January always brings new tech that sets the tone for the year ahead, and this guide highlights the best products we discovered during CES week. Some were officially launched or showcased at CES, while others are fresh releases you can buy (or pre-order) right now.
CES 2025 products that drone pilots should get hyped about
Why it’s great: DJI’s O4 Air Unit lineup upgrades FPV functionality for non-FPV drones with lower latency (down to 15ms in Racing Mode for the Pro version) and smoother video transmission. The Pro adds 4K120 slow motion, dual antennas, and expandable storage with a microSD slot. Want to learn more? We took a deeper dive into the DJI O4 Air Unit series.
Price: Starting at $109 for the standard version, or $229 for the DJI O4 Air Unit Pro
Why it’s great: Enterprise users will appreciate advanced AI detection, laser range finding, and impressive telephoto capabilities for inspections and mapping. The Matrice 4T stands out with its thermal imaging, while the 4E excels in high-speed aerial mapping.
Other new CES 2025 products that drone pilots may love
Hollyland LARK M2S DUO & Mini Combo Wireless Mic Systems
Why it’s great: These ultra-light microphones are perfect for content creators with 48kHz/24-bit audio, intelligent noise cancellation, and up to 30 hours of battery life.
OBSBOT Tail 2 AI-Powered PTZR Live Production Camera
Why it’s great: A flexible, AI-enhanced live production camera with 4K60 video, improved tracking, and gesture control. Perfect for content creation and conferences.
Why it’s great: These open-ear earbuds feature superior sound quality, minimal sound leakage, and IP55 resistance, with 48 hours of total battery life.
Why it’s great: This gaming powerhouse offers up to 12TB of storage, NVIDIA RTX 50 series graphics, and blazing-fast refresh rates (up to 300Hz).
Price: Starting at $2,500
Whether you’re a drone enthusiast, a creator, or a tech aficionado, these CES 2025 products represent the best of innovation for the year ahead. For those first-movers who need to have the latest and greatest tech right when it hits, these are the products to consider. They strike that balance of new and unique — but also practical. Happy shopping, and happy flying!
As 2025 approaches, the drone industry is gearing up for a transformative year. From regulatory advancements to technological innovations, here’s a look at the key trends shaping the skies.
1. More BVLOS flights (and more useful drone flights, including drone deliveries)
Sally French, The Drone Girl, tours a Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
The drone industry has long been constrained by the dominance of Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) operations. Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights are critical for scaling applications like drone delivery and long-distance inspections, yet regulatory hurdles have limited their widespread adoption. However, change is on the horizon (particularly in the U.S.), as evidenced by instances of Federal Aviation Administration approvals.
For example, in September 2024, the FAA granted the NYPD permission to fly drones BVLOS across much of New York City, without needing visual observers or specialized equipment to detect other aircraft.
Over on the drone delivery front, Wing has been on a tear with BVLOS approvals and successful operations (as evidenced by my visit to try an actual Walmart drone delivery myself earlier this year). Wing continues to expand, such as recent news that it would offer drone deliveries out of a couple Dallas malls. Expect news like that to be more commonplace for drones in 2025.
Matternet’s Landing Station (Photo by Sally French)
Though Wing dominates, there is some competition. For example, drone delivery companies like Matternet are pushing boundaries through innovations like Matternet’s Landing Station. It also recently launched drone deliveries in Silicon Valley, with plans to operate BVLOS drone deliveries under FAA Part 135 certifications in a few suburbs just south of San Francisco by early 2025.
Expect BVLOS to unlock new use cases and significantly expand drone capabilities like not just delivery drones, but better search and rescue operations, inspections and more.
2. More drone light shows
Sally French, The Drone Girl, watching Disney Electrical Sky Parade. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
Drone light shows have taken the entertainment world by storm, and 2025 is set to build on this momentum.
While 2024 ended with some setbacks — notably a tragic incident in Orlando involving an injured child where drones flew out of control — the year also set records for the size and duration of drone shows. Iconic appearances on shows like “America’s Got Talent” and successful integrations into events such as Disney’s nighttime spectacles have cemented their popularity.
Personally, I witnessed the stunning displays on a Princess Cruise and at Disneyland Paris, and both were mesmerizing. With an increasing number of companies specializing in this technology, it’s highly likely you’ll catch a drone light show in 2025, whether at a local event or a major venue.
3. Trade impacts under Trump’s administration
(Getty Images)
If former President Donald Trump’s policies return with his anticipated presidency, the drone industry could face significant shifts in trade dynamics. Reports suggest that Trump’s administration plans to impose a 20% blanket levy on all U.S. imports. Chinese products potentially face tariffs as high as 100%.
Given that Chinese manufacturers like DJI and Autel currently dominate 74% of the U.S. drone market, such measures could disrupt supply chains. Companies may be forced to diversify their manufacturing bases to mitigate risks, potentially leading to increased costs for consumers and delays in innovation.
Yes, that means DJI drones could soon get more expensive — which means now might be the best time to buy a new DJI drone.
For example, the American Security Drone Act of 2023 (which is integrated into the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act) already prevents federal agencies from using drones from countries deemed national security threats. That measure hints at a broader trend toward banning or severely limiting the use of Chinese drones in the U.S.
For manufacturers and operators, the effects of a Chinese drone ban would be profound. With that would come the need for massive shifts in procurement strategies and a push toward domestic alternatives. That said, such a ban could be good news for American drone companies. That’s because they would no longer have to compete for market share amongst U.S. customers.
5. New DJI consumer drones
Sally French, The Drone Girl, and the DJI Neo drone. (Photo by Sally French)
Calls for bans aside, DJI continues to dominate the consumer drone market, and 2025 is poised to bring even more groundbreaking products from the tech giant.
