Drone News Roundup: DJI Mini 4 Pro Leaked, Teen Drone Pilot Helps Save Two Trapped in SUV, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
6 July 2023This week we’re covering the first ever leaked photos of the DJI Mini 4 Pro.
We’re also covering a story about a teen drone pilot helping to save two people whose SUV fell into a sinkhole, a drone light show in which drones formed the Stanley Cup in the night sky, an extreme wind surfing wipeout captured by drone, and two new laws proposed by congress that have significant implications for the drone industry.
Now on to the links!
DJI Mini 4 Pro Shown in Leaked Test Flight
The original leaked photo of the #DJI #Mini4pro. This doesn’t look like a prototype covered in stickers like the other leaks, but a finished product.
At this moment we can only speculate on a release date. pic.twitter.com/3tKVMUHYMv— Jasper Ellens | DJI Flight Club (@JasperEllens) June 28, 2023
Jasper Ellens has become a reliable source for DJI leaks over the last few years. In this tweet, we see a photo of what industry insiders claim is a Mini 4 Pro—a drone that hasn’t been discussed much, if at all, when we hear chatter about what DJI might have in the works for 2023. And there has been a lot of chatter. All the past leaks and rumors have centered around the Inspire 3, the Mavic 3, a new Matrice, and an Air 3. Three out of four of those drones have already been released this year, and the Air 3 looks like it will be released soon. But now it looks like DJI might have yet another launch planned for this year—the Mini 4 Pro. Most likely, we’ll see several more leaks come out for this new version of the Mini Pro before too long.
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Teen Drone Pilot Helps Save Couple Whose Car Fell into a Sinkhole
A teen drone pilot named Josh Logue was recently flying his drone in Brighton, Colorado to look at damage done by flooding. While in the air, he spotted something strange—a dark spot on the road. When he flew closer, he saw that a sinkhole had opened in the road, and an SUV was upside down inside it. Two people were trapped inside, and water from a nearby canal was rising, filling the overturned SUV. Logue rushed to the site with a neighbor to help. Firefighters soon arrived and cut through the SUV to free the people, who were able to escape. If Logue hadn’t spotted them from the air, it’s unlikely they would have survived.
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Extreme Wind Surfing Wipeout Caught by Drone
Think windsurfing isn’t that tough? You might think differently after watching this video. Shot by drone, we see 3x world windsurfing champ Marcilio Browne take a massive wipeout in this footage while competing during the 2023 Fiji Surf Pro at Cloudbreak. (Don’t worry—Marcilio is reportedly just fine now.) Watch the video for an up close look at just how intense wind surfing can be.
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Stanley Cup Made of Light Show Drones
Vegas made a Stanley Cup of drones last night…what a world (via @JesseGranger_) pic.twitter.com/ALStisNFNj
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) June 18, 2023
The Vegas Golden Knights recently beat the Florida Panthers to win the 2023 Stanley Cup. An incredible 200,000 people turned out for the victory parade celebrating the win at the Toshiba Plaza in Las Vegas. As part of the celebration, the team put on a drone light show in the skies near the parade, with drones forming the Stanley Cup and the Golden Knights’ logo to commemorate the moment.
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Two Laws Proposed by Congress Have Big Implications for the Drone Industry
Two laws proposed by congress could have a major impact on the future of the drone industry. One, called the National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Act, proposes funding for several key initiatives aimed at helping grow the drone ecosystem in the U.S. These include a Network of Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Research Institutes, drone pilot workforce expansion to integrate drones further into the U.S. economy, and the creation of a center of excellence for counter-UAS (CUAS). The other, called the Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act, seeks to “enhance our nation’s ability to counter the security threats posed by . . . drones.” Measures included in the Act include the renewal and expansion of authority to counter rogue drones, helping ensure the “federal government is better prepared to defend against maliciously or recklessly operated drones.”
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