FlyCart 30, the DJI delivery drone, was announced last August – but has so far only been available in China. On December 6, however, the DJI FlyCart 30 was added to the FAA website list of Remote ID compliant drones, which could indicate that the drone will be offered for sale in the U.S. soon. […]
Chosen for FAA’s UAS Detection Program, SkySafe Elevates Drone Mitigation to New Heights in Critical Infrastructure Protection by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb California-based Skysafe, focused on airspace management and drone forensics, recently announced that it was selected for the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Testing and Evaluation Program as UAVs further integrate into […]
Drone is above water, right at te entrance of the Old-Port.
Image taken with Mavic 3, 160mm telephoto lens.
————-
Filmer Marseille par drone est une passion qui nous habite depuis bientôt 13 années. Entre deux vidéos, nous aimons prendre des photographies aériennes et des panorama 360. Cela est rendu si simple avec les petits drones Mavic 3! Pour cette image nous avons utilisé le téléobjectif focale 160mm.
La lumière était sublime, comment résister à cette beauté Marseillaise?!
The Federal Aviation Administration is rolling out its 2023 holiday marketing campaign this week — and it suggests that many drones will be given as Christmas gifts this year. That means a fresh crop of new drone pilots.
The FAA’s 2023 Holiday “12 Days of Drones” Safety Campaign runs each weekday from now through Dec. 22. Each of the 12 days hones in on a different aspect of drone safety. Given that the topics are beginner focused, it’s clear that the campaign is largely centered around people planning to give or receive a drone as a holiday gift.
For example, the first day (that was yesterday) was all about taking the Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), which is a free-to-take online training course that culminates with a fairly simple online quiz. Today (Day 2) is about drone registration, which is required by the FAA for all drones weighing 0.55 lbs or more and can be done for $5 through the FAA.
Though, some topics are a bit more relevant and applicable to the pros. On Day 3 (coming on Monday), it’s all about Remote ID, which is one of the hottest topics in drones right now. Remote ID regulation technically went into effect in September 2022, but the enforcement deadline has been extended until March 2024, making for some spicy conversations around the rollout (and the lack of available Remote ID modules).
That said, while the FAA may be bracing for a set of new drone pilots, that hardly means the drone industry is growing as former recreational pilots drop out (and presumably take on new hobbies). That’s at least according to the Drone Market Report 2023, which is put together by German market research group Drone Industry Insights (DII). DII predicts the recreational side will “essentially remain stagnant,” though it could actually slow, given a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of -0.3%. In contrast, the overall drone market, which includes both commercial and recreational, is set to grow to $54.6 billion by 2030. That breaks down to a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% — clearly driven by growth on the commercial side.
So what does each day of the FAA’s 2023 holiday marketing campaign entail? In short, it’s a series of safety messages which will be posted on the FAA’s DroneZone Twitter (erm, X) and Facebook accounts throughout the month. It also entails a cute little video with festive animations:
The exact rundown of topics goes like this:
Day 1 (12/7): The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)
Day 2 (12/8): Register and mark your drone
Day 3 (12/11): Remote ID
Day 4 (12/12): Become a certificated remote pilot
Day 5 (12/13): Where can I fly
Day 6 (12/14): Airspace authorizations — LAANC
Day 7 (12/15): “Weather” or not to fly
Day 8 (12/18): Flying at night
Day 9 (12/19): Drones for everyone
Day 10 (12/20): Flying over people
Day 11 (12/21): Drones and careers
Day 12 (12/22): Drones for good
By the way, if you need Christmas gift ideas, check out my 2023 Holiday Drone Gift Guide. It outlines the best drones to gift this year. And even if your budget isn’t that book, it’s got tons of other ideas of gifts for drone pilots.
In 2020 a detailed Russian report warned that “… we can conclude that modern [Russian] air defense systems are very poorly adapted to combat UAVs [Uncrewed Air Vehicles, drones].” Prof. Sergey Makarenko of St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI” authored the 193-page report entitled Countering Unmanned Air Vehicles. Makaranko studies military applications of technology, and this is one […]
This new weapon system exhibits striking similarities to the American-made Switchblade 300, indicating China’s strides in developing comparable technology within the unmanned aerial systems domain. The XS101 loitering munition, akin in design to its American counterpart, boasts an external resemblance to the U.S.-produced Switchblade 300. Like the original American system, this Chinese drone is deployed […]
In the thick of 2022, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves across the globe, a faint glimmer of hope persisted. Many believed that Putin’s vaunted hypersonic weapons couldn’t be efficiently utilized, given that the MiG-31K, their usual carrier, had become a rare sight in the post-Soviet skies. But that fragile comfort was shattered in […]
On Nov. 9, 2023, the Italian Air Force (ItAF) made its first flight of a new MQ-9A Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.. The new RPA was delivered to the ItAF, along with a new Mobile Ground Control Station (MGCS), as part of a Mid-Life Modernization (MLM) update […]