Following the success of the DJI Neo and the DJI Air 3S (the former of which in particular set a new standard for accessibility and ease of use), DJI is expected to release consumer drones with enhanced autonomous capabilities and intuitive controls. These advancements make drone operation simpler than ever, broadening their appeal to casual users and professionals alike. As DJI integrates advanced obstacle avoidance, improved camera systems and longer battery life, their drones will likely remain the go-to choice for hobbyists and creators in the coming year.
And of course, what DJI launches is whatever the competitors copy. So, expect more options beyond just DJI.
Many tech companies use the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as a launching point to showcase their new products for the year. CES is one of the biggest drone events, period, and this year’s version is set for Jan. 7-10, 2025. We’ll be watching.
6. Expanding Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)
But whereas it seems as though Trump and his allies generally want to ban Chinese drones, the administration certainly doesn’t want to limit tech innovation. In fact, quite the opposite.
One focal point of the Trump Administration is a broader set of what the drone industry falls under: the concept of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). With this, the future of drones isn’t limited to small quadcopters. This broader future entails electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Some of those would be flown by human operators, while others (much like tiny quadcopters) would be autonomous.
Either way, AAM promises to revolutionize transportation by connecting urban centers and rural areas. With that, Trump and his allies want more.
In a 2023 Agenda47 speech, Trump highlighted the importance of America leading the global air mobility revolution. He positioned it as a critical element of national competitiveness.
“Dozens of companies in the USA and China are paving the way to develop electric take-off and landing vehicles for families and individuals,” according to a 2023 Donald Trump Agenda47 speech. “Just as the United States led the automobile revolution in the last century, I want to ensure that America, not China, leads the revolution in air mobility.”
The push for AAM could see increased investment in infrastructure, regulations, and innovation throughout 2025.
What are you looking forward to most from the drone industry in 2025? Tell me in the comments!
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A lot happened in the drone industry in 2024. There was no shortage of proposed legislation to do with banning Chinese-made drones. Speaking of Chinese-made drones, DJI launched some seriously cool products this year, some of which clearly target newbies. The drones for good side of things was especially delightful given the number of drone light shows that not only took off this year, but reached huge audiences by way of national TV spots, multiple Guinness World Records broken and even the introduction of pyro drones.
I’ve had my eyes on the drone industry every day of 2024 — and, well, every day since I started this website in 2013.
But in case you haven’t been following it as closely (or just forgot about the stuff that happened way back in January), here are the top 10 drone stories of 2024:
1. Drone deliveries mark milestones (including flights over people)
Sally French, The Drone Girl, tours a Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
2024 was a fun year for me personally, as I got some drone deliveries of my own.
But elsewhere in the world, the drone delivery industry has been doing some big things. One of the biggest steps is happening over in London. Wing (the drone delivery arm affiliated with Google) partnered with healthcare logistics company Apian and the NHS Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust to bring on-demand medical drone delivery service to the heart of London. We’ve seen medical drone deliveries going on for a long time now, but this one stands out because it’s happening in one of Europe’s busiest and most complex airspaces (and the flights are between tall buildings and over people).
Of course, I can’t leave out my personal drone deliveries. First, I met up with the Wing team in Texas to test their partnership with Walmart. Just a couple months later, I headed to Silicon Valley to test out Matternet drone deliveries.
The Disney Electrical Sky Parade drone show at Disneyland Paris. (Photo by Sally French)
2024 was the year that a lot of people saw their first drone show (and if it wasn’t their first, it was likely bigger, brighter and better than the last one they saw).
Drone shows really did take off in theme parks, including the free-to-watch “Disney Dreams That Soar” in Orlando at Disney Springs, the resort’s free outdoor shopping and entertainment district.
And even if you didn’t see a drone show in-person, you likely saw one on TV. American drone light show company Sky Elements placed third on America’s Got Talent Season 19 — the first time any drone company had made it anywhere near that far on the televised talent show.
Then to buck the people who said drones would replace fireworks, drone light show company UVify created pyro drones, which are actually used to carry fireworks which launch from mid-air.
3. Police departments expand drone use
Many police departments either started up or expanded their use of drones, including the San Francisco Police Department and the Chula Vista Police Department. Another notable instance was the New York City Police Department (NYPD), which was granted FAA approval to fly drones beyond-line-of-sight (BVLOS) across much of NYC without needing either a visual observer or even other type of specialized equipment to detect other aircraft.
4. Trump elected President could mark changes for the drone industry
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
You definitely didn’t miss that Donald Trump was elected for his second term. But you might have missed are the implications for the drone industry. His second term could mean both pros and cons for drone companies and pilots.
Talks of bans on Chinese drones could make drones more expensive, but it could also pave the way for American drone companies to grow without competition from Chinese companies like DJI that typically undercut them on prices.
Trump has promised faster, more streamlined government, which could be a good thing in increasing approval speed — but it could also turn the industry into chaos if teams are cut and oversight is lost.
Speaking of talks to ban DJI drones, multiple times (primarily Republican) politicians have sought to ban them through various pieces of proposed legislation.
Another proposal, the Drones First Responders Act, would create a 30% tariff on drones made in China. And the American Security Drone Act of 2023 would prohibit federal agencies from purchasing drones made by Chinese government-linked countries.
On that last note, the U.S. Department of the Interior released a scathing report this year documenting the negative effects of banning DJI drones. That report references the period between January 2020 and October 2022, when the department prohibited both procurement and non-emergency use of drones from adversary nations (such as Chinese-made DJI drones). I detailed the report here, but the tl;dr is that the DOI cut back on buying new drones because the only ones they could legally buy were too expensive. That left them with outdated and otherwise shrinking fleets.
