Drone News & Articles

DJI has launched a new drone just in time for the holidays. The sub-250-gram Mini 3 follows in the footsteps of its sibling, Mini 3 Pro, and offers many of the same high-performance features at a price that won’t create a dent in your year-end budget. Here’s why DJI Mini 3 is the drone that deserves to be on your holiday wishlist, especially if you’re a beginner or looking to upgrade from an earlier generation Mini.

As a new addition to DJI’s compact, ultra-lightweight lineup, the Mini 3 sits under the 250-gram limit that allows recreational users in many parts of the world to fly within regional compliance, without worrying about registrations or licenses.

It comes with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor and f/1.7 aperture, so you get greater image resolution, sharper depth of field, and lower image noise even in low-light conditions. While the default photography mode churns out 12MP images, you have the option to go all the way up to 48MP with DJI’s 4-in-1 pixel technology.

You also get to record your adventures in dazzling 4K/30fps in HDR with true-to-life colors, both during the day and at night. Further, in True Vertical Shooting mode, the camera can rotate 90 degrees to capture content that is perfect for TikTok and Instagram.

All these features make the new Mini 3 a solid step up from the $449 Mini 2, as does the 38-minute max flight time of the standard Intelligent Flight Battery. You may also extend your flights by up to 51 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, but keep in mind that that would tip the drone over the 250-gram limit.

Now, similar to its predecessor, the Mini 3 uses the O2 digital video transmission system to deliver a 720p/30fps live feed from up to 10 km away, but DJI assures a more reliable connection throughout the flight courtesy of improved anti-interference technology. Wind resistance, meanwhile, is capped at 10.7 m/s, which should be good enough for the Mini 3 to hover steadily in place and deliver stable images in various conditions. And unlike the more expensive Mini 3 Pro, you don’t get tri-directional obstacle avoidance with the new Mini 3, but a downward vision system and infrared sensing system have been retained to ensure accuracy.

It goes without saying that DJI’s standard suite of pre-programmed flight and filming paths called QuickShots have made their way to the Mini 3, so even new pilots can capture cinematic footage in both landscape and vertical shooting modes.

Other features that make this travel-friendly drone especially appealing to new users include Auto Takeoff and a multitude of Return to Home (RTH) options that instruct the aircraft to automatically return to its starting point in situations like a dropped signal or low battery.

And now, let’s get to the main selling point of the DJI Mini 3 drone: its price.

If you’re an existing Mini drone owner who’s happy to continue using the RC-N1 Remote Controller, you can upgrade to the Mini 3 (drone only) for just $469. The caveat is that you will have to wait for a li’l longer to get your hands on the Mini 3, since this version will hit the shelves only in early 2023.

You can buy the DJI Mini 3, which includes the RC-N1 Remote Controller, for $559 starting today. You can also grab the standard Fly More Combo, which comes with a shoulder bag, Two-Way Charging Hub, and two extra Intelligent Flight Batteries for $718.

The best possible combination, however, is that of the Mini 3 with the new DJI RC Remote Controller since it comes with a built-in screen and pre-installed flight apps. The standard bundle can be picked up for $699, while the Fly More Combo (DJI RC), which includes the Mini 3 drone, DJI RC Remote Controller, shoulder bag, Two-Way Charging Hub, and two extra batteries is available for $858. In comparison, the Mini 3 Pro with DJI RC remote and a single battery costs $890.

Happy shopping!

Though as soul-obliterating as the outcome of Sunday’s World Cup final in Qatar was to France fans around the globe, it provided millions across the otherwise suffering Argentina cause for unchecked joy and celebration – some of which was captured in an arresting drone video filmed in Buenos Aires.

The drone video offers an aerial view of what were the doubtless millions of Argentina fans who descended upon Buenos Aires’ Plaza de la República Sunday to celebrate the nation’s first World Cup title since 1986. The 38-second clip was posted on the buenosaires.ar Instagram account of Martín “Tincho” Hernández, as well as the r/drones subreddit. It features what appears to be FPV footage of deliriously happy fans clad in white-and-blue-stripped jerseys of the World Cup champions. 

