Drone News Roundup: Puppy-Nappers Caught by Drone, DJI Mini 3 Pro Tour of Norway, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
21 September 2023This week we’re covering a story about law enforcement in Ohio using a drone to catch a couple who had stolen four puppies.
We’re also covering a drone tour of Norway shot on the DJI Mini 3 Pro, Flytrex’s new solution for autonomous drone delivery pickups, a poll from FLIR showing that people are pretty concerned about the security of their drone data, and news that Sony has partnered with AirData to offer fleet management for its Airpeak S1 drone.
Now onward, to the links!
Drone Helps Catch Puppy-Nappers in Ohio
Credit: Culver City Police Department
Recently law enforcement from the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office used a drone to find the location of two suspects accused of stealing puppies. The puppies were four French Bulldogs valued at an estimated $11,000. The suspects had fled into a cornfield, but the drone helped identify their location. A few years back there was a rash of French Bulldog thefts, which included Lady Gaga’s dogs being stolen. At the time, a drone was instrumental in catching a thief who had stolen a French Bulldog in Culver City, CA.
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Cinematic Aerial Tour of Norway with the DJI Mini 3 Pro
It looks like the DJI Mini 4 Pro will be coming out any week now. Its price and specs have already been leaked, and more photos keep surfacing. Why are we talking about the Mini 4 Pro? Because this beautiful cinematic drone video of Norway was shot entirely on the DJI Mini 3 Pro—and the footage is incredible, even though a newer generation in the series is just about to come out. The video was created by YouTuber Stephen Norman, who shot the footage while on a four-week journey “from the southern region of Norway, all the way north & deep into the arctic circle.” (By the way, the DJI Mini 3 Pro is on sale right now for 17% off—reduced from $909 to $759—to clear the way for the Mini 4 Pro’s launch.)
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Flytrex Unveils Autonomous Pickups for Drone Delivery
Drone delivery company Flytrex has rolled out a new autonomous method for taking on food delivery orders, as showcased in the video above. The new Autonomous Pickup system was created to help reduce the time it takes for processing and transporting drone deliveries, helping businesses shorten the window from order placed to order received. Drone delivery companies like Wing or Zipline may get major press for their Part 135-enabled BVLOS drone delivery programs (only four drone companies have a Part 135, which allows them to operate as a small airline). But Flytrex has been quietly expanding its consumer operations by flying within the visual line of sight of the operator, and is arguably one of the most successful drone delivery companies taking this approach.
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Poll from FLIR Finds Majority of Drone Professionals Care about Drone Data Security
The FLIR SkyRaider drone | Credit: FLIR
FLIR recently shared the results of a poll it conducted about how people select the drones they use for work. Security concerns stood out in the survey results, with 89% of respondents saying that data security was important when considering which drone to buy, and 67% saying they “worry that unknown entities could access the data they capture and manage from drones.” The poll was taken among 733 drone professionals. The results underscore recent concerns about drones and data security, especially among government agencies and private companies that work with sensitive infrastructure, such as energy or communications. Click the link below to see the full survey results.
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Sony Partners with AirData to Offer Fleet Management for Airpeak S1 Drone
Credit: Sony
AirData UAV has announced a partnership with Sony to provide automated and comprehensive fleet data management for the Sony’s Airpeak S1 Drone. AirData is known for its drone data analytics and drone fleet management solutions. The new partnership will support Sony Airpeak pilots in handling their fleet management, including equipment data, mission planning, maintenance tracking, and and meeting compliance requirements.
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