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Posts Tagged ‘drones’

DJI has most of the drones on its website listed as ‘out of stock’

21 Aug
A search on DJI’s official online store confirmed that the Mavic 2 Pro is currently out of stock.

DJI, the world’s leading drone manufacturer, is currently out of stock on most of its models including the Mavic 2 Pro and Phantom 4 Pro.

DroneDJ’s Haye Kesteloo recently conducted a thorough search of their official online store and discovered that the only drones available for purchase are the DJI Mavic Air Fly More Combo, in all colors, the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum, the DJI Mavic Pro 2 (with the DJI Smart Controller combo), the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom with or without DJI Smart Controller, the DJI Inspire 2 and the Ryze Tello in all its variations.

It’s been one year since DJI last released a consumer-grade drone to the public. The Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom have been wildly successful, but with DJI’s planned implementation of ADS-B sensors this coming January, not to mention the forthcoming Holiday season, it would make sense for them to halt production on models headed for discontinuation and focus on new releases.

While a Mavic 2 Pro+ and Zoom+ are rumored, specs from what is being coined as the ‘Mavic Mini’ have recently made the rounds online. Reportedly this drone is expected to weigh less than 250 grams, meaning it won’t need to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. As rules and regulations are continually being pushed to allow flights over people and beyond-visual-line-of-sight, a lighter drone makes sense. Other possibilities for a near-future release include a Spark 2 and Mavic Air 2.

Here is the full list of out-of-stock items on DJI’s website, thanks to DroneDJ.

  • DJI Spark Controller Combo – Alpine White
  • DJI Spark Fly More Combo – Alpine White
  • DJI Spark Controller Combo – Lava Red
  • DJI Spark Fly More Combo – Lava Red
  • DJI Mavic Air Arctic White
  • DJI Mavic Air Onyx Black
  • DJI Mavic Air Flame Red
  • DJI Mavic 2 Pro
  • DJI Mavic 2 Pro & DJI Goggles RE
  • DJI Mavic 2 Zoom & DJI Goggles RE
  • DJI Phantom 4 Advanced
  • DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0
  • DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 & DJI Goggles RE
  • DJI Phantom 4 Pro+ V2.0
  • DJI Phantom 4 Pro+ V2.0 & DJI Goggles RE
  • DJI Inspire 2 Professional
  • DJI Inspire 2 Premium

While some of these items aren’t available through DJI directly, they can still be found through other third-party retailers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Walmart mistakenly prices DJI Inspire 2 and Spark drones starting at $17.99

18 Aug
Daniel John posted this tip in the Chicago Drone Pilots Facebook Group early Friday morning.

Early Friday morning, retail behemoth Walmart offered up deals that were so unbelievable, they seemed too good to be true.

Eagle-eyed shoppers took advantage of the lowest prices they’ve ever seen assigned to the DJI Spark Fly More bundle, priced at $ 17.99, a DJI Mavic Pro Bundle for $ 24.99, a DJI Inspire 2 Premium Combo with Zenmuse x5 for $ 42.99, plus Sony and Leica cameras, which typically start between $ 1,000 – $ 5,000, for $ 24.99 – $ 42.99. Those who purchased these items from retailer Ecom Electronics, in the narrow window of time they were available through Walmart.com, will have ultimately scored an unbeatable deal if Walmart chooses to honor these prices.

Savvy shoppers like Wayne Douglas discovered deals beyond the DJI Spark Fly More bundle.

I first stumbled across this error in pricing on the Chicago Drone Pilots Facebook Group. Curious to see if it was legitimate, I purchased on DJI Spark Fly More Bundle for $ 17.99 through my PayPal account. As of this writing, Walmart has processed my payment and has not issued a refund. Ecom Electronics has confirmed my order will arrive between Wednesday, August 21st and Tuesday, August 27th.

Talk about a hustle. Some people maxed out their orders with a quantity of 12 units.

Other people got creative, typed ‘eCom Electronics’ into Walmart.com’s search bar, and came up with a Leica SL (Typ 601) Mirrorless Digital Camera for $ 22.99, a Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera Body for $ 22.99, and a Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera for $ 42.99. Savvy shoppers pushed purchasing limits to the max and ordered up to 12 units of a deeply-discounted item. All of these low-priced offerings sold out quickly, returned to full price, and then were subsequently pulled from Walmart’s site altogether.

As soon as the word got out, items sold out in a matter of minutes and returned to full price before disappearing from Walmart.com completely.

For those concerned about a possible scam, Walmart has a favorable reputation for honoring their mistakes, if sentiments in the numerous posts I’ve seen across online forums are accurate. Ecom Electronics, on the other hand, has a Better Business Bureau Rating of ‘C.’ No matter how painful the mistake, the Walton family, owners of Walmart, likely won’t flinch as they are currently the wealthiest family in America with an amassed fortune surpassing $ 160 billion dollars.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Lumecube Strobe is an anti-collision light for drones

25 Jun

Lumecube, a company known for its ultra-portable lighting solutions, has released a new product in the shape of an anti-collision light for drones.