By the way, if you’re not sure whether now is a bad or a good time to buy a DJI drone, check out my guide to how shoppers should navigate proposed DJI drone bans.
6. DJI launches impressive (and low-cost) lineup of new drones
Sally French, The Drone Girl, and the DJI Neo drone. (Photo by Sally French)
DJI went on a tear this year releasing all sorts of new products. It continues to expand its line of cameras that stay on the ground, including the influencer-focused Osmo line.
But since this is a drone website, I’m focused on the new drone releases. The DJI Air 3S stood out not necessarily because it has all sorts of new features (though it has those too) but really because of its price point at $1,099. That’s the same price as the DJI Air 3 upon its launch — but this one is a clear upgrade — signaling that DJI is seeking to democratize high-end drones with low prices.
Speaking of democratizing drones, there’s another one that really fits the bill — the DJI Neo. This drone is made for newbies, again a sign that DJI just wants to be a household name. As a hand-launch drone, it’s ridiculously easy to fly, and it thrives as an indoor drone, too.
7. DJI Air 3S gets caught up in customs debacle
Sally French, The Drone Girl, with the DJI Air 3S and the DJI RC 2. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
Speaking of the DJI Air 3S, it got caught up in some controversy with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Evidently, CBP had been scrutinizing DJI’s compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which is a law passed in 2021 designed to prevent products made with forced labor from entering the U.S. market.
8. HoverAir tries its hand at competing with DJI
HOVERAirX1 PRO (left) versus HOVERAirX1 PROMAX (right).
Though the market for camera drones pretty much revolves around DJI, other drone companies are still out there trying. The most notable contender this year has been ZeroZero Robotics, which this year launched the HoverAir X1 PRO and HOVERAir X1 PROMAX, two hand-launch drones that somewhat resemble the DJI Neo in design but that promise smarter follow-me features and a better camera.
9. Fun for drone racers
The flight simulator, operated by Extreme Simulation, offers a unique hotel amenity. It’s the only hotel in North America to offer flight simulator experiences. (Photo courtesy of Hotel Polaris)
One of the more charming trends in the drone industry through 2024 is the launch of products targeted at racers or people seeking a simulator experience. Nothing embodies that more than the Hotel Polaris, which opened on Nov. 14, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. That location near the U.S. Air Force Academy is hardly a coincidence. It’s an aviation-themed hotel with all sorts of unique touches including three flight simulators available for guest use.
10. B4UFly switches up providers
A screenshot of the old B4UFly app
The FAA B4UFly program ended its relationship with provider Aloft on Feb. 1, 2024. In lieu, it brought on four other companies to provide B4UFly services.
For pilots, that means that — rather than going to the FAA website — they’ll go to one of the apps of those four providers to find out where they can legally fly drones.
What other news stories stood out to you in 2024? Share them in the comments below. And then, stay tuned for The Drone Girl, as — after looking back onto the past year — we’ll next look forward to 2025.
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As Christmas lights twinkle and carolers sing, drones are taking holiday cheer to new heights—literally! From spectacular light shows to delivering holiday surprises, here are the most innovative ways drones are spreading festive joy this season.
Christmas in 2024: how drones (and their pilots) celebrate
Sky Elements shattered records with a dazzling 30-minute drone display over the past weekend. Featuring thousands of drones, this show told a sweet story about a penguin and a snowman. The show, held in Texas, marked Sky Elements’ 12th Guinness World Record ever and required rotating three fleets in and out in order to run a show that long.
Watch a condensed version of the 30-minute show here:
2. By delivering Christmas gifts (more efficiently than Santa)
Just in time for Christmas, as of December 2024, two Dallas shopping malls now offer drone delivery as a service. Done in partnership with Google-affiliated Wing, DoorDash and real estate investment company Brookfield Properties (which owns the two Texas malls), the service marks the first such mall drone deliveries in the U.S.
To build hype for its DJI Agras T50 drone, drone maker DJI shared a video made by Instagrammer Bry183 that makes Santa a drone pilot. It’s year 2024, so let’s do it, Santa!
What’s it like being, like, literally in Christmas? My friends over at AirVuz put together an epic collection of their best Christmas-related FPV flight reels. They show holiday light displays (and give you some epic neighborhood tours), they fly through the “A Christmas Story” house and they even capture Santa skiing. There’s too much good stuff in here not to miss.
Think shipping is always slow to your house? Not so! Many of my favorite gifts are digital gifts, meaning no shipping (and no wrapping) needed. You definitely can’t go wrong with an online course via something like a Drone Dojo Subscription ($27) or the Drone Pilot Ground School’s Part 107 test prep course ($199 with discount code DRONEGIRL100).
And come post-Christmas, I’m expecting some even bigger sales. Check major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and DJI’s own store for flash sales and bundle discounts that include extra batteries or carrying cases. Keep an eye out for refurbished options — they’re often significantly discounted and rigorously tested to perform like new.
What are you doing for Christmas this year? Do you have a festive drone tie-in? Tell me in the comments!
I’ve been covering the drone industry for more than 10 years, and I’ve heard enough buzzwords to fill a small novel. “Disrupt,” “revolutionize,” “game-changer,” “cutting-edge,” “innovative,” “paradigm-shift” – these words seem to be as ubiquitous in the drone industry as drones themselves.
With the rise of AI, the problem has only gotten worse. I get pitches about companies that use “a stacked agent architecture, generative AI and AI-on-the-edge to enable true drone autonomy operations.” I’ve had public relations professionals gloat about how their clients “leverage AI technology to manage end-to-end drone operations, ensuring mission success in dynamic environments.”
