Nearthlab Joins Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies List with Game-Changing Wind Turbine Inspection Solution Nearthlab has been named among Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024. This recognition places Nearthlab in the esteemed company of industry giants such as Nvidia, OpenAI, and Microsoft, highlighting its groundbreaking work in the Robotics category. Founded on a commitment […]
The annual European drone extravaganza, Airspace World 2024, has wrapped, leaving attendees buzzing with the latest advancements in UAV technology.
From safety upgrades to revolutionary regulations, this year’s event promised a glimpse into the future of drone operations. Held from March 19 through March 21, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, the event offered an opportunity for all sorts of companies to reveal fresh partnerships and product launches across all sorts of aspects of aviation. In fact, this year’s event brought together 200 exhibitors and 7,000 attendees from across 140 countries.
But what exactly are the biggest takeaways from Airspace World 2024 for drone pilots? In general, it’s all about unmanned traffic management (UTM). Or, as most people call it in Europe: U-Space. We rounded up four of the biggest developments and product launches from Airspace World 2024 that European drone pilots (and anyone, really) should know about:
The 4 biggest drone announces from Airspace World 2024
Another U.K. airport deploys easy drone request system
Leeds Bradford Airport, a major hub in northern England, announced its plan to deploy Altitude Angel’s Approval Services Platform. This platform will digitally manage the authorization process for drone flights near the airport, expediting permissions and enhancing safety for drone operators working in this controlled airspace.
In short, drone operators — and in the future, eVTOL pilots — will be able to request and pay for operations within the airport’s airspace digitally and at the touch of a button. Here’s how it works:
Drone operators send Altitude Angel a set of information about their flight.
From there, the Approval Services platform enables Altitude Angel to quickly assess and decide whether the drone pilot can execute their flight (or if they need to request an amendment to the flight plan before it can be approved).
The particular location of Leeds Bradford Airport could also make it a critical player in the drone request system.
“Surrounded by a number of towns, villages and industrial estates, the airport has been dealing with an increasing number of requests to fly within the FRZ from both commercial and recreational drone operators, said Jamie Babbin, Leeds Bradford Airport Operations Manager.
ility will serve as a crucial platform for developing and refining drone technologies specifically designed for safe and efficient operation within U-spaces, the designated airspace for low-altitude, low-risk drones.
Major air traffic control manager incorporates UTM
Martin Rolfe, NATS, CEO & Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder
That’s not the only big piece of news to come out of Altitude Angel over the past week. NATS Services, which is the commercial arm of the United Kingdom’s leading air navigation service provider, announced a partnership with the Altitude Angel at Airspace World Expo. With it, the global leader in unified traffic management (UTM) will team up with the creators of that 165-mile UK drone superhighway, in a partnership that could have huge implications for the way the sky is managed for new airspace users.
The deal will offer a comprehensive suite of UTM services, encompassing everything from flight authorization and traffic management to airspace awareness tools. Expect to see GuardianUTM Flight Approval Services being deployed at some NATS-controlled airports later in 2024, allowing for digitally managed UTM flight requests and approvals and enhanced situational awareness.
It also means that Altitude Angel will be able to more quickly roll out its ARROW technology. When fused with its GuardianUTM platform, ARROW detects and identifies all airspace users. That’s critical in enabling drones to fly BVLOS and share the airspace with crewed aviation — which is one of the hottest topics in drones lately, period.
U-space testing takes flight in Estonia
Photo courtesy of ANRA
Over in Estonia, UTM developments are going strong. Soon, expect a permanent UTM and U-space test center in the city of Tartu, built in partnership with the Estonian Aviation Academy (EAVA). EAVA is a state-owned, professional higher education institution. U-space is simply the European brand name for UTM.
Under the deal, ANRA Technologies (ANRA) and EAVA will jointly co-develop, manage, and operate the drone testing facility in an effort to promote the wide-scale development and deployment of drones for U-space implementation. EAVA will own the task of managing airspace and coordinating flight activities in multiple test sites near the airport and the city of Tartu. ANRA, which is a drone traffic management provider, will deliver the software to make it happen.
Expect the test center to be ready by the second half of 2024.
Dutch drone pilots get a flight planning upgrade
Good news for Dutch drone pilots! LVNL, the Netherlands Air Navigation Service Provider, collaborated with Altitude Angel to unveil the much-anticipated upgrade to their popular GoDrone flight planning tool.
