji_drone/

Like the Neo, the $440 DJI Flip can launch from your palm, but it includes better object avoidance tech and a bigger sensor.

Kyle Barr - January 14, 2025

Lightweight drones are having a small renaissance leading into 2025. We’ve seen more designs small enough to take off and land in your outstretched palm, but the new DJI Flip offers one of the cutest-looking drone designs yet. The transforming Flip’s wings fold down for easy transport, making it look like a droid you’d seen zipping around a cantina in Star Wars Skeleton Crew.

The Flip is another lightweight drone that can launch from practically anywhere. Like last year’s $200 DJI Neo, it includes several automatic shooting modes for vloggers who don’t want to fiddle with the app or physical controls. The best upgrade to the Flip is the 48MP, 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, which can shoot a maximum of 4K, 60 FPS video with HDR. The Flip can also record slow-motion videos up to 100 FPS in 4K.

https://gizmodo.com/dji-new-small-sized-transforming-drone-folds-up-to-look-like-a-star-wars-droid-2000549614

It comes with LiDAR obstacle detection, 4K 60p video and a weird new folding system.

Steve Dent - Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 5:00 AM PST

DJI continues its streak of innovative (and highly leaked) drones with the launch of the Flip, a lightweight and people-safe model that folds in a new direction — downward — to accommodate the large, shrouded propellers. The new model should appeal to beginners and experienced users alike with features like a large sensor, 4K 100p video, safety features, a three-axis gimbal and an affordable price.

The company says the Flip “combine[s] the simplicity of the DJI Neo with the stunning photo capabilities of the DJI Mini,” but in many ways, it's better than both. It borrows a LiDAR system from the Air 3S for obstacle detection and the Flip's propellers are protected on all sides, making it all but impossible to hurt someone with them. DJI says the support structure for the guards is made of carbon fiber string that's 1/60th the weight of polycarbonate material and just as strong. That made it possible to keep the weight under 249 grams, so buyers will be able to fly it without a permit in most countries.

https://www.engadget.com/cameras/djis-flip-combines-the-best-of-its-lightweight-drones-for-439-130054569.html

Brian Heater - 12:19 PM PST January 14, 2025

Four short months after introducing the truly palm-size Neo, DJI is back with another pint-sized consumer drone. The Flip continues the drone giant’s interest in foldable form factors, with a quartet of propeller guards that essentially stack up, for maximum portability.

The new Flip continues to blur the lines in DJI’s existing consumer portfolio, combining the “simplicity of the DJI Neo with the stunning photo capabilities of the DJI Mini,” per the company. At $439, the drone is a lot closer to the Mini 3 ($419) than the Neo ($199).

It’s clear the company is gunning for photographers/videographers looking to streamline their outdoor shooting. The new drone is capable of shooting in 4K at 60 frames per second, as well as 100fps slow motion video. As for stills, the camera can capture 48-megapixel shots with up to 4x zoom.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/14/dji-flip-is-a-439-fully-foldable-camera-drone/

Mini to the Max

https://www.dji.com/mini-4-pro

The most notable feature may be the price.

Mat Smith, Bureau Chief, UK - Mon, Apr 29, 2024, 6:00 AM PDT

DJI’s latest product is another Mini drone. It can capture 4K video at up to 30 fps and 60 fps footage at 2.7K resolution, with increased video bitrates up to 100Mbps, which should ensure higher quality video at both settings. While those specs may not excite, maybe the price will.

Not to be confused with the Mini Pro series, which is several hundred dollars more, the $299 Mini 4K weighs less than 249g, is foldable and requires no FAA registration.

https://www.engadget.com/the-dji-mini-4k-is-a-299-drone-aimed-at-beginners-130045701.html

The rumored ultra-cheap DJI Neo can launch from your palm and still shoot in 4K. We could see it in stores as early as next month.

Kyle Barr - Updated August 29, 2024

Imagine a drone that’s no bigger than a small baby swallow (don’t dare ask me, “African or European?”). Chinese drone maker DJI (who’s also getting into e-bikes) may already have a super small, super cheap drone available, though not quite yet in the U.S. Based on one unboxing video of the rumored DJI Neo, the company’s new drone may also be extremely cheap and the best way to annoy neighbors on a budget.

In recent months, we’ve seen some other paltry leaks of the DJI Neo through a misfire Walmart listing. That put the drone at just $329 and the ability to shoot in 4K. On Wednesday, Italian YouTube channel enontheroad (via Notebookcheck) posted an unboxing video of a supposed Neo they found available in Malaysia. Based on the video, the drone takes the same design as the recent DJI Avata 2, but it will cost significantly less than that $1,000 drone and goggle combo.

YouTuber Nicola Cortellucci claims that the device will sell for just €199 in Europe, or just over $228. That’s based on a conversion from the Malaysian ringgit and probably does not reflect on U.S. pricing. Still, Cortellucci claimed there’s another “Fly More” listing with an accessory pack that would sell for €350, or $388. That’s in line with DJI’s normal pricing model.

https://gizmodo.com/the-next-4k-tiny-drone-from-dji-fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-2000492509

Brian Heater - 6:00 AM PDT September 5, 2024

In 2017, DJI introduced the Spark. With a palm-sized body, gesture control and a sub-$500 price point, the system firmly targeted social media. It was, in essence, a selfie-drone.

The little quadcopter built up a fanbase, though apparently not one large enough to justify its own continued existence. DJI quietly discontinued the device in 2019, replacing it with the Mavic Mini, the smallest member of its wildly popular folding consumer drone line.