The problem? I have no idea what they actually do and why it’s helpful. I’m guessing you, dear reader, don’t either.
3 reasons why you need to stop using buzzwords to describe your drone company
1. Buzzwords suggest your product isn’t all that interesting
If you need a buzzword to explain what you do, it’s probably not worth explaining. Let me illustrate this very thing. I asked ChatGPT to describe my job in as many buzzwords as possible. The only information I offered it? That I was a “a blogger who writes about and reviews drones.
Here’s what ChatGPT spit out:
As “The Drone Girl,” you’re an influential content creator in the fast-evolving UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) ecosystem, providing cutting-edge insights and in-depth analyses of drone technology. You deliver high-impact, data-driven reviews, elevating user engagement with immersive multimedia content, all while harnessing the latest in aerial innovation. Your platform synergizes with emerging trends like AI-driven flight automation, drone swarms, and regulatory compliance, establishing yourself as a thought leader and trusted voice in the drone enthusiast community. You empower both recreational and professional drone users with actionable intelligence, fostering a dynamic, future-forward conversation in the drone space.
It’s terrible.
Cringe courtesy of ChatGPT.
Had I told you what I actually do, it would be far more interesting than what ChatGPT wrote in buzzword form. (Hey, at least I think my life is interesting).
You get the point. Tell me what you actually do, rather than disguise it in buzzwords.
2. Buzzwords suggest you don’t know what you’re talking about
Maybe your product is actually interesting. Alas, buzzwords suggest that even you can’t explain what you actually do all day, or why your product is worthwhile. If you can’t articulate your work in plain language, how can you expect anyone else to understand it?
Maybe your product actually is interesting. Your buzzwords have done you a disservice in muddying the story.
3. Buzzwords contribute to public misunderstandings
Perhaps worst of all? Buzzwords create confusion and — potentially worse — distrust. The drone industry has long struggled with negative public opinion, largely because people just don’t get it. They see a camera and assume it’s spying on them, purely because they don’t actually know what the drone is doing or what data that camera is gathering. Lack of transparency around your drone project just adds to such misunderstanding — and negative public opinion.
So, ditch the buzzwords and start talking real talk. Explain your work in a way that everyone can understand. Be clear about the benefits and the risks. And stop pretending that every drone project is the next big thing.
To truly make an impact, focus on solving real problems (big or small!). Demonstrate the tangible benefits of drone technology. Be transparent about our operations, data collection practices, and ethical considerations. And most of all, build trust with the public.
Looking for custom help in pitching your drone business to press? Need some 1:1 support on your marketing campaign? Book an appointment with me on Intro. We’ll work through your marketing language and help tell the version of your story that’s actually interesting — not just a mess of buzzwords.
Hey Drone Squad! What if you could have your own, free Drone Girl coloring book?
I’ve been diving deeper into the world of AI and tools like ChatGPT, exploring how they can be used in the drone industry. One cool feature within ChatGPT is the ability to create custom versions, like an image generator. In fact, I’ve used it to create many of the images you see on The Drone Girl! There’s also an FPV Drone Tech Advisor, a super helpful tool for answering questions like, “What’s the best motor choice for my new project?” when you’re building your own FPV drone.
But one of my favorite features so far is Coloring Book Hero. It allows you to take any idea and turn it into a coloring book page. So, naturally, I created The Drone Girl Coloring Book—and I wanted to share it with you! You can download it, print it out, and start coloring away.
Making your coloring book is easier than you’d think! You can upload an image as a guide for the AI, though it won’t copy it exactly—it uses your image for inspiration.
For example, I uploaded the image to the right and used this prompt:
“This is a cartoon image of a girl with a superhero cape and a drone behind her with the words ‘I fly like a girl’ in a cloud. It’s a semi-realistic cartoon but minimalist. Please turn it into a coloring page.”
When creating more pages, I realized that keeping the prompts simple and direct gave me the best results. If you provide too many directions, it can confuse the AI. In one of my early pages, the AI gave the Drone Girl a Superman “S” on her shirt. I asked it to remove the “S,” but after a few tries, it couldn’t quite get it right. So, I found it was easier to start fresh with a new prompt.
I also discovered that the AI isn’t the best at generating text within images. Initially, I wanted phrases like “I fly like a girl” or thedronelady.com to appear on the page. But after a few tries, I gave up on asking the AI for text and instead uploaded the images to Canva, where I could easily add the words. This made it much easier to control the fonts and keep my branding consistent.
At times, I’d get images with random elements like markers, desks, or other things that didn’t quite belong in a coloring book. (Like the image to the left.) When that happened, I found it easier to start the prompt over rather than trying to get the AI to remove these extras.
Once I found an image style I liked, I asked the AI to create more scenes, like “girl getting a drone delivery” or “fixing a drone.” Sometimes the lines in the images would come out a bit blurry, so I would ask the AI to “make this image again, but make sure the lines are sharp,” which usually solved the problem.
I hope you enjoy The Drone Girl Coloring Book as much as I do! Let us know if you end up making your own.
My YouTube subscribers already have seen it, but I’ll share it with you too, now: my latest YouTube video. It’s an in-depth DJI Neo unboxing, revealing my first impressions of the new, $199 DJI Neo.
DJI Neo has been one of DJI’s worst-kept secrets ever. Perhaps the launch of the HOVERAir X1 PRO and PROMAX drones had something to do with it. Alas, the DJI Neo launch (which happened a month later in September 2024) was a surprise to just about no one. But what has been a surprise is how well it holds up after getting my hands on it in person.
I outlined in-depth DJI Neo drone specs and details back when DJI first named the drone, but here are some key features:
4K video: Footage is surprisingly clear and smooth — particularly considering the low price point.
