Drone News Roundup: Remote ID Module Review, Drone Dock for the Tesla Cybertruck, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
14 December 2023This week we’re covering an in-depth review we did of three of Dronetag’s Remote ID modules—the Dronetag Mini, the Dronetag Beacon, and the Dronetag BS.
We’re also covering a new drone dock made just for the Tesla Cybertruck, a year of FPV drone footage condensed into one high-energy minute, news that SkyPixel is hosting monthly competitions as part of its 9th annual contest, and a new guide to drone pilot success from Commercial UAV News.
Now let’s get to those links!
What’s the Best Drone Tag Module on the Market?
Enforcement of the Remote ID deadline has been pushed back to March 16, 2024. (But that doesn’t mean you should wait—if you can, you should try to be compliant as soon as possible.) For those flying older drones, you may need to use a Remote ID Module to make your drone compliant. Watch the video above for our in-depth review of three Remote ID modules from Dronetag—the Dronetag Mini, the Dronetag Beacon, and the Dronetag BS. In the video we unbox the modules, set them up, test them, and see how well they work on three different drones as well as an RC Plane.
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New Drone Dock Was Made Just for the Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla has released its much-anticipated Cybertruck, a battery electric full-size pickup truck. But if you’d like to use it not only as a truck, but also as a launch pad for your drone, Heisha has made a drone dock for that. The concept is featured in this video, showcasing a design in which a hatch appears that’s similar to a sunroof in the truck’s cab, releases the dock, and then takes it back in when the dock is not in use. According to Heisha, the dock will support “autonomous takeoff, landing, and waypoint-flight mission presets, complete with video recording, and photo capturing capabilities.” For those who can afford the Cybertruck’s $80,000 price tag, this kind of boutique add-on may be just the right thing.
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First Year of Flying FPV
This video from YouTuber and drone pilot BlagaFly features footage from their first year flying FPV. And what a year it’s been, judging by the footage they captured. From sweeping vistas, to snow-covered fields, to race cars speeding down both snowy and dirt roads, there’s a lot to admire here. The editing is also clean, cutting nicely between shots, with a smooth, fun transition early in the video at 00:07. About making the video, BlagaFly said “My first year of flying FPV drones has been a wild ride, and I’m excited to share some of the moments in a short edit.”
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SkyPixel Is Running Monthly Competitions as Part of Its Annual Contest
SkyPixel, the annual drone photo and video contest, is currently open for submissions. The contest is in its 9th year of running. And this year DJI—the company behind SkyPixel and the contest—is doing something it’s never done before: holding monthly competitions. The competitions are taking place over three months. December’s contest will focus on FPV images and January’s contest will focus on handheld photography. (November’s contest, which was focused on multi-focal length, has already passed.) If you’ve been thinking about entering the annual contest, this is a great year to do it. Not only do you have the monthly competitions to consider, but there are more awards and high-value prizes this year than ever before, with a total of 79 awards valued at $200,000+ on the table. Learn more about how to enter by following the link below.
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5 Steps to Drone Pilot Success
How can you find success as a commercial drone pilot? Commercial UAV News, the reporting arm of Commercial UAV Expo, recently put out a report highlighting five steps drone pilots can take to help establish and boost their careers. One standout piece of advice from the article is that, more and more, commercial drone pilots need to specialize. Another is that drone pilots need to develop skills outside of just flying a drone. As Chris Todd, Executive Director of DRONERESPONDERS, put it: “To become a successful commercial drone pilot in the current marketplace, a remote pilot needs to develop subject matter expertise in one or more core disciplines beyond just operating the aircraft and managing the data.” Read the full article for all five steps, including advice from industry experts.
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