This week at IFA in Berlin, DJI is once again going small with the new Neo. Like the Spark before it, the drone’s ability to land in the palm of the user’s hand is a major selling point. Among other things, that’s shorthand for Neo’s small footprint: At 135 grams (0.3 pound), DJI says it’s the “most compact and lightest” drone it has produced.

Indeed, it’s significantly lighter than both the Spark (300 grams) and Mavic Mini (249 grams). Of course, a small footprint comes with its share of drawbacks, chief among them battery life. The system has a listed flight time of 18 minutes on a charge, which limits what one can do with the drone.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/05/dji-takes-another-crack-at-palm-sized-drones/

The DJI Neo: It's a follow-me drone and, perhaps, a cinewhoop? But can it be all things to all customers without compromise?

Adam Juniper - September 5, 2024

Let's not beat around the bush, at its core the DJI Neo is built around an idea borrowed from another company. The question with this drone is not how revolutionary it is because – for once – DJI aren't really the innovators here. The question is “Has DJI done it better?”

From that perspective, the existing competition which DJI is looking to unseat is the HoverAir X1, which I reviewed last year, though history records a much less impressive 'selfie drone' or 'follow-me drone' (I can't decide what they're called either) from Snapchat! There are other ways we can look at this drone though, because it does a lot!

With DJI in the unfamiliar position of being behind the market, they've gone all-out in terms of features, including a 4K camera and the option to control the craft 'properly' using one of the company's RC-N3 controllers – in addition to all the cleverness of automatically orbiting the owner.

That means you can buy the drone as a 'selfie drone', using AI and/or an app to follow you, or you can opt to fly it more like a conventional drone. That's flexibility, and it's not something the HoverAir X1 does out of the box.

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/dji-neo-review

Jurgita Lapienytė Chief Editor - Updated 13 October 2022

Over 80,000 drone IDs were exposed in a data leak after a database containing information from dozens of airspace monitoring devices manufactured by the Chinese-owned DJI was left accessible to the public.

Think twice before taking out your shiny new drone for a spin near the Cannes Film Festival, a prison, a nuclear power plant, or an airport. Enhanced security institutions use devices to monitor drone movement, posing a privacy risk to its owner.

Recently, the Cybernews research team stumbled upon an unprotected database with over 90 million drone-monitoring logs generated by DJI devices – the largest market player in the world that sells both drones and devices to surveil them.

https://cybernews.com/privacy/dji-drone-tracking-data-exposed-in-us/

Right after one of its drones crashed into an aircraft fighting California wildfires? Great timing

Brandon Vigliarolo - Wed 15 Jan 2025 22:30 UTC

Drone maker DJI has decided to scale back its geofencing restrictions, meaning its software won't automatically stop operators from flying into areas flagged as no-fly zones.

While the FBI searches for a drone operator responsible for a collision with a firefighting aircraft battling wildfires in California, mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey, and the Chinese firm faces a countdown to being banned in the US, DJI chose this moment to loosen its geofencing restrictions.

Instead of its drones refusing to fly into restricted areas, DJI said that it's chosen to trust owners of its UAVs to do the right thing.

“Areas previously defined as Restricted Zones (also known as No-Fly Zones) will be displayed as Enhanced Warning Zones, aligning with the FAA's designated areas,” the world's largest drone maker said. “In-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA designated controlled airspace, placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility.”

We all know how responsible drone operators are, so sure - let's give them more leeway.

The change to DJI's geofencing policy is now in effect in the US after being implemented in the European Union early last year. DJI said that it geofenced drones voluntarily due to sparse regulation in the UAV space years ago, but new rules mean it's not an essential measure anymore.

https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/15/dji_ditch_geofencing/

Posted by msmash on Wednesday January 15, 2025 09:20AM

Chinese drone maker DJI has removed software restrictions that previously prevented its drones from flying over sensitive areas in the United States, including airports, wildfires, and government buildings like the White House, replacing them with dismissible warnings.

The policy shift comes amid rising U.S. distrust of Chinese drones and follows a recent incident where a DJI drone disrupted firefighting efforts in Los Angeles. The company defended the change, saying drone regulations have matured with the FAA's new Remote ID tracking requirement, which functions like a digital license plate.

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/01/15/1614246/dji-removes-us-drone-flight-restrictions-over-airports-wildfires

It's an interesting move for a company that could be banned in the US in less than a year.

Steve Dent - Wed, Jan 15, 2025, 5:00 AM PST

DJI has lifted its geofence that prevents users in the US from flying over restricted areas like nuclear power plants, airports and wildfires, the company wrote in a blog post on Monday. As of January 13th, areas previously called “restricted zones” or no-fly zones will be shown as “enhanced warning zones” that correspond to designated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) areas. DJI's Fly app will display a warning about those areas but will no longer stop users from flying inside them, the company said.

In the article, DJI wrote that the “in-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA designated controlled airspace, placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility.” It added that technologies like Remote ID [introduced after DJI implemented geofencing] gives authorities “the tools needed to enforce existing rules,” DJI's global policy chief Adam Welsh told The Verge.

Still, the update is an odd one, given that DJI is already on shaky ground in the US and could be banned from selling its products stateside as early as next year. DJI's former head of policy, Brendon Schulman, criticized the move on Twitter in a series of posts. “There was substantial evidence over the years that automatic drone geofencing, implemented using a risk-based approach, contributed significantly to aviation safety,” he wrote.

https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-will-no-longer-block-us-users-from-flying-drones-in-restricted-areas-130051778.html

“The geofencing system was created as a voluntary built-in safety feature,” the company writes.

Matt Novak - January 15, 2025

DJI, which accounts for an estimated 90% of hobby drone sales in the U.S., announced this week that it will stop geoblocking its drones from flying over airports and military bases. The changes took effect on Monday on both the DJI Fly and DJI Pilot flight apps.