Compact design: Despite its (mostly) powerful performance, the Neo is lightweight and portable. It comes in at just 135 grams, and it’s small enough to fit in a larger jacket pocket or purse.
Prop guards and hand launch: These two go, well, hand-in-hand. DJI encourages you to take this drone off from the palm of your hand. With the drone flying that close to you, this is a key safety feature for you (and your walls).
So with that, what’s inside the box? Don’t wait! Check out my unboxing video below:
My first impressions of DJI Neo
From the moment I powered it on after doing this DJI Neo unboxing video, the drone impressed me. The setup was super easy, and within minutes I was ready to fly. The hand takeoff and landing actually works, and the follow-me is quite responsive. I did try controlling it in manual mode from my smartphone, which was also very easy and intuitive.
Video quality is as sharp as you’d expect from DJI (join me next week for a look at the actual footage and flight).
The Neo is perfect for creators who are constantly on the go (like me!) or anyone looking to get started in the drone world with a reliable and easy-to-use device.
That said, it does have some initial drawbacks. It doesn’t do well even in a breeze, so count on making this an indoor drone or otherwise only flying it on calm days.
It also is not the drone for you if you’re seeking sweeping landscape shots. The drone’s maximum flight height is just 120 meters (that’s less than 400 feet) — and that’s when used with a controller (which requires an additional cost). When using just the hand launch or mobile or Mobile App Control, the maximum flight height is 30 meters (about 100 feet) That’s only about half as tall as Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World. And no, these limits can’t be overridden in the DJI Fly app.
The DJI Neo Fly More Combo includes a charging hub and batteries.
And the battery life is pretty short at just 18 minutes max. Given that, you’ll likely want to spring for the Fly More Combo, which adds another $125 to the price. (The DJI Neo Fly More Combo typically retails for $325).
I’ll put together a more complete review later, but for now, I wanted to share this DJI Neo unboxing video with you so you know what’s inside. In short, DJI Neo is packed with features that make flying fun and accessible, while still offering the high-quality footage and advanced tech that seasoned pros will appreciate.
The Drone Girl unboxes the DJI Neo drone, which is an affordable hand-launch drone from DJI.
For over a decade, I’ve been chronicling the drone industry’s evolution. But believe it or not, I only just experienced my first (real) drone delivery.
I headed to Texas, which is quickly become the land of drone delivery. So much so, that industry experts are calling it the Drone Star State. There, multiple drone delivery companies including Wing, Flytrex, Amazon, Manna, Zipline and DroneUp are all vying for a slice of the drone delivery pie. Some are in early testing phases, while others, like Wing, are fully operational with real customers.
And that’s exactly what I set out to experience — a real, drone delivery. Come with me to experience my first ever, real drone delivery. And if you want the video version of this experience, check it out on my YouTube channel!
The Drone Girl’s first ever real drone delivery at Walmart in Fort worth
Sally French, The Drone Girl, tours a Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
Drone Girl’s history of drone deliveries
Now, I’ve definitely knocked drone deliveries in the past for being mere publicity stunts. And yes, that including Wing itself (way back in 2016). At the time, I criticized them for massively overhyping a curated test project sending Chipotle burritos over merely a single field to students at Virginia Tech. I equated it to a science fair project.
I’ve also personally participated in some test drone deliveries previously. For example, I emceed an event in 2015 on the football field of Harvard for their Making Robotics Fly event, held in tandem with Harvard Business School. There, I helped Matternet put on a demonstration of a t-shirt delivery to the stadium.
It was clear: drones were delivering for real customers, and I wanted to be one of them.
Behind-the-scenes at a Wing Nest in Forth Worth
Sally French, The Drone Girl, tours a Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
I reached out to the folks at Wing to see if they could help make my drone delivery dreams come true.
Wing runs drone delivery operations in a few spots around the world, including Logan and Melbourne, Australia. Then, there are the deliveries with Walmart occurring at a handful of stores in Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas. Since Australia was a bit out of reach, I set my sights on Texas.
Wing delivers to eligible home addresses within a specific radius of participating Walmart stores that have a safe package release zone (e.g. no full forests of towering trees!). Since I wasn’t a Texas homeowner, Wing found me a suitable grassy patch near a Fort Worth Walmart. After all, I also wanted a tour of their “Nest” – the designated area where drones are loaded, take off, and land.
So with that, I made my way to Walmart, first for a Nest tour and then for my actual first drone delivery.
What the Wing Nest is like
A Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
The Wing Nest is an airport of sorts, but it’s hardly that. It’s really just an area blocked off via a chain-link fence. That space takes up a small chunk of the Walmart parking lot.
At other retailers, like the Logan Mall in Australia, the “Nest” sits on the mall’s rooftop. They could also theoretically sit in any other outdoor space, like a privately-owned parcel adjacent to a store. Nests can vary in size, ranging from a few parking spaces to many more. It’s all dependent on how many drone landing pads are needed, based on demand (and the retailer’s preferences).
Sally French, The Drone Girl, tours a Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
At the Fort Worth Nest, two rows of drones are laid out on pads, ready to take off when an ordered is made. On the far side sits a single shipping container, which stores backup drones and other supplies. A power generator keeps everything charged.
At this site, the whole operation is executed through a combination of Walmart employees and Wing employees. Walmart employees physically walk to store shelves and get them packed up, bringing them out to a parking lot. But Wing also has an employee onsite who handles the drones.
