Drone News Update

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, we have three stories for you: the ACLU releases a major report on drone surveillance and airspace restrictions, the House unanimously passes the ACERO Act for wildfire drone operations, and a questionable South Carolina bill . Let's get to it.

First up this week, the American Civil Liberties Union has published a major report arguing that U.S. drone policy is locking ordinary people out of the skies. The report is titled "Drones For Them But Not For Us?" and it claims the current rules give government agencies and corporations unchecked access to the skies while restricting citizens and journalists. The paper cites several concerning examples, including reports of the NYPD flying Skydio X10 drones directly over protest crowds without parachute recovery systems, massive airspace lockdowns, like a 935-square-mile temporary flight restriction over Chicago during federal operations, and invisible 3,000-foot no-fly zones that follow Department of Homeland Security vehicles.
The report calls out trends where hobbyists and commercial pilots face more restrictions, while government agencies get a free pass. It also touches on the foreign drone ban, warning that it could price consumer drones out of reach. Much of this is not new to this audience, as we’ve been reporting on it for the last several years. It’s interesting now that those outside of the UAS industry are beginning to take notice. We’ll keep an eye on this and see if it goes anywhere. Next up, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the ACERO Act, sending the bipartisan wildfire drone bill to the Senate. This legislation directs NASA to expand its Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations project. The goal is to tackle airspace coordination during active wildfires. Right now, when a fire is burning, helicopters, fixed-wing tankers, and drones all share the same airspace. The bill requires NASA to build a shared framework using their Portable Airspace Management System, which shares aircraft locations across a fire zone in real time. Think of this system as basically portable unmanned and manned traffic management, which can be deployed in remote locations. Using drones to keep firefighters safe and track wildfires is exactly the kind of innovation our industry needs, and we’re glad to see Congress supporting it.Finally, South Carolina lawmakers are considering a new bill that would impose restrictions on drone pilots. The bill, H4679, proposes to ban UAS operations within 1,000 feet of any “Critical Infrastructure”, over or within 1500 feet of any state or county correctional facility without authorization from the facility or SC Department of Corrections, over or within 1500 feet of any military installation, and over private property “in a matter that invades privacy, harasses occupants, creates a nuisance, or presents an obvious safety hazard”. In addition, the bill would make it unlawful to operate within 5 miles of an airport without FAA authorization. As many of us know, authorization is based on airspace, not distance to an airport.
If you’re in South Carolina, it’s time to start reaching out to your representatives. This bill is sponsored by C. Mitchell, B.L. Cox, M.M. Smith, Wooten, Chapman, W. Newton, Herbkersman, Wickensimer, Guest and McCravy. That’s it for this week, We’ll see you in the community for Post Flight, where we share our opinions, and next Monday for the live! https://dronexl.co/2026/03/27/aclu-drone-policy-government-surveillance/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/27/house-acero-act-drone-wildfire-bill/https://www.wrdw.com/2026/03/30/sc-drone-bill-would-create-state-penalties-illegal-flights/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have four stories for you this week. The Avata 360 is out, Second, DJI sues Insta360 just days before a major product launch, BRINC launches their new Guardian drone with Starlink integration, And micro-drones finally reach the bottom of the Fukushima nuclear reactor. Let's get to it.
First up, the Avata 360 is out! It comes with 8K, 360° imaging, a 1 inch equivalent sensor, and 8K/60FPS in HDR! The Avata 360 also comes with the ability to fly the drone as a normal Avata, capturing 4K60FPS in single lens mode. Other features include obstacle avoidance in 360 mode, 23 minutes of flight time, integrated propeller guards, 42GB of internal storage, and replaceable front lenses! And the question that everyone will ask in the live on Monday: Compatible goggles include the Goggles 3 or Goggles N3 when using the Motion controller 3 or the FPV controller. In addition, the Avata 360 is compatible with the RC 2, RC-N2 and RC-N3.Speaking of, DJI has filed a patent ownership lawsuit against Insta360's parent company in China. They are targeting six patents that cover core drone technologies like flight control systems, structural design, and image processing.DJI is using a specific Chinese intellectual property law for this case, claiming these are "service inventions" created by former DJI engineers who went to work for Insta360. But Insta360's founder is pushing back hard. He stated that the main flight control patent in question is just a one-button "building dive" feature that isn't even used in their products. He also pointed out that Insta360 actually holds 28 patents that DJI products allegedly infringe upon.New up, BRINC has unveiled the Guardian, their next-generation Drone as First Responder, or DFR, platform. They also announced a new Seattle manufacturing facility to scale up production. The Guardian is the world's first Starlink-connected drone built for 911 response.BRINC claims the Guardian has an operational range of 8 mile and a flight time of 62 minutes! The drone features IP55 weather resistance, making it great for flying in the rain. The camera features 4K video with a 640x total zoom and dual HD thermal zoom cameras. In addition, BRINC has released the Guardian Station, a robotic charging nest that automatically swaps batteries and reloads payloads like Narcan or flotation devices without any human intervention.Last up, we have a real-world drones-for-good story! Fifteen years after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, palm-sized micro-drones have successfully flown inside the Unit 3 reactor at Fukushima and finally reached the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel.These tiny drones measure just 5.1 by 4.7 by 1.6 inches and weigh only 3.3 ounces, including the battery. Despite their small size, they carry a 2.7K camera shooting at 60 frames per second, two LED lights producing 380 lumens, and built-in radiation sensors. The airframes are IP52 rated and built to withstand up to 200 Gray of cumulative radiation exposure. During 13-minute flights, the drones mapped the pedestal floor and captured images of displaced control rod guide tubes and melted fuel debris. To keep the area completely airtight, crews used a custom seal box system to deploy and recover the drones without breaking containment. This is an absolutely incredible engineering achievement. A drone the size of a paperback book just mapped one of the most dangerous environments on earth, serving as a perfect reminder of why this technology is so important.Join us later in the community for Post Flight, where we’ll discuss these stories and share our opinions that might not be suitable for YouTube. And we’ll see you on Monday for the live.https://dronexl.co/2026/03/24/brinc-guardian-drone-starlink-911-response/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/23/dji-sues-insta360-patent-lawsuit-avata-360/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/23/drones-fly-fukushima-reactor/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week: the FAA escalates enforcement on the controversial DHS TFR, that same TFR gets its first federal court challenge, and the Forest Service updates their filming rules. Let's get to it.