DJI wrote about the changes in a blog, noting that it comes after similar changes were made by the drone company in the European Union last year.

“Areas previously defined as Restricted Zones (also known as No-Fly Zones) will be displayed as Enhanced Warning Zones, aligning with the FAA’s designated areas,” the company’s blog reads. “In these zones, in-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA designated controlled airspace, placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility.”

The use of drones by civilians in restricted airspace is a big problem, with the most recent high-profile example in the U.S. happening just last week when a firefighting aircraft known as the SuperScooper Quebec 1 had to be grounded after colliding with a DJI drone over the Palisades Fire. The FAA had declared the area restricted and the firefighting craft’s wing was damaged from the collision. The FBI is investigating the incident.

https://gizmodo.com/dji-stops-automatically-blocking-drone-flights-over-airports-and-military-bases-2000550316

Pending CCP drone ban could render the suit irrelevant

Brandon Vigliarolo - Tue 22 Oct 2024 00:30 UTC

Chinese drone maker DJI has sued the US Department of Defense, alleging it was added to a list of companies affiliated with the Chinese military and denied the opportunity to protest its innocence.

DJI filed the lawsuit [PDF] last week to protest its inclusion on the DoD's list of Chinese military companies (CMCs), insisting that it isn't owned or controlled by the nation's military forces, and that it doesn't manufacture drones for military purposes. DJI said it filed the lawsuit to protest its inclusion on the list after trying for more than a year to pry a justification out of the Defense Department so it could argue a rebuttal.

“DJI, through outside counsel, sought to engage with DoD over more than a 16-month period to understand the rationale for DJI's designation, obtain the administrative record, and provide DoD with facts demonstrating that DJI is not a CMC under the statutory criteria,” the manufacturer said in its lawsuit.

DJI submitted a delisting petition in July 2023 but received no response, except for the DoD redesignating it as a CMC in January 2024, after initially adding it to the list in 2022. At that point, the drone maker began considering legal action, according to the filing.

“On September 6, 2024, DJI, having determined that it had no other reasonable option available, informed DoD that it planned to seek judicial relief,” the drone maker claimed in its suit. “Only then did DoD produce a 'courtesy copy' of an internal report that it described as containing the full rationale for DJI's designation.”

https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/22/dji_sues_dod/

Use Flight Reader to decrypt and view the flight data inside of the DJI TXT flight logs, DroneDeploy LOG flight logs, Drone Harmony CSV flight logs, Litchi CSV flight logs, or Map Pilot CSV flight logs from your DJI drones.

https://www.flightreader.com/

In a flight test, the DJI FlyCart 30 could ferry 234 kg an hour, a task carried out by some 14 porters in six hours.

Sangam Prasain - Updated August 5, 2024 09:57

Come autumn, Nepal will deploy heavy lifter drones to transport garbage from the 6,812-metre tall Ama Dablam, south of Everest. This will be the first commercial work an unmanned aerial vehicle does in Nepal’s high-altitude zone.

The heavy lifter from China’s biggest drone maker, Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), will take on tasks traditionally handled by Sherpas. Officials believe it will help reduce casualties on Everest.

Then, in spring (March-May), DJI drones, which make sounds similar to a swarm of bees, will be put to work on Everest.

It will fly to Camp I (5,943 metres) to supply ropes and ladders to prepare routes and bring garbage to the Everest base camp at 5,364 metres.

On Sunday, a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, and the Airlift Technology Pvt Ltd for the use of advanced drone technology to efficiently manage garbage in the mountains of the Khumbu region.

In April, Chinese drone maker DJI conducted the world’s first drone delivery test on Everest.

“After a successful test in April, we plan to use drones commercially in the Everest region,” said Jagat Bhusal, chief administration officer of the rural municipality that hosts Everest.

https://kathmandupost.com/money/2024/08/05/it-s-official-chinese-drones-will-fly-trash-out-of-everest-slopes

The Air 3S and other models were stopped over forced labor claims, which DJI called 'categorically false.'

Steve Dent - Thu, Oct 17, 2024, 5:30 AM PDT

Many of DJI's drones including its latest consumer products are being held up at the US border, the manufacturer said in a blog post today. It appears to be a customs matter and not related to proposed US legislation to ban DJI products (the Countering CCP Drones Act) currently in US Congress. However, the holdup means that sales of DJI's latest Air 3S drone will be delayed, the company told The Verge.

“The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has cited the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), as the reason for the current holdups,” the DJI ViewPoints team wrote. “This assertion made against DJI, however, is entirely unfounded and categorically false.”

Calling the situation a “misunderstanding,” DJI said it's sending documentation proving it complies with the UFLPA. It added that it has no manufacturing facilities in and doesn't source materials from Xinjiang, the region that's a red flag for the US in terms of Uyghur forced labor violations. It also noted that it's not a listed entity under UFLPA and that its supply “undergoes rigorous due diligence by respected US retailers.” US Customs and Border Protection has yet to comment on the matter.

https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-confirms-that-us-customs-is-holding-up-its-latest-consumer-drone-123007447.html

Aug 18, 2024 - Giorgio Mendoza

Earlier this month, M5Stack introduced the M5Stamp Fly and M5Atom Joystick, both powered by the ESP32-S3 System-on-Chip. These open-source devices, comprising a quadcopter kit and a dual-joystick remote controller, are engineered to offer a comprehensive and programmable solution for a variety of applications, including drone control and educational projects.