Separately, Wing staffs employees who work across a handful of Nests in the region to deal with things like maintenance. Then, Wing also operates a Remote Operations Center in the Dallas area. This is sort of like its air traffic control tower. Though operations are fully automated, Wing still employs staff here to serve as a second set of eyes (looking through a computer). They consider factors like winds, weather or traffic. Many of these employees have backgrounds in traditional, crewed aviation.
What placing a Walmart drone delivery order is like
As of June 2024, customers place their orders directly through the Walmart app. Upon selecting their address (and assuming the address is approved), customers can navigate to a screen displaying items eligible for delivery.
Sure, they can always select traditional methods like in-store pickup or delivery on wheels. But should they select drone delivery, they’ll be able to pick certain items. The drones can only carry packages weighing up to about 2.5 pounds, so there’s a natural limitation there. A Wing employee told me that one of their most popular orders is limes. Presumably, people making margaritas forgot a key ingredient. The quick nature of drone delivery can ship it before the house guests have even arrived.
Besides a weight limit, there’s also a size limit. Drones carry boxes designed specifically to fit in the aircraft, so large items won’t work, no matter how light they are. For example, I thought about ordering a dozen eggs. However, the Walmart app only gave me the option for a six-pack (I’m guessing the long, dozen-carton shape wouldn’t fit in the box).
Sally French, The Drone Girl, receives an order of Powerade delivered via drone. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
Upon selecting your delivery item, you check out as you’d normally expect. That means entering your credit card number for payment.
The app keeps you up-to-date in real time, displaying your order status, which includes a map of where the drone is and a clock giving ongoing estimates of the arrival.
The drone’s flight
Once you place an order, a Walmart order packs it, using items from the store shelves. The employee then brings that box out to the Nest, where a person secures it to the aircraft. Then, the drone chooses a “best route” — and that route is almost never the same. That “best” route takes into account factors like wind, which contributes to why it’s different every time.
Wing drones can fly a roundtrip distance of up to 12 miles.
Upon arrival at your home (or in my case, my temporarily-adopted park home), the aircraft gently lowers your order down via its tether and unclips the item for you. Wing recommends you wait until the package fully detaches, upon which you can grab it.
My first drone delivery experience with Wing
Sally French, The Drone Girl, receives an order of Powerade delivered via drone. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
Texas heat called for a refreshing beverage, so I ordered a Powerade for my first drone delivery. It arrived in a speedy 10 minutes, considering the short distance.
To test the system’s limits, I followed up with a slightly more “challenging” order – a glass jar of Alfredo sauce. Thankfully, the jar arrived intact, thanks to the slow and controlled release from the tether.
Sally French, The Drone Girl, receives an order of Alfredo sauce delivered via drone. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
I spent about an hour on a Friday morning at Wing’s Nest at a Fort Worth Walmart store. That said, I saw only a couple orders placed from customers who weren’t me. Meanwhile, the Walmart store itself was actually pretty busy with customers packing shopping carts.
Wing drones have a strict weight limit. Someone stocking up for groceries for the week ahead, or for supplies for a big party, wouldn’t benefit from drone delivery. It’s more for those one-off items, like the last-minute, forgotten limes.
Will more people use drone delivery?
Drone delivery has especially powerful use cases in situations like emergency medical deliveries, where medication or other supplies needs to be shipped quickly (and doesn’t take up a lot of space). Wing is testing that very thing in Ireland.
The Powerade I ordered was nice on this hot, Dallas day. The Alfredo sauce was a fun party trick. With that, I’m curious to see how sustainable these operations are.
For what it’s worth, I’ve talked to regular people who rely on drone delivery on a nearly-daily basis. One customer, an elderly woman with vision issues who is unable to drive, found drone delivery to be far more convenient than navigating a physical retail store (let alone getting there). Another guy who worked from home (and out of walking distance of any restaurants or cafes) told me he ordered his lunch via drone 3-4x a week. He said his alternative was a delivery service like DoorDash. Since he felt obligated to tip a human driver, he said drone delivery netted out cheaper.
It could be a hit especially during the holidays. A Wing survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that 74% of consumers are interested in saving time running holiday errands with near-instant delivery. A drone allows you to skip the trip to the store, which can be especially stress-relieving during the busy holiday season.
Customers are also particularly interested in faster deliveries. Because drones aren’t even contingent upon human delivery drivers, drone delivery has a potential leg up on other types of online ordering. Wing surveyed 5,000 consumers nationwide as part of its 2024 State of Grocery Shopping and Delivery report.
The report found that 84% of shoppers expect their grocery orders to arrive within the same day. What’s more, 30% want delivery within the hour. And yes, they truly are willing to pay for it. 76% of survey respondents said they’d pay more to have their order within 30 minutes or less.
And here’s something else that’s promising for the future off drone delivery.A higher than average rate, 83% of Gen Z survey respondents, said they would pay more for ultra-fast deliveries. Older generations have more patience, presumably.
What’s next for Wing and Texas drone deliveries?
Sally French, The Drone Girl, tours a Wing “Nest” drone delivery facility at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)
Wing, alongside the other drone delivery players in Texas, says it intends to continue its growth trajectory. In fact, an estimated 75% of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro will have access to drone delivery by the end of 2024 via Walmart and its drone delivery partners alone.
Much of that growth can be attributed to a July 2024 approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. With that, the FAA authorized both Wing and Zipline to conduct commercial drone flights without visual observers in the same Dallas-area airspace. That’s a first for U.S. aviation.
Wing itself continues to iterate on its software and hardware. We continuously see new prototype aircraft coming out of Wing. Its also experimented with new mechanisms, like its Autoloader hardware and its Wing Delivery Network software system.
Walmart is definitely crushing the space — and so is Wing. (It’s certainly not Amazon.)