Among those are braver (or somewhat crazy) revelers perched atop what seem to be the exceptionally tall streetlights of central Buenos Aires, and people holding a large banner with the hero of the 1986 team – the late, great, and ever notorious Diego Maradona. 

After swooping in and flying lower over the crowd on one the cross-streets feeding into the Plaza de la República, the pilot zooms up to the central Obelisco. The drone then captures video as it ascends, tip over the top, and plunges down the pillar before leveling off above the masses while flying back where it came from ­– all backed by a favorite song of Argentina football fans. 

As impressive as the drone video is in immortalizing the elation that most Argentina fans believed would again escape them after their team lost the lead over France – three different times – it’s also evidence of the flagrant violation of the country’s drone laws that were involved in shooting it. Included in those rules are prohibitions of flying over people (an infraction multiplied by a factor of about a million in this case), or within 30 meters of any building. Ooops.

It’s unlikely, however, that the otherwise skillful pilot of the drone who took the video will land in hot water for breaking Argentina’s regulations. For starters, the owner presumably vanished in the surrounding crowd the second the craft landed. Meantime, the nation’s police ­– much like the rest of the country ­– are unlikely to stop celebrating and get back to work for another few weeks yet. Few will begrudge them any time taken off for that.

Indeed, in addition to representing an additional world title that repeatedly slipped from Argentina’s hands in the past few decades, Sunday’s World Cup victory marked a rare occasion for the country to momentarily forget nearly its nearly 100% inflation rate, general economic gloom, and a troubled political situation that includes the former leader and current vice president having been convicted for corruption earlier this month. What’s an illegal drone flight measured against all that?

Here is a quick spec comparison between the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral and DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral. 

For sure, it is definitely an upgrade in almost all aspects.

	DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral	DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral
Release	2022	2019
Price in AU$	$7800	$7000
Take-off Weight	951g; 1,050g (max take-off weight)	1,487g
Foldable	Yes	No
RGB Camera	4/3 CMOS; 20MP	1/2.9" CMOS; 2MP
Multispectral Camera	4 Bands: Green, Red, Red Edge, Near Infrared;  1/2.8" CMOS; Each camera, 5MP:	5 Bands: Green, Red, Red Edge, Near Infrared, Blue; 1/2.9" CMOS; Each camera, 2MP
Max Flight Time	43 mins	27 mins
Operating Temperature	-10°C to 40°C	0°C to 40°C
Transmission Distance (CE)	DJI O3 Enterprise; 8km	DJI OcuSync; 5km
Controller	DJI RC Pro Enterprise smart controller with built-in screen	P4 SDK Remote Controller. No built-in screen: Additional smart device is required.
Modular	Yes	No
Multispectral Camera Bands	Four bands: Green (G): 560 ± 16 nm; Red (R): 650 ± 16 nm; Red Edge (RE): 730 ± 16 nm; Near infrared (NIR): 860 ± 26 nm;	Five bands: Green (G): 560 nm ± 16 nm; Red (R): 650 nm ± 16 nm; Red Edge (RE): 730 nm ± 16 nm; Near-infrared (NIR): 840 nm ± 26 nm Blue (B): 450 nm ± 16 nm
Image Sensor	1/2.8" CMOS; Effective pixels: 5MP	1/2.9” CMOS; Effective pixels 2.08MP
Lens	FOV: 73.91° (61.2° x 48.10°) Equivalent focal length: 25 mm Aperture: f/2.0 Focus: Fixed Focus	FOV (Field of View): 62.7° Focal Length: 5.74 mm (35 mm format equivalent: 40 mm), autofocus set at ∞ Aperture: f/2.2
Gain Range	1x-32x	1x-8x
Shutter Speed	Electronic Shutter: 1/30~1/12800 s	Electronic Global Shutter: 1/100 - 1/10000 s
Max Image Size	2592 x 1944	1600 x 1300
Image Format	TIFF	TIFF
Video Format	MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)	N/A
Video Resolution	H.264 FHD: 1920 x 1080@30fps Video content: NDVI/GNDVI/NDRE	N/A
Max Video Bitrate	Stream: 60 Mbps	N/A
mage Sensor	4/3 CMOS; Effective Pixels: 20MP	1/2.9" CMOS; Effective Pixels: 2.08MP
Lens	FOV: 84° Equivalent focal length: 24 mm Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11 Focus: 1 m to ∞	FOV: 62.7° Focal Length: 5.74 mm (35 mm format equivalent: 40 mm), autofocus set at ∞ Aperture: f/2.2
ISO Range	100-6400	200 - 800
Shutter Speed	Electronic shutter: 8-1/8000 s Mechanical shutter: 8-1/2000 s	Electronic Global Shutter: 1/100 - 1/20000s
Max Image Size	5280 x 3956	1600 x 1300
Image Format (Visual)	JPEG/DNG (RAW)	JPEG
Video Resolution	H.264: 4K: 3840×2160@30fps FHD: 1920×1080@30fps	N/A
Max Video Bitrate	4K: 130Mbps FHD: 70Mbps	N/A
Video Format	MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)	N/A
Flight Time	43 minutes	27 minutes
Max Speed	33.5 mph (Normal Mode); Flying forward: 46.9 mph, flying sideways: 44.7 mph, flying backwards: 42.5 mph (Sport mode)	31 mph (P-mode); 36 mph (58 kph) (A-mode)
Ascent Speed	6 m/s (Normal Mode) 8 m/s (Sport Mode)	6 m/s (automatic flight); 5 m/s (manual control)
Descent Speed	6 m/s (Normal Mode) 6 m/s (Sport Mode)	3 m/s
Operating Temperature	-10°C to 40°C	0°C to 40°C
Transmission System	DJI O3 Enterprise	DJI OcuSync
Transmission Distance (CE)	8km	5km

November 9 2022 – DJI and SkyPixel, one of the world's most popular online communities for aerial photography and videography, today revealed that the 8th Annual SkyPixel Photo & Video Contest will feature a new emphasis on storytelling and a larger prize pool than ever before. Running from November 9, 2022, to January 30, 2023, this year's SkyPixel contest calls on photo and video creators to inspire the aerial photography community like never before by telling “The Story Behind” their aerial and handheld images. To drive creators to participate, the total prize value has increased to US $143,000.

A Contest Inspired by You

The SkyPixel Annual Photo & Video Contest has always been more than a competition; it is a celebration of stories that made the work possible. These stories tell the creative, daring spirit that made image capturing what it is today – whether from the ground with a traditional camera or in the air with a camera drone. DJI products and innovations have been at the forefront of the aerial imagery explosion: Curious pilots attached action cameras to the original Phantom 1, inspiring engineers to build a three-axis gimbal camera for all future drones. Blockbuster cinematographers made more dynamic scenes, forming the basis for the Ronin series of professional camera stabilizers. Families and everyday adventurers began to share their world on the go, manifesting the Osmo Pocket, Action, and Mobile. With the creative imaging community growing wider to realize more perspectives, DJI and SkyPixel want the world to see the breathtaking aerial stories that this technology can capture, and to be inspired to capture their own amazing images .

The Story Behind

In this eighth edition of the contest, DJI and SkyPixel are putting the art of storytelling at the center of every image, identifying “The Story Behind” as its central theme. Participants will convey a message and meaning in their video or photo submission. There are ten categories to choose from, each eliciting different types of stories that participants can elaborate through their own visual storytelling. There is no restriction on the type or brand of drones used, and participants can submit as many photos or videos as they wish.

