Drone News Roundup: Trying to Hit 155 MPH with a 3D-Printed Drone, World’s First Electric Wingsuit, and More!

This week we’re covering an attempt to hit 155 miles per hour with a tiny drone made primarily from 3D-printed parts.

We’re also covering a video featuring flights made with the world’s first electric wing suit, the fact that DRL doubled its viewership in its most recent season, a $400 discount for the Ronin 4D 6K combo, and a new pilot program from the North Carolina DOT that aims to use tethered drones to improve road safety.

Now let’s get to those links!

Trying to Hit 155 MPH with a Drone Made from 3D-Printed Parts

YouTuber quadmovr recently shared this video of their attempt to hit 155 mph (250 kmh) using a tiny rocket-shaped drone made primarily from 3D-printed parts. Though they didn’t hit their goal, they were able to get this homemade drone up to an impressive 136 mph (219 kmh) by testing different motors. Watch the video to see footage from the different attempts, shot both from the ground and from the drone itself.

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Man Jumps from Airplane in World’s First Electric Wingsuit

You may have seen videos of people flying in wingsuits before, but this is the first time someone has flown in an electric wing suit. While flight in a regular wingsuit is limited by the height from which a person jumps, an electric one allows the suit’s wearer to fly farther, and even to ascend. This may be the closest any human has come to flying like a bird—watch the video to see the suit in action, and to learn how it was made.

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DRL Doubles Viewership in 2021-2022 Season

Credit: DRL

If you’ve been wondering whether drone racing is here to stay, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. According to DRL, its audience doubled in its most recent season. One cause for this huge growth is that more platforms are playing DRL’s races—NBC aired 60% more hours of drone racing this season. But the biggest growth of all may have been on social media. DRL saw a 400% growth on TikTok alone this season. Read the article linked below to learn more about how and why DRL’s reach is growing, and who it is that’s watching.

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DJI’s Ronin 4D 6K Is $400 Off Right Now

Credit: DJI

DJI has dropped the price tag for its new Ronin 4D 6K Combo by $400, from $7,199 to $6,799. The catch? The combo available at this lower price is missing ProRes RAW capabilities, a feature that was highly promoted when the Ronin 4D first launched. DJI calls the Ronin 4D a full cinematic imaging system, and with good reason—it comes with a full-frame Zenmuse X9 gimbal camera, a LiDAR focusing system, and a 4-axis stabilization system. Click the link below to learn more on the DJI site.

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NCDOT Will Test Tethered Drones to Improve Safety on Roads

Credit: NCDOT

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has launched a pilot program that will use tethered drones to help make the roads safer. The drones will be tethered to IMAP (Incident Management Assistance Patrol) vehicles and be used to help responders assess incidents, provide situational awareness, and assist with overall traffic management during accidents. If successful, the program will provide a model for how other states can adopt drones to help make their roads safer as well.

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