Time will tell how regulatory approvals go — and if it’s commercially viable beyond fun stunt to try a few times. I enjoyed my Powerade delivered via drone, and I eagerly await the next one.
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AI technology is revolutionizing various industries — and that includes the drone sector. Sites like ChatGPT and Google-owned Gemini offer pilots tools to streamline workflows, enhance creativity, and ensure safe and efficient flights. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, leveraging AI can significantly improve your drone flying experience and the workflows that follow. It might just be the key to elevating your drone business.
But we’ve found ways that AI makes our work better — saving time off the annoying stuff to fill with the fun stuff. And we wanted to share our best tips.
Below are 9 tried-and-true ways drone pilots can use ChatGPT and other various AI tools. For those specific to ChatGPT, we’ve included the exact prompts:
1. Drone flight planning and optimization
AI can optimize flight paths by taking into account weather conditions, terrain, and airspace restrictions. Tools like Litchi provide automated flight planning, ensuring safe and efficient missions.
Try this ChatGPT prompt: “How can I plan an efficient flight path for a coastal landscape shoot?”
2. Creative photography and videography
Extra Tip: This photo was created from ChatGPT’s image generator bot
After a long day of capturing stunning aerial footage, the last thing you want is to spend hours editing. AI-powered photo editing software, like Adobe Lightroom and Luminar AI, offers features such as automated exposure adjustments, sky replacement, and intelligent composition suggestions. These tools enhance the quality of aerial images and videos, with capabilities like auto-enhance photos, AI-powered object removal, and one-click templates for quick edits.
Try these ChatGPT prompts for drone photographers:
“What are some creative ways to use ND filters in drone photography?”
“What settings should I use for capturing sunrise or sunset with my [insert name of your drone model]?”
“How can I achieve smooth cinematic shots while flying my drone?”
“What are some creative ways to use ND filters in drone photography?”
“How do I set up and use the waypoint navigation feature on my drone?”
“What is the best way to use the hyperlapse feature for time-lapse videos on a [insert name of your drone model]?”
“Can you explain how to use ActiveTrack and other subject-tracking features on [insert name of your drone model] effectively?”
3. Troubleshooting and drone maintenance
Ever get an error message on your drone that just won’t go away? AI tools can assist in diagnosing drone issues and recommending maintenance practices. ChatGPT can help pilots understand error codes, perform routine checks, and prevent common problems.
Try these ChatGPT prompts:
“What should I do if the battery on my [insert name of your drone model] is draining faster than usual?”
“How do I calibrate the compass on my [insert name of your drone model]?”
“What are the signs that my drone’s propellers need to be replaced?”
“Can you explain how to properly store [insert name of your drone model] batteries to extend their lifespan?”
4. Advanced mapping and modeling
Software like Pix4D and OpenDroneMap utilize AI for photogrammetry, creating detailed maps and 3D models from aerial images. These tools are essential for applications in surveying, construction, and agriculture, offering features such as 2D orthomosaic and 3D model generation, accurate measurements of areas and volumes, and AI-driven image analysis.
Try these ChatGPT prompts ahead of your next drone mapping project:
“How do I create a 3D map using my drone and photogrammetry software?”
“What is the difference between orthomosaic and DSM in drone mapping?”
“How can I use drones for agricultural monitoring and crop health assessment?”
5. Safety and emergency procedures
Image created from the ChatGPT bot image generator using the prompt: “a drone that has safely landed near a lake”
Imagine you’re capturing a stunning sunset over a lake, and suddenly, your drone signals a low battery or loses a GPS signal. It’s a situation no pilot wants to face, but being prepared is key. AI can provide real-time alerts and safety protocols, guiding you through the necessary steps to land your drone or regain control safely.
Try these ChatGPT prompts:
“What are the best practices for a safe emergency landing?”
“What are the best practices for flying drones in high winds?”
“What are the temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in [Insert area of your flight]?”
“What safety measures should I take when flying my drone at night?”
6. Staying updated on regulations
Image created from the ChatGPT bot image generator using the prompt: “a no-fly zone poster in a National Park”
Heading out for a vacation but not sure of the current regulations for flying your drone? AI tools like ChatGPT can provide drone pilots the latest information on legal flying zones, no-fly areas, and licensing requirements for your destination. Staying informed helps you avoid legal issues and ensures you can fly your drone with peace of mind.
Just be sure to confirm with the government’s website for the most up-to-date regulations, as some AI-powered data sources might not always be on top of the most current regulations.
Try this ChatGPT prompt: “What are the current drone regulations in U.S. national parks?”
7. Intelligent data analysis
For agriculture and environmental monitoring, AI tools like DroneDeploy offer plant health analysis, terrain modeling, and more. These insights help make informed decisions and optimize resource use.
Try this ChatGPT prompt: “How can I use drones for agricultural monitoring and crop health assessment?”
Want to share your drone shots and experiences with the world? AI can assist drone pilots in creating engaging content for social media and blogs, offering ideas, and optimizing posts. It can even tell you what hashtags to add to a post. This helps pilots share their work, engage with the drone community, and even grow a following.
Try these ChatGPT prompts:
“What are some engaging blog post ideas for drone photography enthusiasts?”
Enter the caption for a photo, and then type in “generate relevant hashtags for this caption.”
9. Help you study for your Part 107 test
Image created from the ChatGPT bot image generator using the prompt: “Someone studying for the Part 107 test on the computer”
While our recommended Part 107 test prep courses tend to have all the answers, sometimes you get stuck — or just need a more specific explanation. Sure, many of these services offer 1:1 support, but there’s still going to be some sort of time delay. With ChatGPT, the time delay is no more than a few seconds. With that, it might be helpful in answering your question.