Submissions will be assessed by a Judging Panel of incredible professionals in the industry, including Claudio Miranda (Academy Award-winning cinematographer), Anne Farrar (Assistant Managing Editor of Photography for National Geographic Magazine), Phil Pastihov (Director of Cinematography for films such as The Lord of the Rings), Hasselblad Master Benjamin Everett, Air Pixels founder Tobias Hägg, photographer George Steinmetz, Director of Photography Toby Strong, cinematographer Yu Jingping, and photographer Wang Ning.

The Largest SkyPixel Prize Package Ever

This year, SkyPixel and DJI will give away more than 42 awards with a total value of almost US $143,000 – the highest value in contest history. For the grand winners awarded Best Work, one video and one photo participant will each receive the all-new Hasselblad 907X Anniversary Edition Kit, along with a trophy and award certificate. Prizes in other categories include DJI Mavic 3, Osmo Action 3, and US$13,700 in DJI Credit.

Details of the SkyPixel 8th Annual Photo & Video Contest

The video contest consists of six categories:

The Nature Category – A Force of Nature

There is nothing more powerful than Mother Nature. The scale of its beauty never ceases to amaze. Share with us how nature has profoundly changed you and capture its magnificence in full flow.

The City Category – Urban Inspiration

Cities can have the power to transform the people who live in them. They can influence outlooks, create communities, and ignite passions. Show how a city shapes those who visit it and those who call it home.

The Travel Category – Destination: Beautiful

For everyone, traveling can be a joy. For some, it's magic. While it can be impossible to explain, it can be experienced to last a lifetime. Take us on a journey using your love of travel.

The Sports Category – More Than a Game

Sports have a way of playing a massive part in our lives. They keep us fit, connect us with others, and drive us to be better. Take us for a ride and show the world what your sport means to you.

The Story Category – Worth a Thousand Words

Do you have a story worth telling? Capture it with a lens and share it with the world. Have your voice heard and change someone's outlook. This is your time. You have the stage.

The Vertical Category – From a Different Perspective

The world has fallen in love with vertical videos, and it’s easy to see why. Take advantage of a taller frame to share a moment worth looking up to.

Please note: All videos submitted must not exceed five minutes in length. The entry must contain at least 30 seconds of footage which shooted by DJI products.

The photo contest consists of four categories:

The Nature Category – A Force of Nature

There is nothing more powerful than Mother Nature. The scale of its beauty never ceases to amaze. Share with us how nature has profoundly changed you and capture its magnificence in full flow.

The Architecture Category – Beauty in Design

Architecture is the perfect combination of art and ingenuity on a grand scale. Celebrate these achievements in design by sharing the buildings and structures that inspire you.

The Portrait Category – Portrait in the Sky

In photography, the portrait has a way of pulling audiences in like other images cannot. Immortalize a moment and empower your subject with a portrait that captures their very essence.

The Sports Category – More Than a Game

Sports have a way of playing a massive part in our lives. They keep us fit, connect us with others, and drive us to be better. Take us for a ride and show the world what your sport means to you.

Please note: All photos must be shot on a drone, and each image must be at least 3 MB with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. EXIF data should be retained.

Submission Details

• Submission Start Date: November 9, 2022, 12:00 (UTC+8)
• Submission End Date: January 30, 2023, 12:00 (UTC+8)
• Award Announcement: March 3, 2023, 12:00 (UTC+8)

Interested participants can visit the SkyPixel 8th Annual Photo & Video Contest website for more information on contest rules and guidelines: www.skypixel.com/contests/2022

Please always fly with caution, observe the flight environment, and follow local regulations at all times.

