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First up, the U.S. Commerce Department has officially launched a Section 232 national security investigation into drones and their components, with a clear focus on Chinese manufacturers . This investigation falls under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, giving the government the power to recommend tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions if it finds that imported products threaten national security. The probe will look at whether our reliance on foreign-made drones weakens US supply chains and exposes sensitive data.If the ODNI review finds what they call "unacceptable risks," it could trigger rapid regulatory action along with inclusion on the FCC’s Entity list, which would prevent any FCC licenses from being issued. Now, DJI has repeatedly denied any affiliation with the Chinese military, and a 2022 Pentagon audit found no malicious code in their Government Edition drones. However, the lawmakers behind this push argue that audit was limited and is now outdated. This is a developing situation, but a 30-day timeline is extremely aggressive. It’s also very curious that the lawmakers behind the language in the NDAA are the ones pushing for this audit to occur. We’ll keep you updated when we know more. Along the same lines, Representative Stefanik introduced an amendment to the 2026 NDAA that would require all Chinese drone manufacturers to undergo the same security audit as DJI and Autel. And even more news from the US Government, The Senate has confirmed Bryan Bedford as the new FAA Administrator with a 53-43 vote. Bedford is the former CEO of Republic Airways. Next up, DJI rolled out three new agriculture drones for the global market, but not for the US. The new models are the Agras T100, the T70P, and the T25P, each designed for different scales of farming. The Agras T100 is an absolute beast, basically a flying tractor. It can carry a massive 100-liter payload for spraying or 150 liters for spreading. With a top speed of 20 meters per second, it's twice as efficient as its predecessor. The T70P is a step down, designed for mid-sized farms, with a 70-liter spray capacity and a 100-liter spread capacity. It features DJI's new Safety System 3.0, which combines millimeter-wave radar and a Tri-Vision system for better obstacle avoidance in tricky terrain.Finally, there's the Agras T25P, which is built for solo operators or smaller, more complex plots like orchards. It's compact and foldable but still packs a punch with a 20 kg payload and a spray rate of 16 liters per minute. It even allows for adjustable droplet sizes between 50 and 500 micrometers for super precise applications. These drones were actually released in China last year, but their global launch signals a major push by DJI in the agricultural space.And on post flight, our show where we discuss these stories and share our opinions, along with discussing DJI’s FlyCart 30 that’s been operating on Mt Everest this season! We’ll see you there on Monday, on Youtube for Live on Monday, and back here on Friday for news update! https://dronedj.com/2025/07/15/dji-autel-drone-national-security/https://dronedj.com/2025/07/16/dji-agras-new-drone-launch/https://droneadvocacyalliance.com/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/10/natsec-review-chinese-drone-maker-dji/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/09/senate-confirms-bryan-bedford-as-faa-administrator/

First up, it’s another case of "hurry up and wait" for our drone industry. The FAA has missed another major deadline for publishing the much-anticipated Beyond Visual Line of Sight, or BVLOS, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. This time, the deadline was set by a presidential executive order. On June 6th, 2025, President Trump signed the “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” order, which gave the FAA a very aggressive 30-day timeline to issue the proposed rule. Well, that deadline was July 7th, and it came and went with no NPRM in sight.This new missed deadline joins the one from the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which mandated the NPRM be published by September 16, 2024. A Bit of history: The BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee, or ARC, delivered its comprehensive 381-page report with 70 recommendations all the way back in March of 2022. That report gave the FAA a set of recommendations for enabling BVLOS. Next up, Florida Senator Rick Scott has introduced the "Drones for America Act," a bill aimed at banning Chinese-made drones and their components while trying to boost U.S. manufacturing. The bill proposes a phased approach. It would implement a full ban on the sale of Chinese-manufactured drone systems by January 1, 2028, and a ban on Chinese-made components by January 1, 2031. In the meantime, a gradually increasing tariff would be placed on these items to phase them out of the market. The revenue collected from these tariffs would be used to fund a grant program. This program is designed to help American companies develop and produce U.S.-manufactured drones and components along with helping first responders, law enforcement, and even farmers and ranchers purchase these American-made drones. However, this bill neglects the largest users of drones, small businesses and recreational flyers. Right now, there are no real alternatives to DJI for consumers and small businesses. And we’ve heard from the people who are likely behind this bill that there has been NO study done to determine the output of drones from American Manufacturers. These bill threaten to destroy the drone industry in favor of a few American manufacturers, who don’t even have an interest in making consumer drones. Please reach out to your Senators and Representatives and tell them this is not a good idea. And finally this week, a story that serves as a critical reminder for all of us about why the rules exist. On July 7th, during catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, Texas, a drone reportedly collided with a rescue helicopter. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing and is now out of commission. This has sidelined a critical life-saving asset in an area where, tragically, over 100 people have died. The entire area was under a Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR, specifically NOTAM FDC 5/2615, to keep the airspace clear for these exact types of rescue operations.Alright, we’ll see you on Monday for the Live and for Post Flight in the Premium Community! https://dronelife.com/2025/07/07/another-missed-deadline-the-bvlos-nprm-still-awaits-publication/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/07/drone-fiasco-in-kerr-county/https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2025/6/sen-rick-scott-introduces-drones-for-america-act-to-ban-chinese-made-drones-components-support-u-s-drone-manufacturing

