drones

The 10 top drone stories of 2024

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.

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

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).

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

drone donald trump
(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.

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

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).
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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The post The 10 top drone stories of 2024 appeared first on The Drone Girl.

Mystery Drone Sightings in the U.S. Northeast Spark Calls for Enhanced Detection Systems

Experts Urge Action to Close Gaps in Airspace Awareness and Empower Local Law Enforcement By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill With a swirl of media attention surrounding mysterious drone sightings in the skies above New Jersey and other states, experts in drone systems and counter-UAS technology are calling for greater use of drone-detection systems by […]

The post Mystery Drone Sightings in the U.S. Northeast Spark Calls for Enhanced Detection Systems appeared first on DRONELIFE.

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Comment on Clearing the Air on New Jersey’s Drone Sightings by Tm

Definitely not misidentified. I was kind of suspicious as well after seeing grainy nighttime cell phone videos but tonight while in Wayne I witnessed three. I said to my son oh look a drone as the noise is undeniable as it was approaching our direction. As it got closer he said why are they so big. Soon after we saw another flying in perpendicular direction and then another one parallel to first one. You can’t mistake a drone sound for anything else.

5 best ways drones are celebrating Christmas in 2024

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.

1. With world’s longest drone show

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.

Though, Wing has successfully run drone deliveries at malls in Australia.

3. By giving Santa gets a (really) big drone

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!

4. By flying through everything Christmasy

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.

5. With some great drone sales

Christmas may be tomorrow, but there’s still time to get someone you love a drone-related gift. I’ve put together a guide to the best, last-minute Christmas gift ideas for drone pilots.

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).

Other digital gifts include software, like an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription ($450).

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!

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Sky Elements shatters world record for longest drone animation with Christmas spectacle

It’s been a good and bad weekend for North Texas-based drone light show company Sky Elements. Yesterday we gave an update on a drone show put on by the company in Lake Eola, Florida, where footage shows multiple drones colliding out of control and falling into the lake and on land.

One boy ended up in the hospital after being struck by one of those out-of-control drones. According to CNN affiliate WESH, the injuries were so severe that the boy underwent open-heart surgery.

Read more about that story here.

But in other news — this time over in Texas — Sky Elements achieved a groundbreaking milestone on Dec. 20, 2024. They’ve broken all sorts of records, but this record is unique. Sky Elements shattered the Guinness World Record for the “Longest Animation Performed by UAVs or Drones.”

In collaboration with the City of North Richland Hills, the American drone show company Sky Elements flew 2,500 drones that told a darling Christmas story across the sky in a dazzling 30-minute display. And being such a long show, this one had a full story behind it involving penguins and a snowman.

This historic event marked Sky Elements’ 12th Guinness World Record. Michael Empric, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, was present to officially verify the accomplishment.

The event took place at the Birdville ISD Fine Arts/Athletics Complex. There, attendees watched the show from their cars, tuning in to 88.9 FM to experience the synchronized audio that complemented the visuals, evoking a modern-day drive-in movie experience.

Watch a condensed version of the 30-minute show here:

The previous record

The achievement surpassed the previous record of 26 minutes and 26 seconds, held by a Chinese drone company in Shenzhen, Guangdong.

That show happened a few years back and was put on by Shenzhen HighGreat Innovation Technology Development Co., a company that also makes light show drones. During that show, HighGreat actually broke what at the time was four new Guinness World Records, including the largest number of drones flying simultaneously (5,164), the largest light image (composed by 5,184 drones), the longest animation show performed by drones (26 minutes and 26 seconds), and the largest number of varied consecutive formations by a single fleet (88).

Why the new Sky Elements record matters: a shift in drone innovation

(Photo courtesy of Sky Elements)

In recent months, conversations around drone records often centered on sheer size — how many drones could take flight in synchronized displays. While impressive, the frequent breaking of such records has begun to feel reminiscent of the early days of drone delivery, when novelty milestones like delivering pizzas, sandwiches or coffee dominated headlines.

The past weekend’s record-breaking drone show shift the focus to technological advancements, particularly in flight duration and animation complexity. Sky Elements’ latest record isn’t just a bigger number; it’s a leap forward in drone technology. Extending drone show times to 30 minutes requires advanced hardware, software and meticulous planning. In fact, this show rotated three fleets in and out, which enabled them to run a show that long.

This record underscores significant progress in both battery efficiency and drone reliability as well as drone show planning. All of those qualities are crucial factors for the future of drone applications beyond entertainment, such as search and rescue, agriculture, and logistics.

The technology behind the show

Sky Elements relies on UVify drones, which are made by American drone company UVify and manufactured in South Korea. The company’s are largely considered the best light show drones you can buy, known for their precision and performance. Uvify’s drones are engineered to excel in demanding environments, offering extended battery life, high-speed capabilities and robust durability. The drones cost about $1,500 each.

UVify also rolled out a new rental network that makes putting on ultra-massive systems possible, by way of what’s called the FAB (Fleet Augmentation by UVify) rental system. With it, UVify implements a revenue-share system where customers who use extra drones share show revenue with UVify in exchange for borrowing their drones.

Want to buy your own set of UVify IFO drones? Mention UVify promo code DGIFO to your UVify sales representative to receive a 5% discount plus an additional free battery and set of high-performance props per IFO. 

What to know about Sky Elements

This latest feat is just one of many in Sky Elements’ portfolio. Sky Elements is now a 12-time Guinness World Record holder, including another reason record-breaking drone show in Texas involving firework drones, plus a show at IAAPA 2024 that put 2,484 drones over the Orlando Convention Center to break the record for “Largest aerial display of a bird formed by multi-rotors/drones.”  The company was also a finalist on “America’s Got Talent.”

The company will likely face some setbacks after that Orlando drone show that went wrong

Still the company has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of drone entertainment, previously setting records for the largest drone show in the U.S. and creating displays for high-profile events like the MLB World Series, NFL games and movie premieres.

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State of Drones in 2024 and Beyond on this episode of Weekly Wings!

In the final episode of 2024, Paul Rossi and Terry Neff dive into a packed lineup of drone industry insights and future projections. Starting with a wave of mysterious drone sightings along the East Coast, we analyze public perceptions and regulatory challenges. The hosts also explore the emerging role of laser communication in drone systems, […]

The post State of Drones in 2024 and Beyond on this episode of Weekly Wings! appeared first on DRONELIFE.

Palladyne AI Demonstrates Autonomous Target Tracking with Small Drones

Software Achieves Major Milestone in Third-Party Integration Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ: PDYN and PDYNW) has reached a significant milestone with its Palladyne™️ Pilot AI software platform. In a recent demonstration, the software enabled a small drone from a third-party manufacturer to autonomously identify, prioritize, and track terrestrial targets. This achievement builds on prior tests and […]

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