The M5Stamp Fly utilizes the M5StampS3 as its main controller and integrates several sensors to enhance control and navigation. The BMP280 Barometric Sensor facilitates accurate altitude control, while the VL53L3 Distance Sensors enable both obstacle avoidance and altitude hold functionalities. For stable flight, the BMI270 6-Axis Gyroscope and BMM150 3-Axis Magnetometer provide detailed attitude and directional data.

https://linuxgizmos.com/m5stamp-fly-and-m5atom-joystick-affordable-quadcopter-and-controller-solutions-based-on-the-m5stamps3-platform/

Itching to take to the skies again

Nikita Achanta - 5 April 2025

Sometimes I think about how I get to take photos and record videos on some of the best drones and I can hardly believe my luck — this is my job.

I fly drones for a living and that thought itself is dizzying. And if you're familiar with my work or have read any of my drone-specific articles, you'll know that I don't go anywhere without my DJI drones (the Air 3S and Neo).

“But Nikita, I live in the United States and the future of DJI is unclear,” I hear you say. Well, thankfully, there are alternatives available. If you're on the lookout for a sub-250g drone for travel and the DJI Mini 4K has been recommend to you, fret not.

I've just tested the Potensic Atom 2 whose DJI-rivaling specs make it the ultimate alternative.

https://www.tomsguide.com/cameras-photography/drones/ive-been-testing-this-drone-for-a-month-and-its-the-ultimate-dji-mini-4k-alternative

Zainab Falak - Oct 23, 2024

While smartphone cameras and DSLRs do a good job of capturing life’s moments, sometimes you want a bit more – especially when snapping unique, aerial perspectives. That’s where drones like the Ruko F11GIM2 can really help.

This drone, which comes with a well-thought-out package, ensures you have everything you need right out of the box. Along with the Ruko F11GIM2 itself, you’ll find four intelligent flight batteries that provide a total of 112 minutes of flight time. You’ll also get a carrying case for easy transport, an LCD chargeable remote controller, extra propellers, and a landing pad for smoother takeoffs and landings.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/deal/ruko-f11gim2-drone/

Aria Alamalhodaei - 2:32 PM PDT October 31, 2024

America’s supply chain vulnerabilities were on full display Thursday after drone manufacturer Skydio told customers it was facing a battery squeeze after being hit with sanctions from China.

“This is an attempt to eliminate the leading American drone company and deepen the world’s dependence on Chinese drone suppliers,” Skydio CEO Adam Bry said in a letter to customers first reported by the Financial Times.

The company, which provides drones to Ukraine’s military and Taiwan’s National Fire Agency, manufacturers its products in the United States but still relies on a global supply chain for many of its components; one of the most critical components, batteries, are still sourced in China. As a result of the sanctions, which bar Chinese companies from doing business with Skydio, customers will be limited to one battery per drone, Skydio told customers.

While Skydio has a “substantial stock” of batteries on hand, it doesn’t anticipate new sources coming online until spring of next year. In the meantime, the company is extending the software license, warranty, and support term for orders affected by the battery ration by the length of time it takes for the full complement of batteries to be delivered.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/31/us-drone-maker-skydio-faces-battery-squeeze-after-chinese-sanctions/

Damien Oh - Aug 6, 2024

When it comes to drones, you are probably thinking of the big and powerful DJI drones. Zero Zero Robotics attempts to shake up the market with its HoverAir X1 self-flying drone, one that is smaller than the DJI mini, and lighter, smarter and more user-friendly. In this review, we show you how the HoverAir X1 is different from all the drones we have used and how incredibly easy it is to get started.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/review/hoverair-x1/

Feds insist they still don't know what's happening – but note sightings cluster around airport flight paths

Brandon Vigliarolo - Tue 17 Dec 2024 14:01 UTC

Analysis Mystery drone fever continues to grip the US East Coast – and appears to be moving inland – as elected officials beg the federal government to do something. Meanwhile the feds reiterate what they've been saying all along: We don't know what's going on, but you all need to calm the hell down.

Reported sightings of unidentified flying objects said to be the size of sports utility vehicles have been on law enforcement's radar for nearly a month now. Sightings were first reported near the US Army's Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, New Jersey, then spread throughout the state – including near Naval Weapons Station Earle close to New Jersey's southeastern coast.

The FBI noted in a press briefing Friday it had issued flight restrictions prohibiting drone flights over the Arsenal and over Trump National Golf Club in nearby Bedminster, following drone sightings there.

Along with the temporary flight restrictions, drone sightings have prompted officials in New York to close runways at Stewart International Airport near Poughkeepsie. Sightings are affecting airspace as far as western Ohio, where Wright-Patterson Air Force Base closed its airspace Friday night and into Saturday after drones were reported in the area.

Bob Purtiman, chief of public affairs for Wright-Patterson, told The Register that the drones supposedly spotted near the Ohio facility were “small” – suggesting they might not be part of the same mystery SUV-sized drones allegedly spotted on the East Coast.

The governors of both New Jersey and New York, on the other hand, have urged federal officials to take action. New York governor Kathy Hochul lamented the situation “has gone too far” after the hour-long closure of Stewart Airfield.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/17/mystery_drone_sightings/

Authorities can't (or won't) explain why large drones have repeatedly been sighted by Jersey residents.

Lucas Ropek - December 8, 2024

Swarms of large drones were repeatedly seen flying through the air over New Jersey this week. The autonomous vehicles were traveling at night and were said to be much larger than typical hobbyist drones. They are said to have been equipped with blinking lights and, in some instances, were described as being as large as a car. Unfortunately, nobody seems to know what the drones were doing, where they went, or who they belonged to.