Check out Post Flight on Community 👉 https://bit.ly/premium-drone-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week; DJI has released the FlyCart 100, Wingtra is teasing a new drone, set for release on July 10th, and a drones-for-good story where a drone was used to rescue a man from a flood.First up this week, DJI has dropped the FlyCart 100. The FC100 can carry a payload of 80 kilograms—that’s 176 pounds—over a distance of 6 kilometers, or about 3.7 miles, on a single battery. If you pop in the dual battery, the payload drops slightly to 65 kilograms, or 143 pounds, but the range increases to 12 kilometers, which is 7.4 miles. With no payload at all, this thing can cruise for 26 kilometers, or 16 miles! The max takeoff weight is a hefty 149.9 kilograms, or 330 pounds.It comes with a hoist system that has a 30-meter, or 98-foot, retractable cable, complete with auto anti-sway technology and real-time weighing. For safety, it has a built-in parachute with its own independent power supply. The drone itself is built like a tank with an IP55 rating and wind limit of 27 miles per hour. It’s also packed with sensors, including front and rear phased-array radars, five-eye fisheye cameras, and LiDAR for obstacle avoidance. The price starts at $12,500 for the base model. Its predecessor, the FlyCart 30, is FAA-approved in the U.S., and while this new model isn't yet, we're hoping that changes soon. Next up, Swiss-based drone manufacturer Wingtra is teasing a new product launch for July 10th, and it looks like it could be a big deal for the mapping and surveying world. Wingtra is known for its high-precision, vertical takeoff and landing, or VTOL, fixed-wing drones. Their current flagship, the WingtraOne, is already impressive, capturing data at resolutions up to 1.2 centimeters per pixel and covering up to 200 hectares, or 494 acres, in a single flight.The company posted a teaser this week, "What we’re about to share with you isn’t just another product launch. It’s a shift in what’s possible." The image shows the silhouette of a sleek drone, suggesting an evolution of their current platform. While we don't have the exact specs yet, we can speculate a bit. We might see an even longer flight time, maybe over 60 minutes, improved sensors for night operations, or even better AI for real-time data processing. Given the demand for large-scale mapping, they could be pushing the coverage area to over 300 hectares, or 741 acres, per flight. We're definitely excited to see what they unveil on July 10th, as this could set a new standard for professional mapping drones.And finally this week, a real-world drones-for-good story! In southwest China, a drone operator performed a dramatic rescue during severe flooding. He spotted a man stranded on a rooftop, completely surrounded by rising floodwaters. Acting quickly, Lai repurposed his agricultural drone, which he normally uses for spraying fertilizer and hauling materials, to perform an airlift. He used the drone's long cord to hoist the man from the rooftop and fly him to safety on a nearby road.And on post-flight, our show where we share our opinions in the Premium Community, we're going to cover all of these stories in depth, along with rumors about DJI Care Refresh and a man who faces federal charges for attempting to destroy a Law Enforcement drone. Alright, that's all we have for you this week. Join us for the live Q and A on Monday and in post flight in the premium community as well! https://dronexl.co/2025/07/01/drone-saves-man-from-flood-china/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/01/dji-flycart-100-drone-midlife-crisis/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/01/wingtra-fixed-wing-drone-launch-july-10/