The Lumecube Strobe can be attached to any drone using 3M Dual Lock technology and weighs only ten grams, minimizing the impact on flight performance and time. It’s designed in line with all FAA guidelines for anti-collision lighting and, according to Lumecube, is visible from more than three miles away.

The light is visible from 360 degrees and can flash white, red or green, depending on the color filter attached. There are also multiple light modes, including a fast speed of 60 strobes per second. The Stobe uses a micro-USB cable for charging and, according to Lumecube, provides more than two hours of run time in fast strobe mode. A button lets you cycle through various strobe modes, including a continuous lighting mode.

The Strobe is available now for $ 49.95. More information can be found on the Lumecube website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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European Union issues common rules on drones for more standardized regulation

14 Jun
The European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) logo as shown on its social media pages.

On June 11th, common rules on European drones, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, were published to ensure the safety and security of unmanned aircraft operations across countries in the European Union (EU) going forward. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) wants to establish the free circulation of drones and a level playing field within the EU.

‘Europe will be the first region in the world to have a comprehensive set of rules ensuring safe, secure and sustainable operations of drones both, for commercial and leisure activities. Common rules will help foster investment, innovation and growth in this promising sector’ said Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA.

The new set of rules will be uniform so that drone operators – both recreational and professional – will have a clear understanding of what is permitted and what is illegal. Each type of operation will be covered in detail, from those not requiring any permission to the most advanced performed by certified remote pilots. Minimum pilot training requirements will be established as well.

Operators have a year to prepare for a new set of common drone rules that will transcend borders. Remotes pilots are currently required to abide by each country in the EU’s specific set of differing regulations. By eliminating confusion on a country-by-country basis, innovation and growth will flourish.

‘Once drone operators have received an authorisation in the state of registration, they are allowed to freely circulate in the European Union. This means that they can operate their drones seamlessly when travelling across the EU or when developing a business involving drones around Europe.’

‘Once drone operators have received an authorisation in the state of registration, they are allowed to freely circulate in the European Union. This means that they can operate their drones seamlessly when travelling across the EU or when developing a business involving drones around Europe,’ states EASA in a blog post.

While the EU regulation will enter into force in the next 18 days, it will officially be applicable in one year. This gives Member States and operators time to prepare and implement it. As of June, 2020, drone operators will need to register in the Member State, where they have their residence, or their main place of business.

There are some technical requirements as well. According to the same EASA blog post, new drones will have to be individually identifiable, allowing the authorities to trace a particular drone if necessary. A timeline of developments and applicability can be accessed on the EASA drone page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DJI AirSense will add aircraft detection to DJI drones starting next year

23 May

This morning, DJI hosted a panel of experts in the aviation field, including the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Jay Merkel and AUVSI’s Tracy Lamb, to discuss the implementation of airplane and helicopter detectors in its new consumer drones starting January 1, 2020. Every drone model weighing over 250 grams will have AirSense Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers installed.

AirSense technology, which is a product of over 30,000 hours of development efforts by DJI engineers on all security measures, works by receiving ADS-B signals from nearby airplanes and helicopters. It allows drone pilots to detect and avoid traditional aircraft nearby. ‘I was an F-18 pilot years ago, and when you’re going that fast, it’s really hard to see anything. … ADS-B is certainly one of those things that for all pilots, and for controllers as well, becomes a situational awareness tool’ said Houston Mills of UPS Airlines, at the panel.

AirSense is currently embedded in some of DJI’s enterprise-level drones including the Mavic 2 Enterprise. The manufacturer now aims to make the same level of safety and security available to consumers. Instead of relying on sound or sight, ADS-B can identify planes and helicopters from miles away, and display the location on the screen of the remote.

Along with the announcement, DJI has released a comprehensive 37-page ‘Elevating Safety’ white paper outlining efforts they have taken to ensure that drones and their operators remain compliant. One significant burden to innovation in improving safety measures has been the media’s numerous inaccurate portrayals of reckless drone use. Most claims, including the incidents at Gatwick and Newark airports, are still unfounded.

DJI stands by the fact that existing data on drone safety is inaccurate. However, they understand they need to continually focus on research, development, education, and advocacy for solutions that will improve safety. They’ve outlined their intentions with the following 10 points:

1. DJI will install ADS-B receivers in all new drones above 250 grams.
2. DJI will develop a new automatic warning for drone pilots flying at extended distances.
3. DJI will establish an internal Safety Standards Group to meet regulatory and customer expectations.
4. Aviation industry groups must develop standards for reporting drone incidents.
5. All drone manufacturers should install geofencing and remote identification.
6. Governments must require remote identification.
7. Governments must require a user-friendly knowledge test for new drone pilots.
8. Governments must clearly designate sensitive restriction areas.
9. Local authorities must be allowed to respond to drone threats that are clear and serious.
10. Governments must increase enforcement of laws against unsafe drone operation.

