Drone News Roundup: DJI Mavic 4 Seems to Hit the FCC Database, DJI Neo Aerial Tour of Singapore, and More!

This week we’re covering news that the Mavic 4 seems to have hit the FCC’s database, though in a disguised form.

We’re also covering a cinematic drone tour of Singapore shot on the new DJI Neo, key findings from Drone Industry Insight’s 2024 global report, farmers in North Carolina using their ag drones to help with disaster relief after Hurricane Helene, and Voliro raising $12 million to continue making high-end inspection drones.

Now on to the links!

Is That the Mavic 4?

I am positive this is the #Mavic4 FCC registration. We see a bigger battery, indicating flight time improvements and a #double registration like previous Cine and Pro versions. DJI is trying to hide the FCC names but it doesn’t matter. Hello #Mavic4. pic.twitter.com/qB3IvfQooZ

— Jasper Ellens | X27 (@JasperEllens) September 28, 2024

Is DJI getting ready to launch a Mavic 4? With all the fuss lately about the DJI Air 3S, the potential for a new Mavic has been a little sidelined. But this recent post from drone industry insider Jasper Ellens has brought the potential for a Mavic 4 rocketing back to center stage. According to Ellens, the Mavic 4 has already hit the FCC database—just in a disguised form. We first heard rumors about DJI working on a Mavic 4 back in July, when @OsitaLV shared a post featuring parts of a prototype that seemed like it could be the next generation in the Mavic line. The good news? If the 4 has actually been registered with the FCC, it will almost certainly be launched before the end of the year.

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Cinematic Singapore with the New DJI Neo

DJI released the Neo, its first selfie drone, about a month ago. It only weighs 1/3 of a pound (135 grams) and it has AI modes that lets it fly largely on its own, without a remote controller (though you can choose to fly with FPV goggles and take more control). Despite its small size, the Neo packs a pretty good punch. This cinematic drone tour of Singapore shot by YouTuber Mitchell Phun shows you just what the Neo can do—take a look to see for yourself.

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What’s the Most Popular Drone Application? Key Findings from DroneII’s 2024 Report

Credit: DroneII

Wondering what the top drone application is? It’s still mapping. Drone mapping has been at the top of the list for a few years running now. Which is actually what DroneII predicted last year when it issued its 2023 report, stating “drone mapping is and will remain the top application for drones.” This finding is just one of a trove of data that came out recently in DroneII’s Global State of Drones 2024 report. DroneII partnered with dozens of publications and outlets to promote the survey it used to make the report, including UAV Coach, pulling in a total of 964 responses from 94 countries. Another key finding from the report: the top two reasons companies are adopting drones are 1) To improve worker safety, and 2) To improve the quality of their work. Follow the link below to download the full report, and get all the findings about the state of the drone industry right now.

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Farmers Use Agriculture Drones to Aid Disaster Relief in North Carolina

Credit: DJI

A group of agriculture drone pilots in North Carolina have been using their ag drones not for precision farming, but to help with disaster relief following the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene in the state. Some of the missions they’ve been doing with their drones include flying into confined spaces that helicopters can’t reach, and carrying medical supplies to areas that need them. They’re also being used at night, flying over impacted areas to identify homes where there are fires burning using thermal sensors—the fires indicate there could be someone inside who needs help. So far the ag drone pilots have helped evacuate over 100 people, and they are still hard at work.

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Voliro Secures $12 Million to Continue Making Professional Inspection Drones

Credit: Voliro

Swiss drone company Voliro has secured $12 million in Series A funding, bringing its total capital raised to $22 million. Voliro makes high-end professional drones for inspections. It was the first company to bring a drone to market that could do ultrasonic thickness (UT) inspections by air—an impressive feat, because UT testing requires that the drone be incredibly stable, and that it use a complicated sensor that requires the application of a special gel. (Flyability, another prominent Swiss drone company, released its own UT solution this year after years of testing.) Voliro’s customers already include global companies like Chevron and Holcim, as well as inspection giant Acuren. This Series A helps cement Voliro’s position as an important player in the inspection drone space, where it aims to fulfill its vision “to become the global standard for industrial work at height, where autonomous flying robots handle all tasks that currently expose humans to risk.”

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