Drone News Roundup: UAV Coach Issues Remote ID Statement, DJI Opens First U.S. Store, and More

This week we’re covering a statement we released this week about our commitment to helping drone pilots understand and comply with Remote ID ahead of the upcoming enforcement deadline, which is this Saturday, March 16.

We’re also covering DJI’s new store in New York City—which is the first it’s ever opened in the U.S.—as well as an insanely long and technical mountain biking run shot by FPV drone, Flyability’s new UT inspection payload for the Elios 3, and DJI’s response to a law being considered that would ban all of its drones from use in the U.S.

Now on to the links!

UAV Coach Issues Statement about Remote ID Enforcement Deadline

The FAA’s deadline for beginning enforcement of the Remote ID rule is this Saturday, March 16, 2024. Remote ID went into effect on September 16, 2023, but enforcement was pushed back six months to allow drone pilots who were unable to comply with the broadcast requirements more time to equip their aircraft.

Since 2015, UAV Coach has been committed to providing high-quality training, resources, and education for drone pilots. When the FAA rolled out the Part 107 rules in 2016, UAV Coach immediately launched an online test prep course to help drone pilots get ready for the Part 107 test. And when the FAA launched the TRUST for recreational flyers in 2021, UAV Coach was one of the first companies to provide the training.

Remote ID presents a milestone for the drone industry that is just as significant as the Part 107 rules and the TRUST, and UAV Coach is hereby sharing its commitment to helping both commercial and recreational pilots adhere to the new rule. Follow the link below to read our full statement.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT

DJI Opens First Store in the U.S.

Credit: DJI

Last week DJI opened its first ever brick-and-mortar store in the U.S. The store is located in New York City on Fifth Avenue (here’s the exact location), and is meant to be a space that welcomes “creators, photographers, and storytellers in the New York metro area and beyond.” The store is small and narrow, with metal walls and an aesthetic that has been making people think of early Apple stores. With all the talk—not to mention actual legislation—around Chinese drone bans, this new store could be one way DJI is trying to shore up support in the U.S.

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Hardest Mountain Biking Course in the World Shot on FPV Drone

The Dutch Drone Gods seem to be everywhere these days. Last week we wrote about a collaboration between DDG pilot Shaggy (AKA Ralph Hogenbirk) with Red Bull Racing to both create and fly a drone that went over 185 mph to shoot a Formula 1 racing car at full speed for the first time ever. This week, we’re covering an insanely impressive FPV shot from the DDG following pro mountain biker Kade Edwards as he takes on a course in the Dyfi Valley in Wales known for being the hardest in the world. The video is long but well worth watching—both the riding and the piloting are some of the best in the world.

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Flyability Launches UT Payload for the Elios 3

The future of the drone industry is in sensors and software. Flyability has been on the cutting edge for years when it comes to making drones just for the needs of inspectors, and its new payload—an ultrasonic thickness (UT) testing sensor—is one of the most impressive tools the company has ever produced. It took over three years to create and it’s a testament to what good R&D can accomplish. The sensor requires a gel to be applied in order to work, making the entire operation very complicated.

Here’s what makes Flyability’s new UT sensor a big deal:

• First of its kind. No other indoor drone can do UT inspections. That’s because it’s really hard to do—you have to apply a gel with a robotic attachment before the sensor can get readings. It took Flyability over three years of testing to bring this product to market.
• Application expansion. The UT payload expands the applications where inspectors can use the Elios 3, including UT inspections in Oil & Gas, Power Generation, and Construction.
• Location tagging. The Elios 3 can carry both a UT and LiDAR payload at the same time, allowing operators to take measurements and pinpoint that measurement’s precise location on a map.

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DJI Responds to Bill Calling for a Blanket Ban on Its Drones

Credit: DJI

In a recent roundup we covered a new bill called the Countering CCP Drones Act that’s making its way through Congress. If passed, the bill would add DJI to the FCC’s Covered List, thus barring the company from operating on U.S. communications infrastructure—and making it so almost no one could use DJI drones in the U.S.

It’s hard to believe this could happen. But the possibility is quite real. In response, DJI has issued a statement about the bill, making the stakes clear: “If this passes, U.S. operators would no longer be able to access new DJI drones, and their existing drone fleets may even need to be grounded.” The statement goes on to point out that the lawmakers behind the proposed legislation “continue to reference inaccurate and unsubstantiated allegations regarding DJI’s operations, and have amplified xenophobic narratives in a quest to support local drone manufacturers and eliminate market competition.” Follow the link below to read the full statement from DJI.

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