About SkyPixel

Founded in 2014, SkyPixel is a leading global community for aerial photographers and videographers. The platform has over 42 million registered users and hosts thousands of aerial images and videos uploaded daily by users around the world, with unique content reaching over 1 million views. In December 2021, SkyPixel hosted its 7th annual aerial photo and video contest, calling on members to submit their best airborne creations. In just two months, the contest received nearly 30,000 submissions from professional photographers, videographers, aerial enthusiasts, and content creators from 124 countries and regions. In addition, SkyPixel also promotes the growth of the aerial community with a brand-new Popular Locations section that features tips from key experts on producing the best aerial photography in 30 popular regions. The SkyPixel community also welcomes video content shot with the DJI Osmo Series handheld cameras and gimbals, which can be edited and shared directly from the user's DJI Mimo app. For more info, please visit www.skypixel.com.

About DJI

DJI is committed to promoting sustainable progress in humanity to build a better world. Since its founding in 2006, DJI has gained a global reputation for pioneering the civilian drone industry and continuing to innovate, and it has long been a leader in several smart technology fields. DJI pursues the ultimate in intelligent drone systems and digital imaging, making it easy for everyone to capture unique ideas, revolutionizing the flight and imaging experience, bringing a new vision to the world, and allowing the beauty of technology to transcend imagination. DJI provides specialized platforms as efficient, safe, and intelligent tools for applications in emergency response, public safety, energy, infrastructure inspection, surveying and mapping, filmmaking, wildlife and nature conservation and many other industries to reshape how people live and work. Digital agricultural solutions based on spatial intelligence promote global agricultural development, innovation, and progress. 

DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today introduces DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral, bringing advanced productivity tools to individuals and organizations engaged in precision agriculture around the world. This version of DJI Mavic 3 is equipped with a multispectral imaging system that quickly captures crop growth information to achieve more effective crop production. Mavic 3 Multispectral is a must-have solution for a broad scope of application scenarios in the fields of precision agriculture and environmental monitoring.

“The launch of DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral will help farmers around the world to improve the quality and efficiency of their production, reduce costs, and increase income, all while promoting the development of modern agriculture,” said Ronnie Liu, Regional Representative of North America at DJI Agriculture.

With DJI Agriculture’s ongoing commitment to opening more possibilities to users, Mavic 3 Multispectral represents a new realm of portability. Based on the design of DJI’s flagship consumer drone, Mavic 3 Multispectral weighs just 951 grams to easily fold and fit into an ordinary bag, helping users to carry out operations anytime, anywhere.

RGB and Multispectral Imaging System

Mavic 3 Multispectral – also known as Mavic 3M – uses a two-in-one camera system to view and collect a wide array of information that users can turn into results on the field.

An RGB camera is equipped with a 4/3-inch CMOS and 20MP image sensor and mechanical shutter with a maximum speed of 1/2000. It manages high-speed continuous filming at the fastest interval of 0.7 seconds and can quickly collect image information, greatly improving the efficiency of operations over the fields.

In addition to the RGB camera, a four-lens multipectral camera provides more accurate directional information, helping users gain a deeper understanding of crop conditions by sensing details that the human eye cannot detect. Each of the four multispectral cameras of can capture 5 million pixels and scan for the following wavelengths:

• Green (G): 560nm ± 16nm
• Red (R): 650 nm ± 20 nm
• Red edge (RE): 730 nm ± 20 nm
• Near-infrared (NIR) 860 nm ± 26 nm

By combining these two cameras, Mavic 3M realizes applications such as high-precision aerial surveys, crop growth monitoring, and natural resource surveys.

RTK Centimeter-Level Positioning

Mavic 3M includes an RTK module that achieves centimeter-level positioning. The drone, its camera, and the RTK module are synchronized at the microsecond level to accurately obtain the position information of the imaging center of each camera. This allows Mavic 3M to perform high-precision aerial surveying without the use of ground control points. And with a battery life of up to 43 minutes, Mavic 3M can complete the surveying and mapping operations of an area as vast as 2 square kilometers in a single flight.