Atitude Angel powers the airspace apps for a few countries in the U.K., such as the United Kingdom’s Drone Assist flight planning app. Over in the Netherlands, the version of Altitude Angel’s app is called GoDrone — and now, GoDrone 2.0.
GoDrone 2.0 boasts improved features and functionalities to the original app, which launched in the Netherlands in April 2020. Altitude Angel powers the app. The new version of GoDrone is set to roll out across both iOS and Android in Q2. Altitude Angel calls it “the most extensive update since the app was first launched.”
Updated features found in the GoDrone 2.0 app include:
Enhanced integrated flight planning
Advanced flight plan drawing tools
In-app approval services, which unlock the ability to request access to fly digitally in airspace such as an airport CTR
New map types, including satellite maps
More detailed information about ground hazards
A new area report feature, which gives you a simple-to-understand view of where you can fly safely, where you need to exercise caution or areas that are prohibited
An entirely new user interface
All that should make pre-flight planning and airspace authorization for drone operations in the Netherlands smoother than ever.
Did you attend Airspace World 2024? What were your top findings or takeaways? Share them in the comments below!
And if you really want to see more, check out the Airspace World 2024 photo recap from their official Instagram account, below:
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Looking to get an awesome gift for a child? Maybe you’re an educator looking to get a drone to facilitate a child’s learning about STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math).
Whether you’re looking into the best drones for kids for their education or for their entertainment (or ahem, both!), drones are a fantastic tool to enrich a kid’s life.
The best drone for kids by a long shot is Tello, a $159 kid-friendly drone that combines DJI flight technology and an Intel processor to create a budget camera drone that also can be used to teach newbies the basics of programming. It’s a great little drone for people looking for a low-cost introduction to stunt flying and shooting videos, as well as people looking to learn how to use drones and how to code, making it one of my favorite educational tools, too. The Tello drone, which weighs just 80 grams, can fly for 13 minutes and shoot 5-megapixel photos.
Now if that all sounds too good to be true, sadly it might be. It appears that Tello might be discontinued. As of mid-to-late 2024, the $99 Tello drone appears as sold out on DJI’s stop. Third parties such as Amazon still sell Tello. But even there, quantities are limited (mostly to used versions only).
The Drone Girl reached out to DJI for official comment and only got a vague answer.
“Currently, the Tello series is still being sold in the United States, and we will continue to provide technical and after-sales support to the customers,” a DJI spokesperson told The Drone Girl. “We have been working hard to provide global users with drone products that meet different needs. We will continue to launch new products that are accessible, easier to use, and meet entry-level or educational needs, so stay tuned.”
As for you, jump on this one now if you want a Tello drone. Otherwise, it’s potentially gone for good.
The best if you want to quickly get in the air and learn how to fly: Tomzon Mini Drone
The Tomzon Mini Drone ($32.99) is very similar. We’ve grouped them because they almost seem like the same drone. Go for the former as it’s typically cheaper. But if it’s sold out – or you find the latter on sale — which it frequently is — then it might end up working out.
Both are super simple to get flying. There’s no app to connect with or no fiddling with syncing it to your phone. But while that’s a blessing, it’s also a curse. With this drone, there’s no smartphone connection to see what the drone’s camera could be seeing. Well, this drone doesn’t even have a camera to begin with. These drones are strictly for flying (and are capable of some stunts like “3D rollover”). They have a few modes including high and low-speed modes or headless and compass modes. Thus both are great if your primary goal is learning how to fly.
This DIY Drone Build Kit comes with 159 easy-build pieces, so kids can build their drones and different styles and colors. The body is made out of Lego-like blocks for an easy build process for all ages.
Once flying, the drone has several features that make it easy to fly for kids and beginners like altitude hold and one key take off/land. Kids can learn the basics of building drones, while also having fun flying their custom-built drone.
This mini drone dinosaur toy comes with a simulated look and a pterodactyl shape. For $39.99, you can have a fun, easy to fly drone that is perfect for any dinosaur lover. The drone even roars like a dinosaur at the press of a button.
This drone comes equipped with many of the beginner toy drone features that make it ideal for kids and first-time flyers, like one key takeoff/landing, headless mode, speed setting and more.
Italy, 7,500 km of natural coast. 20% of the national surface. 70% of the low coasts are made up of sandy or pebbly beaches, for a length of 3,270 km and a surface area of 120 km2.
