Drone News Roundup: Epic Drone Video of Skiing Beside Erupting Volcano, DJI Launches FlyCart 100, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
3 July 2025This week we’re covering an epic drone video of a man skiing beside an erupting volcano.
We’re also covering the launch of the DJI Flycart 100 heavy-lift drone, a flight up Mt. Everest shot on the Mavic 4 Pro, researchers using drones to study the impact of glacial melt in Norway, and a California lawsuit that questions whether authorities can do blanket drone searches without a warrant.
Now on to the links!
Epic Drone Video of Skiing Beside an Erupting Volcano on Mt. Etna
In one of the most jaw-dropping drone videos of the year, Joshua Turner skis alongside a river of molten lava on Sicily’s Mount Etna, just weeks after a new eruption began in February. To get to the eruption, Turner says “we skinned from the top of the ski lifts at Piano Provenzana, then traversed around the western slope of Etna and joined the top of the lava fissure at around 3,100m altitude.” Shot with a GoPro 11 Mini and iFlight Nazgul F5 V2 and BOB57 FPV drones, the footage shows Turner and his guide navigating snow and glowing lava at high altitudes, with massive explosions erupting nearby. The result is a surreal, cinematic blend of fire and ice—both beautiful and terrifying.
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DJI Launches the FlyCart 100 (China Only, for Now)
Credit: DJI
DJI has unveiled the FlyCart 100, its most powerful cargo drone yet (only for the Chinese market, for now). This huge heavy-lift drone can haul up to 176 lbs (80 kg) with a single battery, or 143 lbs (65 kg) with dual batteries. Designed for rugged, mission-critical ops—think emergency response, high-altitude resupply, and construction—the FC100 features a 16 mile (26 km) unloaded range, fast 9-minute charging, and a suite of advanced sensors for all-weather, all-terrain flights. There’s no word yet on a global or U.S. release, but this is a big leap for industrial drone logistics.
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DJI Mavic 4 Pro Soars to Everest’s Summit in a Single Shot
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Drones Reveal the Rapid Melting of Norway’s Glaciers
In a new study, researchers in Norway used DJI Mavic 2s and 3s to capture the dramatic retreat of glaciers like Nigardsbreen, part of the Jostedalsbreen ice cap. Over three days, researchers flew 76 vertical profiles, collecting high-res data that shows how warming is transforming glacier-lake systems and even local weather patterns. These drone missions are revolutionizing climate science, offering a front-row seat to climate change’s impact on Europe’s largest ice masses.
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Blanket Drone Searches for Code Violations? New Lawsuit Says No
A drone photo taken by Sonoma County officials during a warrantless surveillance flight
Sonoma County is facing a major lawsuit after deploying high-powered drones to conduct hundreds of warrantless aerial inspections over private property—often at low altitudes and with zoom cameras capable of peering into yards, pools, and even homes. What began as a program to target illegal cannabis growers has ballooned into a sweeping surveillance tool for code enforcement, resulting in hefty fines and sparking serious privacy concerns. In its lawsuit, the ACLU calls it a “runaway spying operation” that violates state constitutional rights.
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