Designed for Safer Operation

Mavic 3M is equipped with O3 video transmission, which integrates two channels of transmitting signals and four channels of receiving signals, and supports an ultra-long transmission distance of 15 kilometers. For added safety, Mavic 3M is equipped with omnidirectional obstacle sensing to detect obstacles in all directions and help avoid them accurately.

Unlimited Possibilities

Helping professional users and partners in different fields, Mavic 3M can be integrated into various ecosystems to offer unlimited possibilities for smart agriculture. Through the built-in DJI Cloud API, based on the MQTT protocol in Pilot 2, users can directly connect Mavic 3M to a third-party cloud platform to collect information, live video, photo data, and other information, all without the need to develop a separate app. Mavic 3M also supports Mobile SDK 5 (MSDK5), letting users easily develop exclusive control apps for scenarios such as intelligent monitoring.

A New Tool for Precision Agriculture

Mavic 3M is useful in a multitude of work scenarios. It can conduct ground-like aerial surveys on mountain forests and orchards. The DJI SmartFarm Platform generate NDVI vegetation index to provide the data for more efficient and localized crop treatment. Automatic field scouting can detect crop abnormalities and perform intelligent analyses that allow a single person to manage 70 hectares of land.

Price and Availability

DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral is unavailable on the Drones for Hire store as of now, but keep a lookout for it in the upcoming weeks! 

Drone giant DJI has just released a firmware upgrade for its flagship Matrice 300 RTK series (M300) enterprise drone, which also covers associated accessories, and enables Remote ID to satisfy US regulations.

DJI introduced its M300 RTK drone as both a rugged UAV capable of taking on particularly exacting missions, but one that also packs enough sophisticated tech to come away with truly refined and precise data troves. The company fulfilled its objective out of the gate, and has repeatedly improved upon its creation with successive, capability-enhancing hardware additions.

New feature-adding firmware upgrades have also been part of that, and those continue with the current update. M300 RTK users should note that the package includes bringing the drone into compliance with US Remote ID requirements – meaning once the new software has been installed, it cannot be replaced with earlier versions.

DJI’s repeated enhancement efforts have made the M300 not only the standard for deployment in firefighting, search and rescue, law enforcement operations, but a range of enterprise uses including infrastructure inspections, geomatics, and specialized mapping and surveying work. In fact, many users of the M300 RTK say DJI’s remarkably reliable, adaptable, and powerful drone has no other rival matching its performance brawn and tech brains.

Among the top of those attributes is the craft’s maximum 55-minute flight time, allowing extended use for complicated jobs, or those requiring the UAV to cover relatively large distances. DJI’s built-in OcuSync Enterprise feature allows for a 15 km transmission range of triple-channel 1080p video. Real-time automated switching between 2.4 HHz and 5.8 GHz4 provides more reliable flight in high-interference environments. 

Arguably better still is onboard artificial intelligence enhancing performance and capacity range of the M300 RTK. That includes use of initial flights to serve as the basis for automated inspections enabled by the DJI craft recognizing designated areas of target structures from previous missions.

Data in successive inspections are compiled to ensure replication of exact collection perspectives every time, with aircraft movement, gimbal orientation, and even zoom levels recorded and applied to bring back updated structural views from identical capture scenarios.

Rounding out DJI M300 RTK’s attractions is its compatibility with seven different Zenmuse sensors, as well as adapted third-party cameras.

Hardware covered by the firmware upgrade is expansive, with gear and versions listed as follows:

·  Aircraft Firmware: v05.01.01.00

·  Remote Controller Firmware: v05.01.01.00

·  Pilot 2 App Android: v5.1.1.5

·  D-RTK 2 Mobile Station for Matrice: v03.01.00.00 (D-RTK 2 Mobile Station: v03.01.00.00)

