Drone News Roundup: DJI Releases the Mini 3 Pro, Super Fast FPV Fly Through in a Plywood Factory, and More!

This week we’re covering the release of the DJI Mini 3 Pro, which has been the subject of countless leaks over the last few months.

We’re also covering a fun, really fast fly FPV through of a plywood factory, some beautiful photos shot by the Mini 3 Pro, news that the House has approved a bill to fund taxi drone infrastructure, and the extension of the deadline for our Drone Technology College Scholarship to May 31st.

Now let’s get to those links!

DJI Releases the Mini 3 Pro

The DJI Mini 3 Pro may be the most leaked DJI drone yet. And now it’s finally launched. This week DJI unveiled the newest drone in its the Mini series. True to form, the drone weighs less than 250 grams, and comes with all the impressive features we’ve already heard about via leaks, including:

• Tri-Directional Obstacle Sensing (Forward/Backward/Downward)
• Record Up to 4K/60fps Video and 4K/30fps HDR Video
• 34-min Max Flight Time
• True Vertical Shooting
• FocusTrack (ActiveTrack, Spotlight, and Point of Interest)
• MasterShots
• Timelapse

Want more flight time? You can upgrade the Mini 3 Pro’s battery to the optional Intelligent Flight Battery Plus and get 47 minutes instead of 34 (though the drone will now weigh more than 249 grams).

It also has, as DJI puts it, a “reimagined gimbal” that allows for a wider rotation range for low-angle shots as well as True Vertical Shooting.

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Super Fast FPV Fly through of a Plywood Factory

Cinewhoop-style fly throughs like this may not be new any more, but they sure are a lot of fun. They also give us an up-close look at places we’ve never gone, and may have never even imagined going. That’s definitely the case with this fast FPV fly through at a plywood factory, where we get a whirlwind tour of what it takes to go from uncut logs of wood to a finished plywood panel.

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Photos Captured with the DJI Mini 3 Pro

A panoramic photo taken by the DJI Mini 3 Pro

Amid all the leaks about the Mini 3 Pro that have come out prior to its launch, one that stuck out featured photos shot on the new drone. These pictures were shared on Twitter by drone industry insider @DealsDrone, and they show us what this powerful little drone will be able to accomplish. According to the EXIF metadata on the shots, they were all taken with an aperture value of f/1.7, 24 mm focal length, and had several different values for ISO and shutter speed.

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Bill Approved in House to Provide Funding for Taxi Drone Infrastructure

Credit: Volocopter

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently approved a bill that would provide grants to develop infrastructure for UAM, commonly known as taxi drones. Called H.R. 6270, the bill proposes funds for creating vertiports and other infrastructure needed to make taxi drone operations a reality in U.S. cities. The bill presents one more piece of evidence that taxi drones are being taken seriously, and that the need to build out systems and structures to support their operation is well underway.

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Deadline Extended for Drone Pilot Ground School College Scholarship

Looking for funds to help you pay for college? We’ve extended the deadline for our Drone Technology College Scholarship to May 31, so there’s still time to apply! The scholarship provides two scholarships every year of $1,000 each. Scholarship recipients are selected based on the quality of their essays and their letters of recommendations. Applicants should be current or rising college students who demonstrate an interest in pushing the drone industry forward. High school seniors are eligible to apply.

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