Word of the mysterious UAV first spread on social media, where users posted videos and pictures they had snapped while the drones were flying through their neighborhoods. As word of the sightings spread, the government was forced to respond.

On Thursday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said, in a statement shared on social media that he had convened a briefing with the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the “reported drone activity over parts of North and Central New Jersey.” He added that the government was “actively monitoring the situation and in close coordination with our federal and law enforcement partners.”

https://gizmodo.com/mysterious-drones-are-flying-over-new-jersey-at-night-2000535603

The Republican says it was launched a month ago off the east coast of the U.S. and should be shot down.

Matt Novak - December 11, 2024

The mysterious drone sightings across several counties in New Jersey during recent weeks were launched by an Iranian “mothership,” according to a congressman who spoke to Fox News on Wednesday. And while it seems like a completely outlandish claim given everything we know publicly right now, this isn’t some random crank on the internet. It’s an elected leader in the U.S. who sits on powerful committees and claims to have sources who can be trusted.

The mysterious flying vehicles have blinking lights and have sometimes been described as being as large as a car. Walt Miller, chief of police in New Jersey’s Evesham township, gave a press conference Friday where he said cops have been flooded with calls about the flying objects. But it’s unclear to most people who might be behind them.

At least it was unclear until Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Republican from New Jersey, said Wednesday that he knows for certain what they are. Rep. Drew is a member of the U.S. House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation and says he has reliable information that these drones are from a hostile source.

https://gizmodo.com/congressman-claims-drones-over-new-jersey-were-launched-by-iranian-mothership-2000537455

Lawmaker called for a ‘limited state of emergency’, while 21 mayors asked governor to enact statewide action

Ed Pilkington - Wed 11 Dec 2024 15.19 EST

The mysterious reported sightings of drone clusters in the night skies over New Jersey and other parts of the US north-east has prompted frustrated outbursts from Congress members, triggering calls for a limited state of emergency to be declared over the region.

Jon Bramnick, a Republican state senator in New Jersey, has demanded a ban on all drones until the mystery is solved. ABC’s Action News reported that he called for a “limited state of emergency … until the public receives an explanation regarding these multiple sightings”.

Concern about unexplained drone sightings began in mid-November as isolated postings by local residents on social media. The issue has steadily risen up the political food chain, bursting this week on to the stage of state and federal authorities.

On Wednesday, the governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, held a briefing call with the US homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, as well as representatives in Congress and state police to discuss the drone reports. He emphasized there was “no known threat to the public at this time”.

Also on Wednesday, the House subcommittee on counter-terrorism, law enforcement and intelligence held a hearing on the subject. Robert Wheeler, an FBI official in charge of investigating the matter, confirmed to the hearing that the agency still had no explanation for the sightings.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/11/new-jersey-drone-sightings-state-of-emergency

Sarah Perez - 12:33 PM PST December 11, 2024

In a press briefing on Wednesday, the Pentagon said it has no evidence that the mysterious drones that have been flying over New Jersey and other parts of the northeast U.S. in recent weeks were coming from a foreign entity, nor were they U.S. military drones. The comments come a day after a U.S. Congressional hearing focused on the increasing drone activity, where several Capital Hill lawmakers expressed frustration with the lack of information and response to the drone incursions.

The FBI told lawmakers during Tuesday’s hearing that it’s working with state and local authorities to investigate the situation and had received north of 3,000 reports of sightings from the public. However, it didn’t yet know who was responsible. Of note, a senior FBI official revealed that the organization’s budget for counter-drone activity was only around $500,000.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had banned drone flights in parts of New Jersey back in November, as a result of drones flying over the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster and the Picatinny Arsenal military research and manufacturing facility in Morris County, according to press reports at the time.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/11/pentagon-says-mystery-drones-over-new-jersey-are-not-us-military-not-likely-foreign/

No word from the FBI about where they are hiding aliens or UFOs

Jessica Lyons - Thu 12 Dec 2024 07:30 UTC

Unidentified flying objects said to be the size of sports utility vehicles have been spotted flying over parts of the northeastern US, prompting investigations by law enforcement and the FBI as elected officials urge the public not to panic.

The Federal Aviation Administration, meanwhile, has temporarily banned drone flights over president-elect Donald Trump's golf club and a major military research and manufacturing facility, both in New Jersey, in response to the mysterious lights in the sky.

Videos of the flying objects over New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania have appeared on Bluesky and other social media sites for weeks, with users questioning whether the lights in the sky were alien ships, spy balloons, or just really creepy unmanned drones.

On December 4, New Jersey officials acknowledged the sightings and assured the public that the FBI and Homeland Security are on the case. Plus, they want the public to report any information to the FBI (1-800-225-5324) and upload videos to tips[.]fbi[.]gov.

“County and local law enforcement agencies are aware of the recurring reports of drone activity around Morris and Somerset counties, and acknowledge the public's concern about these repeated sightings,” according to a joint statement by eight Morris and Somerset County police chiefs, detectives, and other top cops and prosecutors across the north and central New Jersey.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/12/mystery_objects_us/

Posted by BeauHD on Friday December 13, 2024 01:20PM

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Hill:

Shaun Golden, the sheriff of Monmouth County, N.J., wants feds to get to the bottom of recent mysterious drone activity in his state. Local officials, including Golden, are urging Gov. Phil Murphy (D) to declare a state of emergency. “We continue to urge our governor to press the federal government to put more resources out here,” Golden said Thursday on NewsNation's “Dan Abrams Live.” “The only way we're going to solve this is by the federal government coming in here and doing full investigations as to what these things are, how their movements are made,” he added.