Post Flight on Community 👉 https://bit.ly/premium-drone-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week. Charges for drone pilot allegedly interfering with a medical helicopter, NASA ASRS reports on the possible chop list, and New York Legislation to restrict what drones can be purchased by state agencies.
First up a 64-year-old drone operator in Orange County, Texas, has been charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly delaying a medical helicopter flight back in February. According to 12NewsNow, the incident occurred when first responders were aiding a 3-year-old child who had suffered cardiac arrest after a near-drowning. A medical helicopter called to transport the child was reportedly delayed because a drone was flying directly above it, somewhere between 50 and 100 feet over the helicopter. The drone pilot was identified, and his device was confiscated. He now faces a charge of "interfering with public duties," a class B misdemeanor in Texas, potentially leading to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. It's unknown if federal charges will follow, but the FAA takes interference with manned aircraft, especially emergency services, VERY seriously. Thankfully, the child made a full recovery. Please don’t be that guy. Next up, this is really important for the entire aviation community, including us drone pilots. We have until July 7th – that’s just a few weeks – to submit comments on the value of two crucial voluntary safety reporting systems: NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) and the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). The program provides for pilots, controllers, mechanics and others to make confidential reports to the ASRS within NASA, insulating the reports from the FAA. As a result, NASA reports aviation safety issues in nearly real-time. The big advantage of the report is that the reporting person can't be subject to FAA enforcement actions even if a regulation has been broken. That's of course, if the action is inadvertent and if the report is made within 10 days.And finally, in New York, bill A2237/S3259 has passed the assembly earlier this week. The bill would restrict what equipment can be purchased by state and local public safety departments. This isn’t specific to drones and includes any and all “HARDWARE, SYSTEMS, DEVICES, SOFTWARE, OR SERVICES”. Waivers are available, but it’d be better for public safety not to need a waiver to purchase the best equipment fro the job. As of this recording, the bill hasn’t passed into law yet, and is going to the Governor next. So if you’re in NY, please reach out to your senators, representatives, and contact the Governor's office, especially if you're in public safety!And on post-flight this week, we're going to cover Renault, the French car manufacturer who has partnered with Parrot for a built-in vehicle dock, and Amazon, which is starting deliveries in San Antonio. Post-flight is our weekly show where we dive deeper into the news update items, with more opinionated takes and it is available in the Premium community at pilotinstitute.com/communityAlright, that's all we have for you this week. Join us Monday for the live Q and A on Monday.https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/orange-county-drone-operator-charged-with-misdemeanor-in-connection-with-delay-of-life-saving-helicopter-flight/502-94b3858e-19f6-45ca-8b94-27ac90c0efd1https://avweb.com/aviation-news/comments-sought-on-blame-free-aviation-incident-reporting/https://droneadvocacyalliance.com/?vvsrc=%2FCampaigns%2F125752%2FRespond

Post Flight in Community 👉 https://bit.ly/premium-drone-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week. First, DJI unveils the new Matrice 400, Altitude Angel secures a U.S. patent for its ARROW ground-based detect-and-avoid system, and the National Fire Academy is hosting train the trainer courses for local fire officials! Let's get to it.