·  Intelligent Battery Station: v04.00.01.03

·  Intelligent Flight Battery: v01.02.05.44

·  Zenmuse H20 / H20T: v04.01.03.00

·  Zenmuse H20N: v05.01.01.00

·  Zenmuse P1: v04.00.02.05

·  Zenmuse L1: v04.00.01.06

·  Zenmuse Z30: v01.00.07.10

·  Zenmuse XT2: v01.00.03.50

·  Zenmuse XT S: v01.00.00.09

·  DJI X-Port: v01.03.02.00

·  DJI Skyport: v01.04.00.00

·  DJI Skyport V2: v01.03.02.00

·  DJI Assistant 2 (Enterprise Series): v2.1.4

·  Firmware Upgrade Methods: Aircraft / Remote Controller: DJI Assistant 2 / App

·  Zenmuse H20 / H20T: micro SD card / DJI Assistant 2 / App

·  D-RTK 2 Mobile Station: DJI Assistant 2

·  The built-in DJI Pilot 2 app: will be updated with the Remote Controller firmware

·  Intelligent Battery Station: App (Connect the Battery Station to the remote controller and update it on the HMS page in the DJI Pilot 2 app.)

Once downloaded, DJI’s new firmware will bring the following enhancements to M300 RTK drones: 

·  Added support for FAA’s Remote ID requirements in the United States.

·  Added support for DJI Pilot 2 to download online geoid files.

·  Added support for importing and exporting MapTiler offline maps.

·  Added support for DJI Pilot 2 message notifications.

·  Optimized support for Zenmuse XT S, XT 2 and Z30.

·  Optimized support for multiple PSDK payloads.

·  Fixed issue: When using the dual remote controller mode, Discreet Mode could not be disabled on the aircraft with one of the remote controllers.

·  Fixed issue: When the custom camera parameters failed to be applied in Mission Flight at the first time of use.

·  Fixed issue: When the remote controller froze after reinserting the HDMI cable with the app running in the background.

·  When Aircraft Yaw is set to Control By RC and the yaw angle is adjusted when the mission is paused, the aircraft continues to fly at the adjusted angle after resuming the mission.

Written by Bruce Crumley | 25 November 2022 

This is our final T30-centric spray drone demo day. We have just started shipping T40’s and expect to be focussing more on it for future demos. We used the DJI Agras T30, Phantom 4 RTK, and RTK mobile station, and Terra Ag. software.

Book a demo day here.

In this demo, we show the T30 flying from point to point, simulating automated spot spraying of individual blackberry clumps. At each point, the T30 does a 360-degree yaw (pirouette), in order to saturate each blackberry clump. Using the settings in the controller, Oscar has set how many liters of liquid to spray at each point, which the T30 executes based on yaw speed and flow rate.

A man who flew his £1,300 drone through a firework display has shared incredible footage which captured Wales from above while dodging rockets. The footage, shot over Deeside, which was taken on a hand-built drone has now been viewed thousands of times.

Alex Stanners, 26, who built the First Person View (FPV) drone was invited to film the film this year's firework display at Deeside Leisure Centre. Unlike other drone cameras which are controlled from a remote, the FPV drone means that Alex is fully immersed in the flight itself and effectively inside the surroundings.

It is controlled through in-goggle video and telemetry, meaning that the navigator is able to see what the drone see's first hand, rather than controlling from the ground.

Dodging rockets and debris, speaking to NorthWalesLive Alex said the flight was an “exhilarating” experience. “The video doesn’t really do it justice,” he said. “All around me were these vibrant colours - everything was just so crystal clear.

“I forgot what I was meant to be doing, I was just in the moment trying to navigate through the fireworks. I had a tingling feeling as I was flying through it, constantly looking out for the next projectile and trying to find a route through it all.

“I’ve seen it done once before, in the US. Few people attempt it because of the risks involved to the drone. In fact, mine was hit once but it was only a glancing blow and I was able to continue. However the attached GoPro camera was covered in scorch marks.”

After sharing the footage on his Youtube channel, the incredible video has now been viewed thousands of times, with Alex saying that the reaction has been "mad".