The White House insist that the drones do not represent a threat. The Pentagon also said it currently does not appear that a foreign enemy is behind the mysterious drones in the New Jersey sky. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) claimed the drones are being launched by an Iranian “mothership,” but Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said during a briefing there is “not any truth to that.” With the investigation ongoing, Golden has called for the governor to declare a state of emergency and to issue an executive order banning nighttime use of recreational drones.

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/12/13/214233/officials-demand-explanation-on-mysterious-drone-sightings

Some insist these drones are piloted by intergalactic beings. Others claim they're regular airplanes. But who can say for sure?

Matt Novak - December 19, 2024

The FAA has placed temporary flight restrictions on the operation of drones over parts of New Jersey, according to a notice published on the agency’s website. The ban on drone activity is likely related to the recent bout of mass hysteria over supposed “drone” sightings, though the agency hasn’t said so explicitly. The FAA told the New York Times the ban was enacted at the request of “federal security partners,” without elaborating further.

The drone ban covers 22 different New Jersey communities and is set to expire on Jan. 17, 2025. It’s not immediately clear why that end date was chosen. The FAA didn’t address Gizmodo’s questions about the specific timing of the flight restrictions and their relation to drone sightings in an email Thursday morning and directed us to the Department of Homeland Security.

https://gizmodo.com/faa-bans-drones-in-parts-of-new-jersey-as-ufo-hysteria-continues-2000540949

Posted by msmash on Thursday December 19, 2024 09:25AM

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a monthlong ban on drone flights over a large swath of New Jersey, the first broad prohibition of its kind since the authorities began investigating a spate of sightings last month that set off fear and speculation. From a report:

The ban began late on Wednesday and will continue through Jan. 17, according to an F.A.A. alert. The notification cited “special security reasons” for prohibiting flights in airspace near 22 New Jersey communities, including three of the state's largest cities, Camden, Elizabeth and Jersey City.

The F.A.A. said it had temporarily restricted drone flights over “critical New Jersey infrastructure” at the request of what it described as federal security partners.

https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/19/1723255/faa-bans-drone-flights-near-critical-infrastructure-in-new-jersey

Drone sightings cause worry; FBI said it hadn't “identified anything anomalous.”

Jon Brodkin – Dec 19, 2024 10:29 AM

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily banned drones over parts of New Jersey yesterday and said “the United States government may use deadly force against” airborne aircraft “if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat.”

The FAA issued 22 orders imposing “temporary flight restrictions for special security reasons” until January 17, 2025. “At the request of federal security partners, the FAA published 22 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) prohibiting drone flights over critical New Jersey infrastructure,” an FAA statement said.

Each NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) affects a specific area. “No UAS [Unmanned Aircraft System] operations are authorized in the areas covered by this NOTAM” unless they have clearance for specific operations, the FAA said. Allowed operations include support for national defense, law enforcement, firefighting, and commercial operations “with a valid statement of work.”

“Pilots who do not adhere to the following proc[edure] may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel,” the FAA said. Violating the order could result in “civil penalties and the suspension or revocation of airmen certificates,” and criminal charges, the FAA said.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/12/us-temporarily-bans-drones-in-parts-of-nj-may-use-deadly-force-against-aircraft/

Posted by EditorDavid on Sunday December 15, 2024 02:23PM from the droning-on dept.

Saturday night two men were arrested near Boston “following a hazardous drone operation near Logan Airport's airspace,” according to a police statement. They credit an officer “leveraging advanced UAS monitoring technology” who “identified the drone's location, altitude, flight history, and the operators' position.”

Recognizing the serious risks posed by the drone's proximity to Logan's airspace, additional resources were mobilized. The Boston Police Department coordinated with Homeland Security, the Massachusetts State Police, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Logan Airport Air Traffic Control to address the situation.

“Both suspects face charges of trespassing, with additional fines or charges potentially forthcoming.”

Meanwhile on Friday night “Officials at Stewart International Airport, located roughly 60 miles north of New York City, said they shut down their runways for an hour,” reports ABC News, after America's Federal Aviation Administration “alerted them that a drone was spotted in the area around 9:30 p.m.” Though officials say flight operations weren't impacted during the closure, the article notes that New York's governor is now calling for federal assistance, including more federal law enforcement officers, saying “This has gone too far.”

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/15/2221203/two-drone-pilots-arrested-near-boston-and-drones-cause-one-hour-runway-closure-at-north-new-york-airport

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

The sightings have prompted concern among residents and lawmakers alike.

Lily Mae Lazarus - Dec. 15 2024 5:23PM EST / Updated Dec. 16 2024 4:00AM EST

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas offered a possible explanation for the recent uptick of drone encounters along the Eastern Seaboard—particularly in the skies above New Jersey—which have prompted concern among residents and lawmakers.

Reports of drone sightings across New Jersey and neighboring states, he said Sunday, may be the result of a rule change by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“In September of 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA, changed the rules so that drones could fly at night,” Mayorkas told ABC News' This Week. “And that may be one of the reasons why now people are seeing more drones than they did before, especially from dawn to dusk.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-official-alejandro-mayorkas-offers-reason-for-mystery-drone-sightings-in-new-jersey/

Didn't Donald Trump promise to reveal what these are?

Matt Novak - January 27, 2025

Remember back in November and December when Americans looked up into the sky and became convinced it was filled with mysterious drones? That calmed down over the past month after the FAA placed flight restrictions on drone flights in the northeast. But they’re back. Or, at least, the sightings from people who believe they’re seeing weird drones are back.

Enigma Labs, a company that researches unidentified aerial vehicle sightings, reports it has received over 650+ drone-related sightings since Nov. 20 with a majority in New Jersey. But there are other states with sightings, including New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

“This month we received 54 reports in January to date, 48% of which were from NJ. Combined, NY and NJ make up 61% of sightings in January,” the company told Gizmodo over email Monday.