National Fire Academy Program:https://forms.gle/AzEAmvRzydypPdS48

First up this week, DJI has pulled the wraps off its latest enterprise drone, the Matrice 400. They're claiming up to 59 minutes of forward flight time and 53 minutes of hovering with an H30T. The M400 can carry a hefty 13.2-pound payload, and and comes with an IP55 rating. It can handle -4 degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning you should be able to fly it even in Phoenix during the summer! Inside, the Matrice 400 is equipped with LiDAR, mmWave radar, and full-color low-light fisheye sensors. DJI says this setup allows it to navigate challenging environments and detect small obstacles like high-voltage power lines in low-light conditions. The video transmission is also getting a boost with the O4 Enterprise Enhanced system, supporting image transmission up to 24.9 miles. It uses a ten-antenna aircraft design, and there's even a built-in relay module so one M400 can extend the range of another. For payloads, it has four E-Port V2 ports and can support up to seven simultaneous payloads. This includes compatibility with the Zenmuse H30 series, the L2 for LiDAR mapping, and the P1 for photogrammetry. Next up this week, Altitude Angel, a company known for its Unmanned Traffic Management, or UTM, technology, has just secured a U.S. patent for its ARROW system. ARROW is a ground-based detect-and-avoid solution. What that means is it uses a network of ground sensors, like radio frequency detectors and high-resolution cameras, to monitor the airspace. The software then fuses this data to create a real-time picture of what’s flying around. The big advantage here is that it could allow drones to operate safely BVLOS without needing expensive onboard sensors, which could reduce costs by 50%.This isn't just a concept; ARROW powered Project Skyway in the UK, which was a 165-mile drone superhighway. They demonstrated what they call "Separation-as-a-Service," allowing multiple drone operators to share airspace safely. Now, access to this technology isn’t free, and specific costs aren’t public. Based on Altitude Angel’s website FAQs, costs depend on the area and the amount of traffic in that area. Here in the US, I think this would primarily be used by drone delivery companies, rather than others. It’s important that the airspace remains free to access, so we’ll have to keep an eye on this to ensure that local government or land owners don’t attempt to charge for access to public airspace. Last up, the National Fire Academy is hosting a 2 week train the trainer program designed for state, local, and tribal fire service professionals. Now this might not seem like big news to most, but traditionally the train the trainer program is restricted to federal personnel only. This allows program mangers, state fire, and program leads, to learn about teaching wildfire operations, mission planning NIST, Law Enforcement Responses, search and rescue, and more. So if you’re in public safety, be sure to check out the link below to apply for the program! This week on Post Flight we’ll be discussing the White House Executive Orders and Walmart expanding their drone delivery. We’ll see you on Monday for the Live, and Post flight in the Premium community! https://dronexl.co/2025/06/10/dji-matrice-400-enterprise-drone/https://dronexl.co/2025/06/10/altitude-angel-arrow-patent-drone-ops/

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update, We have 4 stories for you: Executive Order rumors for Drones, Ohio bill to allow Shooting drones Down, Wing and FlyTrex partner, and a successful rescue with a drone.

First up, you've probably heard some rumors that President Trump is expected to sign executive orders around drones. First step. close your eyes, breath, and relax. With that said, the orders, which may or may not be signed on Friday, would reportedly include updates about Part 108, Section 2209 from the 2016 Reauthorization Act, Section 1709 from the 2024 NDAA, and potentially include a Department of Commerce final ruling. And none of these things are actually a surprise.Part 108 is the reported name for the beyond visual line of sight ruling that we expect to be coming later this year. Not sure what an executive order would do other than telling the FAA to speed things up. That's a good thing.And finally, the one we know the least about, the Department of Commerce final ruling. We’re not entirely sure what this rule will cover, if it will be an NPRM following the ANPRM from a few months ago, if it will cover DJI, or just drones in general, and if it will be a final ruling.As soon as we know more, we’ll be posting shorts, with full videos to come.Next up, this week, we've got some eyebrow-raising news out of Ohio. State Representatives Angie King and Ty Mathews are pushing for a federal 'Defense Against Drones Act of 2025.' Get this: the proposed bill, H.R. 1907, would allow homeowners to legally use a shotgun to disable a drone flying within 200 feet above their property. Yes, 200 feet – that’s roughly two-thirds the height of a cell tower, a very common altitude for us.Why the push? The lawmakers cite growing concerns over privacy, property rights, and public safety. Representative King pointed to incidents in her district where drones reportedly caused alarm, threatened livestock, and raised cybersecurity fears due to foreign-manufactured components. She said, "The growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has led to serious concerns over privacy, property rights, and public safety, particularly when drones operate at low altitudes over residential and agricultural areas." So, this is their proposed fix for those local issues.For drone pilots, this is obviously a HUGE deal. Next up, Wing and Flytrex are teaming up. These two are usually competitors, so seeing them collaborate is a big deal for our drone industry! They're working together to share an automated air traffic and collision avoidance system. Think of it as an Unmanned Traffic Management, or UTM, platform specifically for their drone fleets.This system is designed to let both Wing, which is owned by Alphabet, and Flytrex, an Israel-based startup with a growing U.S. presence, exchange real-time flight plans and navigation data. The goal here is to make sure their drones can operate safely in the same airspace over Dallas without colliding. The technology will automatically adjust flight paths to prevent drones from being in the same spot at the same altitude at the same time. Flytrex has already completed 200,000 deliveries, and Wing is way up there with 450,000, so they both bring a ton of experience to the table.Shout out to Seattle Mountain Rescue, Great use of the drone to save lives! https://dronexl.co/2025/06/03/wing-flytrex-drone-air-traffic-system-dallas/https://dronexl.co/2025/06/03/drones-aid-in-dramatic-mount-si-teen-rescue/https://dronexl.co/2025/05/31/trump-new-orders-ban-chinese-dji-drones/https://dronexl.co/2025/05/28/ohio-lawmakers-drone-defense-act/

