Drone News Roundup: Robot Flies the Antigravity A1, DJI Mini 5 Pro Journey across Mongolia, and More!

This week we’re covering a robot flying the Antigravity A1 360 drone.

We’re also covering an epic journey across Mongolia with the DJI Mini 5 Pro, a new drone navigation approach that uses sound, sunrise footage with the Mavic 4 Pro, and a complex inspection that used three professional drones on a single mission.

Now on to the links!

Robot Flies the New Antigravity A1 360 Drone

How easy is it to fly the Antigravity A1? Easy enough for a robot. This fun promotional video from Antigravity shows a humanoid robot from Unitree Robotics flying the new A1 360 drone, demonstrating how the drone’s control system can be integrated with robotic operators. The clip gives us a glimpse of how consumer drones like the A1 could fit into workflows with robotics, where precise, repeatable movements matter more than traditional stick flying.

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Journey Across Mongolia with the DJI Mini 5 Pro

This cinematic travel video shot on the DJI Mini 5 Pro takes us on a quick, beautiful tour of Inner Mongolia. From sprawling landscapes to shimmering lakes to remote roads and open skies, the footage showcases how a sub-250-gram mini can deliver striking aerial visuals.

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Drone Uses Sound to Navigate Where Cameras Fail

Credit: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Researchers have developed a new navigation method that lets drones fly using sound instead of vision, enabling operations in smoke, darkness, fog, or dust-filled environments where cameras and LiDAR struggle. The system is similar to echolocation, with the drone emitting acoustic signals and interpreting the echoes to understand surroundings and avoid obstacles. The approach could open new possibilities for search and rescue, industrial inspections, and disaster response in environments that are currently too challenging for traditional drone sensors.

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Sunrise from the Sky with the Mavic 4 Pro

This sunrise flight showcases the Mavic 4 Pro capturing soft light, long shadows, and gradual color shifts as the day begins. The footage highlights how careful timing and smooth camera movement can elevate even simple scenes—letting light and landscape do most of the work. It’s a great example of how early-morning flights can deliver some of the most rewarding results for aerial photographers.

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Three Drones, One Flare Stack Inspection

Credit: Voliro

Acuren has teamed up with MFE Inspection Solutions to develop a flare stack inspection process that uses three different drones together for a single inspection. Each drone handles a different part of the job, showcasing the specialization we now find in professional platforms.

• Step 1. The inspection starts while the stack is still active, with a DJI Matrice 350 RTK capturing high-level visual details on the stack.
• Step 2. Next, the Voliro T performs close-contact ultrasonic thickness (UT) measurements on external surfaces, again while the stack is active.
• Step 3. Finally, the Elios 2 collects visual data of hard-to-reach interior and congested areas. (This step happens at a future time, when the flare stack is down during a planned outage).

The project highlights a growing trend in industrial inspections: using multiple purpose-built drones in a coordinated workflow to achieve complete coverage. It also points to a larger development, which is that drones are now so commonplace for inspections that unique workflows are being developed that help leverage them to their full potential.

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