The FBI has said there’s nothing “anomalous” about the flights they’ve investigated, but there’s still an air of mystery around what’s actually happening when people see things they can’t explain. But that doesn’t mean there’s something nefarious happening.

On one end of the spectrum, people believe they’re seeing aliens from another planet visiting Earth. But the more likely explanations fall into three major buckets: 1) They’re exceptional aircraft from a foreign adversary, 2) they’re exceptional aircraft controlled by either the U.S. government or contractors for the government, and 3) they’re regular aircraft that people are identifying as odd because we’ve whipped ourselves into mass hysteria.

https://gizmodo.com/mystery-drone-sightings-reappear-in-the-northeast-2000555267

'Research and various other reasons' behind hullabaloo - but why didn't someone say that a month ago?

Brandon Vigliarolo - Wed 29 Jan 2025 20:00 UTC

Time to pack it up and go home, drone conspiracy theorists: The White House has finally offered an explanation for those mysterious New Jersey drone sightings from late last year - though its rather vague statement raises more questions than it answers.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt held the first press briefing of Trump's second term yesterday, kicking off with what she said was news “directly from the President”.

“After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research and various other reasons,” Leavitt said. “Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.”

Leavitt suggested public “curiosity” amplified the situation, adding, “This was not the enemy,” before moving on to unrelated business.
The fervor over unidentified drones in the skies over New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania began in December, with the rumor mill suggesting some of the craft were as large as sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Officials from the FBI, FAA, and state authorities all acknowledged the sightings, but claimed the cause was unknown.

Some were spotted near airports and military facilities, others near Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, prompting the then-President-elect to claim the government knew what was going on but wasn't telling the public - or him, apparently.

https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/29/white_house_explains_drone_sighting/

‘This was not the enemy,’ says press secretary on flurry of drones spotted in east coast skies in December

Anna Betts - Tue 28 Jan 2025 14.47 EST

The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said on Tuesday that the mysterious drones that were spotted in skies around New Jersey and the east coast at the end of last year were “authorized to be flown by the FAA”.

In the first press briefing of Donald Trump’s second administration, Leavitt said that she had “news directly from the president of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office”.

“After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons,” she said, adding that “many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones”.

“In time, it got worse due to curiosity,” she said. “This was not the enemy.”

People started reporting the drones in the skies over northern New Jersey just before Thanksgiving, noting the aerial objects appeared to be hovering in formation and returned night after night.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/28/karoline-leavitt-new-jersey-drones

Posted by BeauHD on Tuesday January 28, 2025 03:45PM

During the first press briefing of Donald Trump's second administration, White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the mysterious drones spotted flying around New Jersey at the end of last year were “authorized to be flown by the FAA.”

“After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons,” she said, adding that “many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.” Leavitt added: “In time, it got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy.”

The drone sightings prompted local and federal officials to urge Congress to pass drone-defense legislation. The FAA issued a monthslong ban on drone flights over a large swatch of New Jersey while authorities invested the sightings. The Biden administration insisted that the drones were “nothing nefarious” and that there was “no sense of danger.”

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/01/28/2156244/white-house-says-new-jersey-drones-authorized-to-be-flown-by-faa

Personal drones and UAVs have unlocked creative new ways to take photos and videos. Learn the basics of aerial photography with these free resources.

By Mihir Patkar - 3 August 2021

Personal drones and UAVs have unlocked creative new ways to take photos and videos. Learn the basics of aerial photography with these free guides, apps, and sites.

You and your phone might be earthbound, but your camera can soar in the sky with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Shooting images of the world from a bird's eye view is one of the most common uses of drones. But if you want to get it right, you need to understand the new rules for composing aerial photos, editing these images, and get the right apps to know how to set up a shot.

https://www.makeuseof.com/5-essential-drone-photography-apps-and-guides-for-beginners/

How many times did you gasp while watching this drone zip through the smallest of spaces?

Andrew Liszewski - 4 October 2022 1:00PM

Last year, a video of a drone zipping through a bowling alley and squeezing its way into places you never thought a drone could fly, captivated the internet’s attention. The talented team behind that video is back with another unbelievable flight video providing a behind-the-scenes look at Wrigley Field and the surrounding neighborhood. Buckle up!

It doesn’t matter where your major league baseball allegiances may lie, it’s impossible not to appreciate what the Chicago Cubs had to elaborately orchestrate to make this video possible. The drone’s flight starts by following one of Chicago’s iconic “L” trains before dipping down and flying through Murphy’s Bleachers sports pub, around the surrounding neighborhood, right through the cab of a firetruck, and then over some pre-game festivities before entering Wrigley Field.

https://gizmodo.com/drone-flight-through-wrigley-field-will-make-anyone-a-c-1849614644

Posted by BeauHD on Thursday October 13, 2022 06:00AM

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Register:

Modified off-the-shelf drones have been found carrying wireless network-intrusion kit in a very unlikely place. Greg Linares, a security researcher, recently recounted an incident that he said occurred over the summer at a US East Coast financial firm focused on private investment. He told The Register that he was not involved directly with the investigation but interacted with those involved as part of his work in the finance sector. In a Twitter thread, Linares said the hacking incident was discovered when the financial firm spotted unusual activity on its internal Atlassian Confluence page that originated from within the company's network.

https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/22/10/12/236248/how-wi-fi-spy-drones-snooped-on-financial-firm

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s a flying menace out to endanger national security

Laura Dobberstein - Fri 19 Jan 2024 02:45 UTC

Two US government agencies, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), warned on Wednesday that drones made in China could be used to gather information on critical infrastructure.