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First up this week, today marks 6 years of drone news, uninterrupted! A big thanks to YOU for making this possible! And yes, this is our brand new set for the news update. In the last 6 years, we've gotten over 3,400,000 views on our news update videos and enrolled over 132,000 people in our Part 107 Made Easy course which represents almost 1/3 of all remote pilots, 400,000 students in total, and 750,000 course enrollments. Not to mention our exclusive Pilot Institute Community, with over 80,000 pilots. A big thanks to everyone for making this possible. We've also got many more courses and videos coming soon!

Next up this week NASA is pushing the boundaries of exploration with its Dragonfly mission. This isn't your average quadcopter; we're talking about a car-sized rotorcraft designed to fly on Titan, Saturn's largest moon! This ambitious mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, with an estimated arrival at Titan in 2034.

Dragonfly's primary target is the Selk Crater, a fascinating 50-mile-wide impact site. Scientists believe this crater might have once held a pool of liquid water, potentially for hundreds or even thousands of years, which could have mixed with Titan's rich organic compounds. Now, to be clear, as Zibi Turtle, Dragonfly’s principal investigator, put it, “Dragonfly isn’t a mission to detect life—it’s a mission to investigate the chemistry that came before biology.”

So, why does this matter to us drone pilots here on Earth? Well, the technological leaps required for Dragonfly could be HUGE for our drone industry! To operate a complex quadcopter in Titan's extreme environment – with its dense atmosphere, low gravity, and insane cold – NASA must develop breakthroughs in autonomy, navigation, and battery tech. Imagine that tech trickling down to the drones we fly! I’m really excited to see how this mission pushes UAV innovation forward.

Next up, According to a report from DroneXL, we might be seeing a DJI Mini 5 Pro, an Avata 3, something called a Neo 2 FPV drone, and even an Osmo Nano. Now, these are strictly RUMORS at this stage, and the report didn't include concrete details or specific leaked specifications, so they are still under wraps. For a Mini 5 Pro, many are hoping DJI could push the envelope further in the sub-250 gram category. Mini 5 rumors include a 1” sensors, LiDAR obstacles avoidance, and O4+. The Mini 5 also hit the FCC database recently.

For the Avata 3, building on the success of its predecessors, we'd anticipate upgrades to the camera system for crisper FPV footage. We might also see DJI's O4+ transmission for better range and stability, and of course, any improvements to flight duration and durability would be fantastic.

The 'Neo 2 FPV' is a bit more mysterious – could this be a new specialized FPV offering?

And an Osmo Nano sounds intriguing, possibly a super compact gimbal for on-the-go stabilization. Again, this is PURE speculation, but if even some of these products materialize with DJI's usual innovation, it could be an exciting lineup for our drone industry.

And over on Post flight this week, we’ll talk about more news that didn’t make the cut here including: John Deere Acquiring Sentra Drones, The FAA approving Amazon to deliver Lithium products, and a DJI M600 that was used to film the ongoing Kīlauea.

Watch Post Flight on our Community site 👉 https://bit.ly/premium-drone-communityWelcome to your weekly UAS news update, we have 4 stories for you: A swimmer rescued by a fisherman’s drone, Kyle Nordfors awarded at the Global Search and Rescue Excellence Awards, and Pierce Aerospace partners with MITRE for remote ID research.