First up this week, the FAA has given some serious teeth to a very controversial NOTAM. Back in January, the FAA issued NOTAM FDC 6/4375. This bans all drones within 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet vertically of any Department of Homeland Security, DOD, or DOE mobile asset, including unmarked ICE vehicles. The problem is that you cannot see this restriction on B4UFLY or LAANC, making it completely invisible to pilots. The FAA has also issued Order 2150.3C Change 13, which eliminates investigator discretion for airspace violations. If you get caught in this invisible zone, investigators must refer your case directly to the Chief Counsel for legal action. I’ll say that again, if caught in one of these TFRs, the FAA’s Aviation Safety Inspector MUST refer your case for legal action. There are no more warning letters, meaning you could face criminal charges, civil penalties, or even the seizure of your aircraft.On the same topic, the DHS TFR just got its first federal court challenge. Minneapolis-based photojournalist Rob Levine, represented by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, has filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals directly challenging NOTAM FDC 6/4375. Levine argues that the rule is unconstitutionally vague because you have no way of knowing in advance if you are flying near an unmarked federal car. This restriction makes compliance structurally impossible for pilots who are trying to do the right thing. Levine is also arguing that the FAA failed to follow required notice-and-comment rule-making. Reportedly, a revised NOTAM has already been drafted by the FAA, but another agency, widely believed to be DHS, is blocking its release. We will be watching this developing legal case very closely. It is obviously pretty important to have rules that we can actually follow.Finally, The US Forest Service is officially updating its special uses regulations to align with the new EXPLORE Act. In the past, you often needed a special use permit and had to pay fees for commercial filming, no matter how small your crew was. The new rule creates three simple tiers for filming and still photography on National Forest System lands. First, if your activity involves one to five people, no permit or fee is required at all! Second, if you have six to eight people, you’ll need a de minimis use authorization, which is free, and the Forest Service is setting up a website for automated approvals. Finally, if you have more than eight people, you will need a standard permit and will have to pay a reasonable fee. This applies to all content creation, whether it is commercial or noncommercial. Join us on Monday for Post flight, where we’ll share our opinions on these stories and we’ll see you for the live! Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2026/03/17/faa-dhs-drone-ban-rob-levine-lawsuit/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/12/faa-ice-notam-fdc-6-4375-compliance-problem/https://dronedj.com/2026/03/17/faa-drone-tracking-api-illegal/https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-05457.pdf

