– General Atomics has offered a look at a new air-to-surface missile it is developing. The emergence of the project comes at a time of great and still growing interest, especially within the U.S. military, in new air-launched strike munitions, particularly ones that are cheaper and easier to produce than existing designs. A rendering of […]
In San Diego a Torrey Pines paraglider was forced to make an emergency landing when a drone became entwined in his parachute. The paraglider, who shared a Go-Pro video of the run in on YouTube, says the collision caused two tears to the parachute and cut two lines, among other damages. Thankfully, he was uninjured […]
In San Diego a Torrey Pines paraglider was forced to make an emergency landing when a drone became entwined in his parachute. The paraglider, who shared a Go-Pro video of the run in on YouTube, says the collision caused two tears to the parachute and cut two lines, among other damages. Thankfully, he was uninjured […]
Updated Guidelines Aim to Enhance Safety, Innovation, and Growth in Crewed and Uncrewed Aviation The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a new initiative to modernize spectrum rules for advanced air mobility systems, a sector that combines crewed and uncrewed aircraft for efficient transportation of people and cargo. The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), […]
Innovative car and solar chargers join the DJI Power Series, offering solutions for RVs, vehicles, and emergency backup systems. by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb DJI has continued their expansion into non-drone related industries with their new super-fast chargers for their existing battery bank systems, expanding the ever-growing DJI Power ecosystem. Both the new […]
A New Chapter for Autonomous Middle-Mile Logistics Windracers has unveiled its latest self-flying cargo aircraft, the ULTRA MK2, at a launch event in London. Designed to enhance middle-mile logistics, the ULTRA MK2 offers double the power output, a 50% increase in payload capacity, and a significant reduction in fuel costs compared to its predecessor. “The […]
A lot of strangers ask me to hook them up with free drones (I don’t even get free drones, so no!). After all, The Drone Girl should mean access to free drones, no?! While I definitely can’t hook you up with a free drone, I can hook you up with Drone Girl-exclusive discounts on some of my favorite products. And considering inflation is roaring, interest rates are high and your 401(k) is probably not exactly soaring, getting a drone discount is likely more crucial than ever.
So I took my powers of sorts as Drone Girl to work with some of the biggest names in drones. They know you readers are some of the most dedicated and thoughtful pilots, entrepreneurs and leaders in the industry — so they want you as customers, too. As a thank you for being my reader, myself and the following companies are able to provide exclusive promo codes and other drone discounts.
I’ll also be transparent; when you patronize the below businesses, it helps me too — either as an affiliate commission, or to show advertisers that their sponsorship of my site is worthwhile! I don’t charge readers (that’s you) for anything on my site — as I believe you having access to information is important. But, I can’t work for free either, which is why I work with these companies. So if you’d like to financial support this site and keep it alive long into the future, consider supporting my supporters!
Drone discount codes, exclusive for Drone Girl readers
Usual Price: $139 Coupon code: DroneG20 at checkout will save you $20 and bring your price down to just $119
2. Coupon codes for other online drone courses
There’s more to learn about drones than simply getting your Part 107 license!
Drone mapping and modeling
A screenshot from the Drone Mapping And Modeling Fundamentals course by Drone Launch Academy.
Drone mapping is one of the top drone applications in the world. Having the skills do build aerial maps or models using drones can translate to a huge increase in the number and types of drone jobs you’re able to take, as well as how much money you can charge for that work.
Given that, enrolling in an online drone mapping class can be a straightforward, affordable way to gain the knowledge you need to level up your drone business. One of the best drone mapping classes, Drone Mapping And Modeling Fundamentals from Drone Launch Academy has offered Drone Girl readers a killer deal on their course, which normally costs $399.
Enter coupon code DRONEGIRLMAPS at checkout to get $150 off their $399 course, bringing your price down to $249. By the way, the discount should automatically apply with this link.
Drone photo courses
Friend of the Drone Girl Johan Vandenhecke (who is the creator of the Drone Adventurer Masterclass, an online drone photography course) is giving all Drone Girl readers $50 off his course.
The course covers so much of what you need to know about using drones for photography, from actual flight tips, to editing in Lightroom and — perhaps most importantly — making money in drones.
Beyond just drone-specific products, I also have a couple other deals around travel, lifestyle and tech products that could save you money:
$10 off Waymo
As someone who loves walking, public transit and generally not driving, I’m a big fan of Waymo to fill in the gaps to get to spaces either too far to walk (or inaccessible by public transit).
It’s like Uber —minus the awkward small talk! My favorite part is blasting whatever music I want.
Waymo operates in San Francisco where I live, as well as a few other cities like Phoenix and parts of Los Angeles. It’s definitely a must-do tourist attraction if you’re ever in San Francisco!
I live in San Francisco, where owning a car doesn’t make sense. But flying drones in San Francisco also doesn’t really make sense oftentimes, which is why I’m constantly driving to vineyards in wine country or down the California coastline to take drone footage.
My preferred way to rent a car? Skipping the traditional rental car companies, and going to Getaround, which is like Airbnb for cars. Rental car prices are incredibly high right now, and waits at the rental car counter are longer than ever. Getaround cars are priced by owners which means you can likely find a deal. Plus, you unlock them through your phone, so there’s no counter to wait at. Walk up to the car, unlock it through the Getaround app and start driving.
If you’re interested in renting out a Getaround car, this link can get you $20 off, which will automatically be applied to your first trip after selecting a protection plan.
Whether it’s flying drones in an awesome new spot, or just attending drone conferences, I am always traveling. Right now, my preferred travel credit card is, well, the Chase Sapphire Preferred, as it earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase, plus 3x points on dining, streaming and groceries.
Apply now through this link to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem your points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
While the card has a $95 annual fee, there’s a $50 annual ultimate rewards hotel credit, 10% anniversary points boost, plus other travel benefits like travel insurance (which I wouldn’t travel without these days).
Free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime
It’s 2022, so surely you’ve heard of Amazon Prime. If you haven’t, well — it’s the membership program associated with Amazon. With it comes benefits including free shipping (including same-day delivery on some products), free movie and TV streaming, ad-free access to music streaming, unlimited full-resolution online photo storage and 5 GB free video storage.
Alas, Amazon Prime doesn’t offer free drone delivery — yet.
4. Other ways to get a drone discount (and yes, sometimes even free drones!)
I can’t personally hook you up with free drones, but I can connect you to other places on the Internet that can either nab you a drone discount and, yes, perhaps even a free drone.
You can also commonly find discounts for certainly affiliations, such as being a first responder or military member. Check with those affiliations to see if they apply to you.
Do you have other drone discount or promo codes to share? Help out the Drone Girl community by leaving a comment below!
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!
There are so many drones in the skies above Ukraine that drone operators occasionally stumble onto enemy drone feeds and pick up unexpected intel. Neither side can be sure, though, when it will luck into this — or when the other side will. Drones, including cheap first-person-view ones, are being used more in Russia’s war against Ukraine than in any […]
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. presented the 2023 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Squadron of the Year Award to the 111th Attack Squadron (ATKS) of the Texas Air National Guard, Joint Base Ellington Field, Texas. The award was presented at a ceremony at Ellington Field’s Lone Star Flight Museum […]
– General Atomics has offered a look at a new air-to-surface missile it is developing. The emergence of the project comes at a time of great and still growing interest, especially within the U.S. military, in new air-launched strike munitions, particularly ones that are cheaper and easier to produce than existing designs. A rendering of […]