And first up this week, a real-world drones-for-good story that really shows you the versatility of these machines! Out in Pensacola, Florida, on May 15th, shark fisherman Andrew Smith found himself in a true life-or-death situation. He’d only been at a new fishing spot for about ten minutes when a girl ran up, screaming for help – another girl was drowning, caught in a dangerous rip current. Now, Andrew has a seizure disorder, which meant he couldn't safely swim out to her himself. He saw the girl getting pulled further away, already struggling for about five minutes, and knew time was absolutely critical.Andrew typically uses his drone for fishing, specifically to position bait, because his medical condition makes using kayaks unsafe. He attached a nearby flotation device to his drone. His first attempt, he told CBS12, was incredibly nerve-wracking: “I was shaking pretty badly... I almost cried.” In the stress of the moment, he released the device too early, and it missed. But he didn't give up. A bystander quickly provided a second flotation device. This time, Andrew flew the drone out slowly and deliberately, carefully lowering it to the struggling girl. He saw her reach for it, released the device, and she grabbed on, able to stay afloat! It reportedly took first responders another five minutes to arrive on scene. Local authorities, including police, EMS, and lifeguards, apparently told Andrew that if his second attempt had failed, "she wouldn’t have made it." Andrew, If you’re watching this and you want to learn more about drones, send us an email and we’ll get you signed up for a free course of your choosing. Next up, Captain Kyle Nordfors, who’s a UAS pilot with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office in Utah, snagged the Unsung Hero Award. And let me tell you, what he’s doing with drones in Search and Rescue is nothing short of revolutionary. He’s using drones equipped with thermal imaging and high-resolution cameras to transform searches that used to take hours, or even days, into operations that can be wrapped up in minutes. We're talking about covering vast areas, sometimes several square miles, in really rugged terrain with elevation changes exceeding 5,000 feet! Shout out to our good friend Kyle, keep up the good work! Third, Pierce Aerospace and MITRE have announced they're officially joining forces. They've signed what’s called a memorandum of understanding – basically a formal agreement – to advance UAS and remote identification for more complex missions. This is a pretty big deal because, as you know, Remote ID is a critical piece of the puzzle for integrating drones safely and securely into our national airspace. Without robust Remote ID, moving forward with more advanced operations gets a LOT trickier.https://www.pierceaerospace.net/blogs/news/pierce-aerospace-and-mitre-partner-to-advance-remote-id-research-and-developmenthttps://dronexl.co/2025/05/19/nordfors-global-search-rescue-excellence-awards/https://dronexl.co/2025/05/20/drone-rescue-girl-drowning/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week.

First, DJI teases the Mavic 4 Pro, and we have a release date!

Second, a heartwarming story out of Michigan where a thermal drone played a key role in saving a 74-year-old woman.

Third, we've got more DJI news with a leaked launch window for the Mini 5 Pro.

And finally, a drone reportedly crashed while attempting to smuggle contraband into a South Carolina prison.

First up this week, DJI is at it again, officially teasing the upcoming Mavic 4 Pro! They dropped a "Spin Your World" teaser and, in a bit of a surprise move for DJI, actually showed the drone itself in the teaser. This is probably because, let's be honest, the leaks have been coming for months now. The official launch is slated for May 13th, so mark your calendars!

Next up, we have a fantastic real-world drones-for-good story coming out of Michigan! A 74-year-old woman who experienced a vehicle fire got lost in the woods without her phone last month. She sought shelter under a tree and endured 27 degrees temperatures, along with rain and winds, less than 450 feet from where her vehicle burned. It’s unclear when searching began, but the woman was located alive, and too frozen to move, 3 days after going missing by a Mason County Sheriff’s thermal drone. Great use of the drone to save a life!

And in our third story this week, more news from the DJI rumor mill! It looks like the DJI Mini 5 Pro might be on the horizon, with a potential launch window now pointing towards September 2025. This information comes via trusted X leaker HakaSushi (hah-kah-SOO-shee), who apparently confirmed an earlier rumor from Jasper Ellens at DroneXL. So, while it's still a ways off, the anticipation is definitely building. The Mini series, as you know, has been incredibly popular. This is especially true for those of us who want a capable drone that stays under that 250-gram weight limit, avoiding a lot of registration hassles in many places. Speculation on improvements includes changes to the sensor size, enhanced obstacle avoidance, better wind resistance, or even longer flight times.