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have three stories for you this week. First, DJI officially confirms the Avata 360 launch date and 8K resolution, Another SkyeBrowse update, and a $5,000 reward is being offered after military drones were stolen. Let’s get to it.
According to industry reports, the Avata 360 will feature a brand new replaceable lens system. A dedicated lens kit will reportedly cost around 50 euros and include two replacement lenses and the necessary tools. So, if you scratch a lens during a bad landing, you can just swap it out yourself for about 25 euros instead of sending the whole drone in for repair. That's a huge win, and solve a problem we’ve been curious about from the start. We also have leaked battery specs. The new Intelligent Flight Battery will reportedly cost around 70 euros and pack a 38.6 watt-hour capacity. Compare that to the DJI Avata 2, which has a smaller 31.8 watt-hour battery that costs 100 euros. More capacity for less money? The drone is expected to pair with the DJI Goggles N3, and hopefully the goggles 3 as well! However, there's a catch for the average consumer. The Avata 360 reportedly weighs in at almost 400 grams. This means it won't fall into the sub-250 gram category, so you'll need to register it and comply with Remote ID rules to fly legally here in the US. Next up, SkyeBrowse has released another update! If you aren’t familiar, SkyeBrowse builds drone mapping software for public safety agencies, using videogrammetry and photogrammetry technology. The platform is currently used by over 1,200 public safety agencies worldwide for applications such as accident reconstruction, crime scene investigation, and disaster response. This update is to its Flight App, expanding drone compatibility and improving mission planning tools. The update adds support for several new DJI models, including the Mini 4 Pro, Matrice 400, and the Matrice 4 Series, along with new high-performance sensor payloads. The WideBrowse grid scanning workflow was also redesigned, introducing two new capture modes: Cross Grids for added scene detail on low-rise structures, and Side Scan for capturing building facades and vertical surfaces. New features include a live ETA display for pre-flight planning and a Previous Flights tool for reloading and re-flying completed missions with identical settings.On the web platform side, the update adds an AI chat assistant, an image overlay tool for 3D models, expanded file upload support, GLB export improvements, and a broad interface redesign. Keep those coming Bobby! Last up, a $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals who allegedly stole military drones from Fort Campbell in Kentucky. According to the U.S. Army, four Skydio X10D drone systems were taken. If you're not familiar, the X10D is the defense and military variant of the Skydio X10. Reportedly, between November 21st and November 24th, 2025, unknown individuals unlawfully gained access to a building belonging to the 326th Division Engineer Battalion and took the equipment. The Army CID is actively investigating the incident and asking anyone with credible information to submit an anonymous tip. This is one of those don’t be that guy moments… Join us in the Premium community for Post Flight, where we share our opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube and we’ll see you next week! https://www.wsmv.com/2026/03/10/5k-reward-offered-after-four-military-drones-stolen-fort-campbell/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/06/dji-avata-360-low-pricing-replaceable-lenses/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/10/dji-avata-360-official-teaser-8k-march-26/

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have five stories for you this week. First, Oregon exposes the real cost of the DJI ban. Second, the FAA reveals DJI makes up 96% of US drones. Third, the Commerce Department updates drone export rules. Fourth, Indiana prosecutes illegal drone deer scouting. And finally, a drone assists in a 900-foot tower rescue. Let's get to it.
First up, the Oregon Department of Aviation has released a white paper exposing the real-world cost of the federal DJI ban. They surveyed 25 state transportation departments, and the numbers are staggering. Across those states, at least 467 drones are currently grounded or restricted. The total national exposure is estimated to be anywhere from $50 million to $2 billion! Wisconsin reported that 100% of its fleet is grounded. Colorado lost 90% of its capacity, and Oregon itself has exactly ONE compliant drone still operational out of 22. The white paper is recommending a waiver until September 2027 to give our drone industry time to catch up.New FAA-funded research puts a hard number on DJI's market dominance. The ASSURE A83 2025 Annual Report analyzed Remote ID telemetry data from 64 monitoring locations. DJI platforms make up more than 96% of detected drones in US airspace. Skydio accounted for just over 1%, and all other manufacturers combined made up less than 2.4%. Looking at the specific models, the DJI Mini 4 Pro alone accounts for 19% of all detected platforms. The Air 3 sits at 13%, and the Mavic 3 Pro holds 8%. More than 93.7% of the top 22 detected platforms weigh 3 pounds or less. Heavy-lift models like the Matrice 400, Agras T50, and FlyCart 30 remain a tiny fraction of overall flights. The US Commerce Department is streamlining drone export controls. The Bureau of Industry and Security published an interim final rule that makes two big changes. It removes the license requirement for commercial drones with a maximum endurance under one hour when exported to allied nations. Second, it opens a faster pathway for certain longer-range systems, like heavy-lift 25-liter agricultural sprayers and cargo delivery drones. Previously, these drones were caught up in the Missile Technology Control Regime, which was designed to restrict systems capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometers. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is bringing its first-ever prosecution for illegal drone deer scouting. Under Indiana law, you can legally use a drone to recover an animal that has already been harvested, but using it to scout or locate game during the season or 14 days prior is strictly illegal. Conservation officers seized a drone and pulled the forensic data. The GPS logs, timestamps, flight paths, and other data reportedly showed hundreds of images systematically tracking a specific trophy buck to a baited area. The suspects are allegedly facing charges for drone scouting.In Texas, two people were trapped in a hot air balloon basket that collided and became snagged on a communications tower 925 feet in the air. Longview Fire and first responders had to execute a highly complex high-angle rescue, assisted by drone. The passengers were safely rescued after a four-hour operation, but the crew still had to remove the tangled balloon using a cage and cable system. That’s all we’ve got this week, we’ll see you in the community for Post Flight where we share our opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube. Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2026/03/03/oregon-exposes-real-cost-dji-ban/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/02/indiana-drone-deer-scouting-prosecution/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/02/925-feet-down-one-drone-call/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/01/us-commerce-department-drone-export-controls/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/03/faa-research-dji-us-drone-platforms/