The special drone was built to include back-up systems in case something went wrong, including two GPS devices. The most obvious of these were LED lights. If Alex had lost radio signal with the drone, he would need to rely on visual sightings to regain full control - which is almost impossible at night unless the drone is lit.

A mum commented that her daughter was fascinated by the brightly-lit drone. “She thought it was a flying robot and kept screaming for it to get out the way,” she said. “She was scared it would get hurt!”

Alex is a self-employed plasterer who is making a name for himself with his freestyle aerial videos. By piloting drones as if he is in the cockpit, he specialises in rapid fly-throughs of abandoned buildings. With £15,000 worth of camera kit at home, Alex is now hoping to make a career out of his hobby.

Last month, DJI found itself on the US Department of Defense’s official blacklist for seemingly having close ties to China’s military. The tech giant has since denounced those allegations, stressing it would formally challenge its inclusion on the list. And now, the world’s largest consumer drone maker has released another, detailed statement on the matter, explaining how it cannot influence how its products are used once they leave the company’s compounds.

Here’s the complete statement released by DJI today, verbatim:

DJI has always opposed combat use of civilian drones and is not a ‘Chinese military company’

DJI was founded 16 years ago to develop drone technology that can make the world better. We have never designed or manufactured military-grade equipment; we have never marketed or sold our products for combat use in any country; and we take active steps to try to keep our drones from being modified for use as weapons. We have followed these principles for our entire existence, and we are emphasizing them again in light of recent developments.

On October 5, 2022, the United States Department of Defense released an update to a list titled “Entities Identified as Chinese Military Companies Operating in the United States in Accordance with Section 1260H of the William M. (“Mac”) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283).” This document includes the names of 59 companies of Chinese origin, one of which is DJI. DJI is not a military company in China, the United States, or anywhere else. We stand ready to formally challenge our inclusion on this list.

We are also aware of various reports of our drones being modified with attachments that can carry weapons on them. We need to point out: we cannot influence how our drones are being used once they leave our control. More importantly: we have never enabled these uses or knowingly allowed modifications to weaponize our products. We take regulatory compliance very seriously, and have emphasized to our distribution network that they must block any sale or maintenance to customers that may try to use our drones to cause harm.

As part of DJI’s founding principles, we have never pursued any research or development into technology that could cause harm. Unlike other drone companies, we have never adapted our products or pursued business opportunities for combat operations. DJI has gone above and beyond to make our point clear about combat drone use: We stand alone as the only drone company to clearly denounce and actively discourage the use of our products in combat, including suspending all business operations in Russia and Ukraine to try to keep our drones out of the conflict.

Across the world, DJI does not market or sell our products for combat operations. We do not provide after-sales services for products identified as being used for combat purposes. We have unequivocally opposed attempts to attach weapons to our products and have refused to customize or enable modifications that would enable our products for active combat use. Our distributors, resellers, and other business partners certify they will not sell DJI products to customers who clearly plan to use them for combat purposes or help modify our products to be used for combat operations. They understand we will terminate our business relationship if they cannot adhere to this commitment.

It is important for DJI to be uniquely clear about how we believe drone technology should not be used because we have always been clear about how it should be used.

DJI is committed to promoting sustainable progress in humanity to build a better world. We are proud that DJI drones have saved lives and improved our world in fields as diverse as public safety, environmental protection, agriculture, and clean energy production. We have never approved or enabled any use of our products to cause harm. This is the ethical standard we always have and always will stand by.

Written by Ishveena Singh | 4 Nov 2022

Another successful spray drone demo at the Murrumbateman Field Days, NSW 2582.

Oscar and Nick had a very enjoyable couple of days showcasing spray drones at Murrumbateman. Plenty of interested growers who simply can't get their spray booms across the saturated ground.  The weather on the 2 days was perfect and the turnout was amazing - this was the first year the show has been back on since covid. 

Great to meet local families and discuss where drone technology is at the moment.