Let us know in the comments what features YOU'D like to see in a Mini 5 Pro!

And finally this week, your “Don’t be that guy” segment. Reports indicate that a drone crashed while allegedly attempting to smuggle contraband, specifically methamphetamines, into a prison in South Carolina. Details about the specific type of drone or the quantity of contraband involved haven't been widely released yet, and the investigation is likely ongoing. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident. We've covered stories like this before. Correctional facilities around the world are increasingly battling attempts to use drones to deliver drugs, cell phones, weapons, and other illegal items over prison walls. It's a serious security concern, and it highlights the 'cat and mouse' game being played between those trying to exploit the technology for criminal purposes and the authorities working to stop them. Don’t be that guy, and for anyone watching that is thinking about doing this: These facilities have Drone detection systems. They will find you and they will catch you, so just don’t. 

Alright, that’s all for this week. We have the live Q and A on Monday and in post-flight on Monday in the premium community, so we'll see you then.

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week. First, DJI officially ends the Phantom line, SiFly releases the Q250 and Q12, more leaks surface about the potential DJI Mavic 4, and researchers develop a 'flying squirrel' drone with foldable wings.

first up this week, it's the end of an era for one of the most iconic drone series ever. DJI has officially announced the retirement of its Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced drones. It set the standard for prosumer drones for years. It's a bit sad to see the Phantom line go, but technology marches on. We've seen DJI focus heavily on the Mavic, Air, and Mini series for consumers and prosumers, and the Matrice line for enterprise. So, while the Phantom might be taking its final flight into the sunset, its legacy in shaping our drone industry is undeniable. Pour one out for the Phantom!Next up, SiFly has released the Q12, a medium-sized, long-endurance aircraft. The Q12 offers a two-hour continuous hover, three-hour forward flight time, and 90-mile range while carrying a 10lb payload. SiFly also released the Q250, a heavy-lift drone with a 200lb payload and a 100-minute endurance. Both of these look like pretty cool drones with maybe the best flight times we've seen from a multi-rotor. Also, both drones are NDAA compliant, making them a possible replacement for those entities that require compliant aircraft. Specifics on battery, connection link, and available payloads aren't currently available. We'll keep you updated if we see more about the SiFly Q250 or the Q12!Now for another DJI story, the rumor mill is churning again, this time about the potential DJI Mavic 4. According to Jasper Ellens, the Mavic 4 is becoming, in his words, "the world's most leaked drone." Recent reports suggest leaked promotional images, potential pricing details, and even photos of the retail boxes have surfaced online. Now, take this all with a grain of salt, as these are just leaks. One particularly interesting tidbit is the mention of a possible new controller, the RC Pro 2, which might feature a vertical screen. A vertical screen could be interesting for how information is displayed, maybe better for certain types of flight data, or even social media integration, who knows? Along with the leaks, there was a list of supposedly cancelled features, including no Pro Res, no electronic ND filters at launch, and no RC Track, which, for those who may not remember, is the rumored tracking beacon.And last up this week, we have a cool research story out of South Korea. Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology, or POSTECH, have developed a drone inspired by flying squirrels! This isn't your typical quadcopter. It features foldable wings designed to give it significantly more agility, especially when it comes to braking or making sharp turns mid-air. You know how quadcopters can feel a bit floaty sometimes when stopping? The idea here is that these foldable wings can deploy rapidly to act like air brakes, allowing for much quicker deceleration than propellers alone can manage. This mimics how a flying squirrel uses its membranes to glide and maneuver. Or the ornithopter in Dune... While it's still in the research phase, this kind of bio-inspired design is fascinating. It pushes the boundaries beyond standard drone configurations and could potentially lead to drones that can navigate complex environments much more effectively. https://dronexl.co/2025/04/29/flying-squirrel-drone-foldable-wings/https://dronexl.co/2025/04/26/dji-mavic-4-canceled-features-rc-pro-2/https://dronexl.co/2025/04/27/drones-drop-super-clams-florida-indian-river/https://dronexl.co/2025/04/29/dji-phantom-4-takes-final-flight/