A lot of people fly drones outside, but what about inside? Whether the weather is rough outside, or just the airspace is too chaotic to operate in, flying indoors is often a preferred solution. But drones don’t always perform well inside. Some drones are BETTER when flown indoors. So with that, here are the best indoor drones of 2024:
Many of the drones in this guide are on the cheaper end, which sadly means they don’t hold up well in the slightest breeze. But many also work great outside, providing you with the most options. Our top pick among the best indoor drones out there has an incredible Level 5 Wind resistance.
Camera? Yes; 1/1.7” CMOS sensor with 48 million effective pixels. Films at 4K/60fps and slow-motion footage at 2.7K/50/60/100/120fps.
DJI released its Avata drone in the summer of 2022 as a Cinewhoop-style FPV drone, made with indoor drone flights in mind. At just 180×180 mm in width and length, it’s ideal in tight spaces. Plus, it weighs just 405 grams. Built-in propeller guards eliminate the risk of scratching walls or other items inside, should you crash.
The Avata drone is a bit different from all the others in this list in that it’s an FPV drone (thus is designed to be flown with FPV goggles). It was also designed to be flown with what DJI calls a Motion Controller, differentiating itself from standard controllers with sticks. However, if you prefer flying line of sight and want to use a standard controller, you can do that too, by way of the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2, which you can buy for less than $230.
This drone wins as the best indoor drone not just for its ease of use, small size, and beginner-friendly modes, but comes out on top for its camera. Some DJI Avata camera specs:
1/1.7” CMOS sensor
48 million effective pixels
Films at 4K/60fps and slow-motion footage at 2.7K/50/60/100/120fps.
f/2.8 aperture
An ultra-wide-angle lens with a viewing angle of up to 155°
D-Cinelike color mode for a broader color palette that enables detailed chromatic adjustments
DJI Avata is the best indoor drone, but it also holds up incredibly well outside thanks to Level 5 max wind resistance. That means it can fly at wind speeds ranging from 19 to 24 miles per hour (which is about the equivalent of winds that generate moderate waves at the beach).
Avata is absolutely amazing for so many use cases, indoors and out. Here’s an example of how the Avata effortlessly executed an incredible real estate tour:
Camera? Yes; 5-megapixel camera and shoots 720p video
The Tello is an all-around awesome drone. It does it all, and it does it all well.
It’s great indoors, but it still flies well in most conditions outdoors. It’s got a camera that takes decently great photos. It can perform stunts like flips to make the act of flying a bit more fun. It can even teach you how to code.
While it’s technically made by a company called Ryze, the drone often gets put under the DJI umbrella of drones because it was built using DJI flight technology— and an Intel processor.
The drone doesn’t come with an RC transmitter. Instead, it’s controlled via a mobile app (or an external one can be purchased separately). You can also control it via hand gestures. Video quality is decent for a $159 drone, but it doesn’t compare to DJI’s camera drones like the Mavic 3 Pro, or even the $399 Mavic Mini.
One standout feature is how the Tello can teach you how to code, making it an excellent STEM drone. The drone pairs integrate with a programming language called Scratch. With it, you can program the drone to fly in certain directions based on the “code” you have written.
Now if that all sounds too good to be true, sadly it might be. It appears that Tello might be discontinued. As of mid-to-late 2024, the $99 Tello drone appears as sold out on DJI’s stop. Third-parties such as Amazon still sell Tello. But even there, quantities are limited (mostly to used versions only).
The Drone Girl reached out to DJI for official comment, and only got a vague answer.
“Currently, the Tello series is still being sold in the United States, and we will continue to provide technical and after-sales support to the customers,” a DJI spokesperson told The Drone Girl. “We have been working hard to provide global users with drone products that meet different needs. We will continue to launch new products that are accessible, easier to use and meet entry-level or educational needs, so stay tuned.”
As for you, jump on this one now if you want a Tello drone. Otherwise, it’s potentially gone for good.
The best indoor drone if you also want to fly outdoors: DJI Mini 4
Camera? Yes; 1/1.3-inch CMOS camera; shoots images at up to 48MP and video up to 4k/60fps
The DJI Mini 4 Pro is designed as an outdoor drone, and I recommend mostly using it for outdoor flying. However, it stands out for its omnidirectional obstacle avoidance. While DJI won’t outright call it crash-proof, this is pretty much as close as you can get.
Here are some DJI Mini 4 camera specs:
A 1/1.3-inch CMOS camera sensor with dual native ISO: This means footage from either camera can be packed with rich coloring and natural lighting transitions.
