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Breaking the Limits: How Solid-State Hydrogen is Powering the Next Generation of UAVs

Battery endurance is a bottleneck for drone technology.  Could hydrogen offer a solution?  DRONELIFE is honored to publish this guest post from Dr, Nee Sirosh, CTO at H2MOF: a provider of safe and efficient hydrogen storage solutions.  DRONELIFE neither accepts nor makes payment for guest posts. Overcoming the UAV Industry’s Energy Storage Bottleneck Written by […]

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How U.S.-China Tariffs Could Reshape the Drone Industry

The recent implementation of U.S.-China tariffs, including a 34% tariff on Chinese imports and reciprocal measures from China, is creating uncertainty for the drone industry. While the full effects have yet to materialize, experts suggest these policies may lead to higher prices, supply chain disruptions, and shifting market dynamics. Both Chinese manufacturers like DJI and […]

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Potential unseen fallout of a US ban on DJI drones? Australian drone pilot Fiona Lake sheds insights

DJI, the Shenzhen, China-based drone maker, controls an estimated 70 to 80 percent of the global drone market. But in recent years, U.S. lawmakers have been moving forward with efforts to effectively ban federal agencies from purchasing or operating Chinese-made drones. U.S. drone pilots have feared that it could make it impossible to get their hands on affordable camera drones. And as it turns out, international drone pilots have the same fears — albeit for different reasons. Fiona Lake, a drone photographer, based in Australia, is one of them.

“If DJI drones are banned in the U.S., it will have a huge impact on the rest of the world,” Lake said in an interview as part of the inaugural Palm Springs Drone Fest 2025. “Not just in terms of availability, but in terms of price and innovation.”

In the U.S., multiple bills circulating could restrict or eliminate DJI drones from American skies entirely. Most of the motivations are rooted in national security, with concerns about potential data vulnerabilities and Chinese government influence. That includes the American Security Drone Act of 2023, which is a bipartisan bill that would prohibit federal agencies from purchasing drones made by Chinese government-linked countries. 

But as discussions intensify on Capitol Hill, the global drone community is already bracing for impact. Across Europe, Asia and Australia, photographers, farmers, first responders and filmmakers rely on DJI’s affordable, reliable equipment to do everything from herd cattle to document climate change. In the U.S., DJI drones have become vital tools in industries as varied as construction, agriculture and public safety.

For example, more than 90% of the drones used by first responder agencies in the U.S. were made by DJI, according to data published in 2020 from Bard College’s Center for the Study of the Drone. A critical report from the U.S. Department of the Interior shed light on how it scrambled to replace drones within budget after rules kicked in that it could no longer acquire new DJI drones.

“You spend a lot more money and get a product that’s not nearly as good,” Lake said of the DJI alternatives. “Why would you?”

The DJI Air 3S has a dual camera and omnidirectional obstacle sensing. (Photo by Hamilton Nguyen)

DJI’s consumer drones like the Mini 4 Pro and Mavic Air series are among the most popular in the U.S., prized for their portability, camera quality and ease of use. They generally cost around $1,000, and often less than that.

Related read: The cheapest DJI drones (that we’d actually recommend)

Yet no domestic alternative has emerged to match DJI’s scale or innovation. American drone manufacturers such as Skydio and Teal have made inroads, especially with government contracts, but the products often come at significantly higher price points, and in some cases lack features that DJI consumers now take for granted.

For Australians like Lake, the knock-on effect of a U.S. ban could ripple far beyond American borders.

“Less DJI revenue means less money for research and development,” she said. “And if there’s less demand in the U.S., models could be discontinued or delayed for the rest of us.”

Even in countries without bans, consumers could see rising prices and reduced access to the newest technology. DJI drones might become harder to source, and software updates could slow if the company is forced to shift priorities.

Ironically, some U.S. consumers have joked they might buy DJI drones overseas to avoid the consequences of a potential ban.

“But good luck finding a retailer with stock if there’s a global rush,” Lake said.

The idea of banning Chinese drones raises deeper questions about technological sovereignty and the practical trade-offs of decoupling from global supply chains. While national security is a legitimate concern, Lake and others warn that sweeping bans could have unintended consequences.

“The global drone industry desperately needs strong competition,” she said. “But you don’t create that by locking one player out. You create inefficiency, and the consumer loses.”

For now, DJI continues to operate in the U.S. as lawmakers debate next steps. But with mounting pressure from both sides of the aisle and growing geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing, the future is anything but certain.

“All I want is to keep flying,” Lake said. “But I also want the best tool for the job. Right now, that tool is still DJI.”

Watch the full interview with Lake on video below:

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NASA Makes Progress on Advanced Drone Safety Management System

– NASA is testing a new software system to create an improved warning system – one that can predict hazards to drones before they occur. The In-Time Aviation Safety Management System (IASMS) will monitor, assess, and mitigate airborne risks in real time. But making sure that it can do all that requires extensive experimentation to […]

Baykar Starts Training Employees for Ukraine Drone Plant

Turkey’s Baykar has begun training future employees for a drone manufacturing plant under construction in Ukraine, a move that signals confidence in the war-torn nation’s industrial future despite ongoing hostilities. Haluk Bayraktar, the company’s chief executive, shared details of the initiative in a recent interview with Ukrinform, a Ukrainian state news agency, underscoring the firm’s […]

Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace Partners with GA-ASI on Gray Eagle STOL UAV

– Hanwha Aerospace announced on 2 April that it is partnering General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc to develop and manufacture unmanned aircraft systems for the global defence market. The company stated that it plans to invest more than ₩750 billion (US$513 million) in development and production facilities for the latter’s Gray Eagle short take-off and […]

Mayman Aerospace Demonstrates Breakthrough in Autonomous Flight with RAZOR P100 and TBX Drones

Test flights at USMC Twentynine Palms showcase SKYFIELD AI control system, extended BVLOS range, and next-gen capabilities for contested environments by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb California-based drone developer Mayman Aerospace recently announced that their RAZOR P100 drone had completed a recent series of test flights to demonstrate its autonomous flight capabilities. The P100 […]

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Flock Safety Launches Real-Time 911 Drone Response and New Georgia Manufacturing Facility

Company integrates live 911 call data with drone dispatch, invests in new production site to support growth Flock Safety has announced a major update to its Drone as First Responder (DFR) system. The company has integrated its Flock Aerodome™ system with Flock911, a technology that provides live access to 911 transcription and location data. The […]

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Proposed Senate Bill 670 in North Carolina has Implications for Public Safety Drone Programs

The North Carolina Senate recently introduced Senate Bill 670, a piece of legislation that could significantly impact the use of drones by public safety agencies across the state. The bill prohibits state and local government entities from purchasing or acquiring small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) manufactured or assembled by “covered foreign entities,” primarily targeting drones […]

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Unusual Machines Aims to Secure U.S. Skies with Border Drone ID Technology

Company hopes new technology will help identify drones at U.S. border By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill With its planned acquisition of a leading airspace management company, Orlando-based Unusual Machines is poised to be able to provide government agencies and other entities with a greater ability to determine the origins of drones flying in the […]

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