Drone News Roundup: Super Fast FPV Drone-Race Car Chase, What to Check Before Every Flight, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
5 February 2026This week we’re covering a blisteringly fast FPV drone chase shot alongside a race car tearing through the desert.
We’re also covering a video on what to do before you fly your drone, a massive drone light show at CES 2026 and how it was pulled off, ski resorts using drones to make snow, and concerns from journalists over a newly issued drone NOTAM.
Now on to the links!
FPV Drone Chases Race Car at Extreme Speeds in the Desert
This FPV video captures a high-speed drone chase alongside a rally car ripping through the desert. Flying at triple-digit speeds, the drone matches pace with the car through sweeping turns, elevation changes, and dust-filled straightaways. Shared by the FIA World Rally Championship, the footage shows what’s possible when an experienced FPV pilot combines precise throttle control with long-range flying—delivering a feeling of “being right there” that no other method of shooting could pull off.
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How to Check If You Can Fly Your Drone (Without Guessing)
If you’ve ever wondered whether a drone flight is actually legal—or felt unsure about airspace, park rules, or local restrictions—we made this video for you. It shares a simple, repeatable process you can use before every flight. The video breaks the process down into two clear steps:
- First, checking the airspace using official FAA tools.
- Second, verifying local laws and park rules that can apply even when airspace is clear.
We also cover common FAQs that trip pilots up, making it a practical checklist-style guide for avoiding guesswork and flying with confidence. Watch the video above, go here to see where you can fly in your area, and go here to research drone laws in your state.
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4 Big, High-Speed Drone Light Shows at CES 2026 in Just 3 Hours
Skyworx Drone Shows closed CES 2026 with a high-speed spectacle over the Las Vegas Strip featuring 1,200 drones. The light shows weren’t just impressive because of how big they were, but also because of how quickly they were executed. In just three hours, Skyworx did four full-scale shows back to back. The shows required super tight timing and precision. They were done with a lean core team from Skyworx, leveraging DAMODA’s light show drones, which are known for automation-heavy swarm control and precision positioning. The result was a glimpse of where drone shows are headed: faster resets, tighter repeatability, and large productions that can be deployed efficiently even in dense urban airspace.
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Ski Resorts Turn to Drones to Help Make Snow
Some U.S. ski resorts are experimenting with drones to increase snowfall, using them to trigger snowfall by “seeding” cold, moisture-rich clouds. The approach uses nucleating agents—typically silver iodide particles that encourage ice crystal formation—building on cloud-seeding techniques traditionally done by aircraft or ground-based systems. Using drones to make more snow allows for a targeted, flexible way to supplement natural snowfall during increasingly unpredictable winter seasons. It may grow into a common tactic for resorts that rely on snowfall to stay open, especially as the technology becomes more affordable and widely available.
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Journalists Push Back on New Drone NOTAM
A coalition of news organizations is raising concerns about a new FAA drone NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), arguing that its language is overly broad and could unnecessarily restrict lawful news gathering. In a letter to the FAA, the group warned that the NOTAM could be interpreted to limit routine drone journalism near emergency scenes or breaking news, even when pilots are operating legally under the FAA’s Part 107 rules. The group is urging the FAA to revise or narrow the NOTAM’s wording to clearly distinguish between unsafe operations and lawful, credentialed news reporting.
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