Aperture: f/1.7, which is ideal for low-light and nighttime performance
High-quality capture: It shoots images at up to 48MP and video at up to 4k/60fps
Digital video zoom: It’s available up to 2x in 4k, up to 4x
HDR Video recording: Available in 4k/60fps
Night Shots video: Delivers clear, cleaner footage in low-light conditions
Additionally, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is under 249g, films high-quality photos and videos, and is the best drone option if you are looking for a drone that gives you the versatility of flying indoors and out.
Star Wars nerds! Whether you love Baby Yoda, Kylo Ren, Ewoks, or all of the above (that would be me!), the Propel Star Wars Battle Drones are incredible. No other drones in this guide have the combination of aesthetically stunning AND truly fun to fly.
They’re hand-painted and highly realistic drones, arriving in all sorts of various designs like a tie fighter, speeder bike, or X-Wing. Not only do the Propel drones fly, but they can also actually battle. That’s possible due to eye-safe lasers that can be fired at other Star Wars drones. You can pair drones together to turn them into a battle game, where the drone wobbles and the controller vibrates in your hand if hit. After three hits, the drone will crash land.
Also, you can either play with a buddy. Or, if you’re truly in single isolation, you can battle against others via a system that records, combines, and compares your performance against virtual players in the world.
Now at $140, this one is not cheap. Consider it more of a collector’s item or an amazing gift for a diehard Star Wars fan. It’s listed at $140, though you can often find it for far less. Set a price alert or browse many websites for the best deal.
Fat Shark’s FPV (first-person view) headsets are the gold standard among drone racing pros. But even if you’re not a pro, there’s great news. Also, Fat Shark makes a kit with everything you need to get started drone racing.
However, with the Fat Shark 101 Training system, you get a radio, goggles and tiny quadcopter all in one kit. The RC transmitter has two modes for beginners and more advanced pilots, giving you an opportunity to improve your skills as you’re at home self-quarantining.
I love how easy this kit is to upgrade. While the quality of each individual piece is good, should you decide to step it up, you can swap out individual pieces (ie. just the goggles, or just the drone) and incorporate them into the kit.
Now for the bad news. As of publication, this drone is out of stock. However, GetFPV’s product page allows you to subscribe to alerts where the company will notify you when the product is back in stock, which you can do via this webpage.
This one stands out as an especially great indoor drone for its 4″ size, enabling it to better fit through tight spaces. Plus, that help it makes a lot less noise than a 6-7″ drone.
This drone is best when used in tandem with the the Flywoo Naked GoPro 10 Action Camera w/ Touchscreen + Filter Set, which is effectively a GoPro Hero 10. Flywoo took it and stripped out all the unnecessary features beyond what you need for FPV flying to make it weigh just 44 grams (critical in your FPV flight).
The best indoor drone if you want to record sound: HoverAir X1
Price: $439 (frequently on sale for $399)
Flight Time: 11 minutes per battery
Camera? Yes; 12-megapixel camera and shoots 2.7k video
The HoverAir X1 does not come with a controller. Instead, it flies with a selection of pre-programmed paths, including Hover, Follow, Zoom Out, Orbit, and Bird’s Eye. If flying indoors, I recommend flying with manual control mode ensuring total control.
The stand-out feature of the HoverAir X1 is its ability to record sound. The drone records sound from your phone (the controller). While the sound quality itself is pretty solid, the sound does not always match up to the video recording. HoverAir X1 recommends downloading a third-party app to edit the sound to fix this issue.
The HoverAir X1 can do all the same features outdoors, has a level 4 wind resistance, and reaches a maximum height of 15m. You can read an in-depth review of the HoverAir X1 here.
Flight time: 31 minutes per battery (or about 20 with the propeller guards)
Camera? Yes; 5-megapixel camera and shoots 720p video
The DJI Mini 2 was designed for outdoor flight, and should primarily be flown outdoors. That said, it’s surprisingly well-suited for indoor flying. Given that it’s just 11.3 inches wide when unfolded (including the propellers) and the average interior doorway is about 30 inches, it has more than enough clearance to fly through doorways. The Mini 2 also comes with lightweight propeller guards to keep your walls and indoor objects safe. Plus, it made the list of the best DJI drones under $500.
With the Mini 2, you will lose out on video and photo quality compared to the Mini 4 Pro, but you will certainly save in price.
