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)

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.

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

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

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.

4. Increased pushes to ban Chinese drones

While the Countering CCP Drones Act was excluded from the final FY25 NDAA — creating a huge relief for pilots who rely on DJI drones — efforts to restrict Chinese drones in the U.S. are far from over.

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

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.

• Order DJI Neo now from Adorama for $199.
• Order DJI Neo now from Amazon for $199.
• Order DJI Neo now from B&H Photo for $199.
• Order DJI Neo now from Drone Nerds for $199.

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!

Speaking of 2025, do you want to ensure continuous coverage in the year ahead? If so, please make a donation to keep The Drone Girl running. I pay over $1,000 in annual Siteground hosting fees alone! Use the button below or go through my PayPal to donate. Thank you!

The post Drones in 2025: what to expect, challenges and opportunities for the industry ahead appeared first on The Drone Girl.

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)

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.

That said, it hasn’t bee all good news in the drone industry. DroneUp ended its drone delivery partnership with Walmart in three states: Arizona, Florida and Utah, in turning forcing a 17% staff reduction.

2. Basically everyone saw a drone show

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).

That’s thanks to all the developments in the drone light show industry. The race to rack up Guinness World Records was fierce, as multiple drone light show companies have sought to break (and re-break) world records). Among the standouts included a BotLab Dynamics show that broke five Guinness World Records in less than 13 minutes. Over at Disneyland Paris, Dronisos broke a different record with a massive Mickey in the sky. And in the vein of theme parks, there was a record-breaking show featuring a massive hummingbird as part of IAAPA 2024.

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

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.

I dug deeper into what the Trump presidency could mean for drones.

5. Politicians seek to ban DJI drones

Speaking of talks to ban DJI drones, multiple times (primarily Republican) politicians have sought to ban them through various pieces of proposed legislation.

One of the most notable is the Countering CCP Drones Act, which could ban DJI drones by adding DJI to a list of companies deemed threats to national security.

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. 

Related read: If Congress bans DJI drones, here’s what that could do to hobby drone pilots

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.

Related read: What’s it like being a Chinese drone company right now?

6. DJI launches impressive (and low-cost) lineup of new drones

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

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

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 

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

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.

Have you enjoyed the past year of reading The Drone Girl? If so, please make a donation to support more news, reviews and guides to the drone industry! YOUR generous contributions are what keep this site alive and running. Web hosting fees are no joke! Thank you in advance!

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