Try these ChatGPT prompts:
“I learn best by [insert learning style, like reading or listening]. What are the best resources for me to study for the Part 107 knowledge test?”
“I answered [insert the wrong answer] in response to the following question from the FAA’s Part 107 test. [Insert question here]. Explain to me why that’s wrong, and share the correct answer.
How have you used ChatGPT or other AI-powered tools in your work as a drone pilot? Leave a comment sharing how drone pilots can use ChatGPT below!
If it feels like all the drone delivery companies you’ve heard of are operating in Texas, your feeling is right. Texas may be the Lone Star State to most Americans. But to us, it’s also the Drone Star State.
Six of the top commercial drone delivery companies in operation today have either test projects or full customer services somewhere in Texas: Wing, Flytrex, Amazon, Manna, Zipline & DroneUp.
In fact, I just got back from a trip to Dallas to check out Wing’s drone delivery operations myself. You’ll have to stay tuned until next week to hear about my adventures getting my first ever, real drone delivery. But for now, consider this an ode to Texas.
Here’s are a few reasons why Texas might be the very best place to launch not just any drone company, but in particular a drone delivery company:
4 reasons why Texas should be renamed the Drone Star State
Though many delivery drones still operate in most types of rain (extreme stores excluded), Texas’s relatively mild climate makes it a more viable place to conduct drone deliveries. It’s also pretty flat with few natural barriers like tall trees or hills.
2. Public acceptance
The Drone Girl visits a Wing “Nest” at a Walmart store in Fort Worth
For drone deliveries to grow, the public has to actually want it. The majority do — and the rate of Texans keen on drone delivery is higher than the general U.S. population.
According to a survey of 5,000 U.S. respondents, 64% of respondents from Texas said they are willing to use drone delivery. That’s higher than the interest coming out of residents from other nearby states. For example, 63% of North Carolina residents said they’d use drone delivery. Meanwhile, just 57% of Florida residents and 58% of Georgia residents said they were into it.
3. Favorable legislation and government buy-in
Perhaps the most critical factor of them all in dubbing Texas the Drone Star State? Government buy-in, allowing programs like multiple drone flights at once, drones flying beyond visual line of sight and more.
In fact, Dallas is the first place in the entire world where drone delivery companies have been able to fly within the same city limits. That’s critical in progressing drone delivery from nifty science fair-esque test to viable operations. It’s all made possible due to a system of air traffic control for drones, formally referred to as “UTM” or unmanned traffic management.
UTM supports Texas drone deliveries
Texas drone deliveries are made possible due to unmanned traffic management systems. For the Texas UTM system, both the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA worked with the drone delivery companies to implement a set of ‘rules of the road.’
After all, with multiple aircraft, each different company has to operationalize how they coordinate their delivery routes so they can safely share the airspace. As far as U.S. drone deliveries go, Texas is the first place we’ve ever seen such a robust UTM system.
The FAA-approved UTM service operates as a digital data exchange. It’s really not exclusive at all. In fact, any operator in the area can join. When they join in, they can share where they intend to fly. From there, they can confirm their flight doesn’t conflict with another flight.
It’s still relatively new, with initial flights using UTM services having launched in August 2024. But more authorizations are coming to the Dallas area soon.
While UTM has huge implications for package deliveries, it will also allow drones to scale in other verticals such as public safety applications and infrastructure mapping or inspections.
4. Walmart
My first-ever real drone delivery. A Powerade delivered via Wing, ordered from Walmart. (Photo by Sally French)
Texas and Walmart go together like brisket and BBQ sauce. And one reason alone for drone delivery success has to do with one of the biggest corporations there is: Walmart.
Walmart partners with a handful of drone delivery companies, which include Wing (the drone delivery arm of Alphabet) and Zipline (largely considered the world’s largest drone delivery company). Walmart also works with smaller players like DroneUp, which it made a significant investment in.
Walmart runs drone deliveries out of a handful of stores, and it’s list is growing to a point that one day could include most Walmart stores. In Texas alone, Walmart operates about 500 Walmart Supercenters and about 600 retail units as a whole (a figure that encompasses other outposts like discount stores and Neighborhood Markets, too).
Though Walmart has operated in other states, it’s seen some big wins in Texas. In fact, DroneUp had so much trouble scaling that — not only did it lay off about 17% of its staff — it closed its other drone delivery hubs in Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tampa.
Though DroneUp has had some trouble scaling, forcing it to lay off staff and cease operations in other states. But even though DroneUp has struggled to find success in other states, it’s still — perhaps not coincidently — operating in Texas.
Walmart now offers drone delivery as a built-in customer service through the official Walmart app.
Of course, Walmart is hardly the only retailer interested in drone deliveries. For example, Walgreens has also worked with Wing out of Frisco, Texas.
What’s ahead for drone deliveries in Texas?
With a functional UTM system in place, Texas drone deliveries are able to grow. According to the players involved in the Walmart tests, an estimated 75% of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro will have access to drone delivery by the end of 2024 via Walmart alone.
And of course, rising tides lift all boats. In the drone delivery realm, success for one player, say delivery companies like Wing, or retailers themselves like Walmart, largely means success for others. And it’s more than just drone delivery. Advancements in other drone use cases can help propel drone delivery forward.
Now drone deliveries aren’t the only reason why we should call Texas the Drone Star State. Texas also happens to be a hotbed for all sorts of other drone activity. With a robust oil and gas industry, drones play a key role in inspecting Texas’ pipelines. For example, DJI worked with Shell on an inspection project down in Houston. Meanwhile, AT&T, which is based in Dallas, has gotten into drones. For example, its 5G Innovation Studio has ben leaning on drones.
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