“The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has enacted laws that provide the government with expanded legal grounds for accessing and controlling data held by firms in China. The use of Chinese-manufactured unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in critical infrastructure operations risks exposing sensitive information to PRC authorities,” according to a a statement on the CISA website. The statement does not name any brands.

Those expanded legal grounds include regulations that require companies to send data to Beijing, such as China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, 2021’s Data Security Law and the 2021 Cyber Vulnerability Reporting Law.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/19/drone_cisa_fbi/

Consumer drones are having a huge impact on the country’s defense against Russia.

Matt Burgess, wired.com - 5/8/2022, 3:05 AM

In the snowy streets of the north Ukrainian town of Trostyanets, the Russian missile system fires rockets every second. Tanks and military vehicles are parked on either side of the blasting artillery system, positioned among houses and near the town’s railway system. The weapon is not working alone, though. Hovering tens of meters above it and recording the assault is a Ukrainian drone. The drone isn’t a sophisticated military system, but a small, commercial machine that anyone can buy.

Since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine at the end of February, drones of all shapes and sizes have been used by both sides in the conflict. At one end of the scale are large military drones that can be used for aerial surveillance and to attack targets on the ground. In contrast, small commercial drones can be flown by people without any specific training and carried around in a suitcase-sized box. While both types of drones have been used in previous conflicts, the current scale of small, commercial drone use in Ukraine is unprecedented.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/05/small-drones-are-giving-ukraine-an-unprecedented-edge/

Dean Takahashi - August 24, 2021 7:15 AM

UPS has begun using Matternet drones to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to a hospital in North Carolina.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist medical center is believed to be the first in the country to receive COVID-19 vaccine deliveries by drone.

https://venturebeat.com/2021/08/24/ups-uses-matternet-drones-to-deliver-covid-19-vaccines/

Posted by msmash on Tuesday May 24, 2022 07:41AM from the up-next dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report:

Drone delivery has been a long time coming, but its actual implementation has largely arrived in fits and starts. Some companies (Alphabet's Wing) have made decent headway, while others (Amazon) have struggled. There are still plenty of issues to contend with ahead of any sort of mainstream adoption, from regulation to congestion to safety concerns. But a number of parties have found small successes in limited markets. Today, Walmart is expanding its own investment, announcing plans to extend its partnership with DroneUp to include 34 sites across six states. The planned rollout is set to be completed by the end of the year, at which point it will – theoretically – cover up to 4 million U.S. households. The retailer announced an investment in the 6-year-old startup late last year, following trial deliveries of COVID-19 testing kits. Early trials were conducted in Bentonville, Arkansas. This year, Arizona, Florida, Texas and DroneUp's native Virginia are being added to the list. Once online, customers will be able to choose from tens of thousands of products, from Tylenol to hot dog buns, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/22/05/24/144216/walmart-plans-to-expand-drone-delivery-to-six-states-this-year

Tue, May 24 2022 6:00 AM EDT / Updated Tue, May 24 2022 6:00 AM EDT - Melissa Repko

Walmart is expanding drone delivery across six states this year, making it possible for many more customers to get a box of diapers or dinner ingredients delivered in 30 minutes or less.

Through an expansion with operator DroneUp, the big-box retailer said it will be able to reach 4 million households in parts of Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia. The deliveries by air will be fulfilled from a total of 37 stores — with 34 of those run by DroneUp.

It announced its plans for growth on Tuesday in a blog post. Walmart currently offers drone deliveries from a few stores near its headquarters in northwest Arkansas and in North Carolina.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/24/walmart-expands-drone-delivery-service-to-reach-4-million-households.html

The expansion covers 4 million households.

Igor Bonifacic - May 24th, 2022

For nearly two years, Walmart has been testing a drone delivery program across parts of the US. Now the company says it’s ready to expand that offering. By the end of the year, the retailer plans to add 34 sites to its existing DroneUp network. With the expansion, approximately 4 million households in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia will have access to drone deliveries from the retailer. For a delivery fee of $4, you can order up to 10 pounds of groceries and household items. If you use the service, Walmart says to expect your package in “as little as” 30 minutes.

By the end of 2022, Walmart estimates it will have the capacity to deliver 1 million packages by air annually. It’s an impressive milestone, to be sure, but it doesn’t sound like the program is profitable just yet. The retailer notes it will offer drone services to local governments and businesses. As just one example, Walmart suggests the drones could help construction companies with one-site aerial photography. “Not only will the added revenue help offset the cost of delivery, but it also serves the entire drone industry by gathering more flight data as we work together to expand drone operations in a safe and regulated way,” the company said.

https://www.engadget.com/walmart-droneup-expansion-164104899.html

Lily Hay Newman - Mar 20, 2025 5:00 AM

Commercial quadcopters have been on the mainstream gadget scene for 15 years, proliferating across industries and among hobbyists. There's a swanky DJI store on New York City's Fifth Avenue, and you probably have a neighbor, not to mention a roofer, who owns a drone. So when researchers at the embedded-device security firm Red Balloon started seeing surprising quadcopter accessories on Chinese shopping platforms like Temu and AliExpress, they didn't think much of it at first. As with any popular gadget type, there's a whole ecosystem of niche, wacky, and comical add-ons available for drones. But the more Red Balloon CEO Ang Cui thought about it, the more unsettled he and his colleagues became about how cheap and easy it would be for anyone to buy seemingly disparate add-ons that could easily turn a mainstream quadcopter into a war machine.

https://www.wired.com/story/drone-accessories-weapons-of-war/