Drone News Roundup: Ascent Aerosystems Launches the Helius, Denis Barbas Wins AirVuz Drone Video of the Year, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
20 March 2025This week we’re covering the new Helius drone from Ascent Aerosystems, a sub-250 gram, NDAA-drone made for industrial use cases.
We’re also covering Denis Barbas winning AirVuz’s 2024 Drone Video of the Year, drone footage of narwhals playing with their tusks, a drone rescue in sub-0 weather, and Zipline’s 100 million-mile autonomous drone milestone.
Now on to the links!
Ascent Aerosystems Launches NDAA-Compliant, Sub-250 Gram Helius
Credit: Ascent Aerosystems
The competition among mini drones is heating up. Last week we covered the sub-250 gram V-Copter Falcon Mini from Zero Zero Robotics, and this week it’s the Helius from Ascent Aerosystems. A big difference between most mini drones and the Helius is that it’s made for commercial applications, including industrial and public safety work. It’s also NDAA-compliant, a claim no other sub-250 gram drone can make. But it does come with a steeper price tag—while the DJI Mini 4 Pro sells for about $760, the Helius will sell for $4,499.
Here are the Helius’ main specs:
- Weight. Sub-250 grams, putting it below the weight threshold for FAA registration.
- Flight time. 30+ minutes (specific time not shared).
- Max speed. 45 mph.
- Camera. 4K ultra-low light camera with 12.3 MP resolution, capable of capturing video at 60 fps and Full HD at 240 fps.
- Connectivity. 4G/LTE connectivity for BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations.
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Denis Barbas Wins AirVuz 2024 Drone Video of the Year
Denis Barbas has clinched AirVuz’s 2024 Drone Video of the Year award with his submission “Why I Travel the World with a Drone.” The video showcases beautiful aerial footage Barbas shot in locations around the world, including places like Italy’s Dolomites, Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall Volcano eruption, Madeira, and Svalbard. Barbas is a DJI Global Creator and a drone video master whose work we’ve covered several times before. As the grand prize winner, Barbas received a DJI Mavic Pro 3 Fly More Combo with DJI RC, valued at $2,999. The prize was sponsored by SkyPixel, DJI’s community for aerial video and photos.
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How Do Narwhals Use Their Tusks? To Play, Drone Footage Reveals
Narwhals use their tusks to chase and bat around fish, in what appears to be the first documented case of narwhal play. pic.twitter.com/z2TsAPHpF0
— New Scientist (@newscientist) March 6, 2025
Drone footage has captured remarkable insights into how narwhals use their tusks, revealing behaviors that include foraging, exploration, and even play. Filmed in Canada’s High Arctic, researchers observed narwhals chasing Arctic char, first stunning them with precise tusk strikes, and then engaging in playful interactions, including nudging and flipping fish. Some of these behaviors suggest social learning and communication among these elusive whales. The behavior revealed in this study showcases the power of drones in non-invasive wildlife research, offering a rare glimpse into narwhal life and their mysterious tusk usage.
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Drones Key in Sub-Zero Rescue of Missing Teen Snowmobiler
Drones played a crucial role in the successful overnight rescue of a 14-year-old snowmobiler who went missing in the Franklin Basin area along the Idaho-Utah border. Facing life-threatening temperatures as low as -15°F, search and rescue teams from Cache County, UT, and Franklin County, ID, deployed drones equipped with thermal imaging to search for the missing teen, his yellow snowmobile, and any clues as to where he might be. After hours of searching with no response from cell phone pings, the drones ultimately helped pinpoint the boy’s location, leading to his rescue and subsequent medical treatment—a rescue that could have faced dangerous delays without the use of drones.
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Zipline Soars Past 100 Million Autonomous Miles Flown
Zipline has achieved a remarkable milestone: over 100 million autonomous miles flown. To make this concrete, 100 million miles is the equivalent of driving every road in America 24 times. And Zipline has done this all without a single accident, we should add. While some drone delivery companies are still running pilot programs and struggling to scale their operations, Zipline is at the forefront of drone-supported logistics, doing drone deliveries every day, all over the world. With its fleet of autonomous drones, Zipline continues to revolutionize logistics, providing on-demand delivery of medicine, vaccines, and other critical goods to communities around the globe.
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