These 10 steps are DJI’s proactive plan for addressing the continual growth in the drone industry. It divides responsibility between the government, remote pilots, and the company to ensure drones continue to safely integrate into airspace.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DJI confirms its drones are prepared for the GPS 2019 week rollover event

22 Mar

DJI has confirmed its drones are prepared for the GPS 2019 week rollover scheduled to take place on April 6. The event may disrupt some GPS receivers, but most manufacturers have confirmed that their systems have been tested ahead of time and are prepared for the rollover.

The GPS 2019 week rollover is an event that will take place due to how the Global Positioning System (GPS) works. Receivers are provided with time information from the GPS system, which uses a 10-bit week counter to count weeks from 0 to 1023. Upon reaching the end of that range, the system reverts back to 0 and starts over.

GPS receivers that aren’t prepared for the rollover may incorrectly report a date of 19.6 years in the past (1024 weeks), resulting in some GPS devices displaying a date of August 22, 1999, starting after the April 6 rollover. The first GPS rollover took place on August 21, 1999.

To avoid this complication, manufacturers must push out software updates to prepare their devices for the change. In a brief statement published on March 20, DJI said that all of its ‘platforms have been thoroughly tested’ and will not be impacted by the GPS rollover. DJI drone owners can continue to use the devices as normal.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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NASCAR teams up with DroneShield to bring down unwanted drones at racing events

18 Mar

It’s not just countries and federal agencies getting tough on drones, unruly or otherwise. According to a report from TechCrunch, NASCAR, the sanctioning body of multiple stock-car racing series in the United States and abroad, has struck a deal with anti-drone technology company DroneShield to help shoot down rogue drones at specific venues.

According to the report, DroneShield will be present at NASCAR-sanctioned events held at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. This includes events for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and other feeder stock-car series throughout the 2019 season. Below is a promotional video captured and shared by DroneShield showing off its new DroneGun product:

In an email announcing the news, DroneShield CEO said ‘We are proud to be able to assist a high-profile event like this […] We also believe that this is significant for DroneShield in that this is the first known live operational use of all three of our key products – DroneSentinel, DroneSentry and DroneGun – by U.S. law enforcement.’

DroneShield Sentry (left), DroneShield Sentinel (right).

Despite being the first time its trifecta of products are being used, this isn’t the first time DroneShield has been used at major sporting events. DroneShield technology was used at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, as well as at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia most recently.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Proposed rule changes would make it easier for drones to fly at night, above crowds

15 Jan

Despite a partial government shutdown in the United States, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced a new proposed rule that would simplify the process of flying drones at night and over crowds of people by removing the need for waivers.

The proposed rule, which can be read as a draft (PDF), would remove the need for commercial drone operators to file for waivers granting them permission to fly both at night and over large gatherings of people. It would also drones to have ‘an anti-collision light illuminated and visible for at least 3 statute miles, according to the document proposal.

‘This will help communities reap the considerable economic benefits of this growing industry, and help our country remain a global technology leader,’ said Chao in her statement to the nonprofit Transportation Research Board.

DJI chimed in on the proposed rule change with a blog post on its website that begins by stating:

DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, welcomes the U.S. Department of Transportation’s proposals announced today to help expand the use of drones in America, and looks forward to a substantive discussion that balances the requirements of the proposed rules with the benefits they would achieve.

The proposed rule change also lists out new rules for smaller drones. Specifically, drones weighing less than .55lbs / 250g would be able to fly over crowds without any new restrictions. However, drones weighing more would need their manufacturers to prove that if the drone ‘crashed into a person, the resulting injury would be below a certain severity threshold,’

The proposed rule change will be open for public comment for 60 days before anything can be set in stone.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Indemnis Nexus parachute for DJI drones is first to achieve crowd safety standard

12 Jan

Indemnis has announced its Nexus parachute system designed for DJI drones is the first to be certified as compliant with the ASTM F3322-18 standard. The system is designed to prevent a faulty DJI drone from free-falling to the ground by deploying a small parachute, which slows the drone’s descent for a safer, more gentle landing.

Both the US and UK require drone operators to get permission before operating a small UAV (sUAV) above a crowd, a limitation that intends to protect innocent bystanders from injury in the event of a drone crash. Waivers are offered on a case-by-case basis by both the US’s FAA and the UK’s CAA, but require operators to show how people below will be protected if the drone experiences a failure mid-flight.

The FAA granted its first waiver in October 2017, when it gave CNN permission to fly a Vantage Robotics Snap drone featuring protective rotor cages over a group of people. A parachute system like the Indemnis Nexus offers a different type of protection, one that is the first ever to meet the international ASTM F3322-18 standard for small UAVs.

The standard covers deployable sUAV parachute systems, including design, fabrication, and testing, and was designed to help drone operators get permission for flying over crowds from agencies like the FAA and CAA.

According to Indemnis, it was required to pass a series of 45 functionality tests spread across five drone failure scenarios. Testing took place at New York’s Griffiss International Airport in a controlled airspace; the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance oversaw the process.

The Indemnis Nexus system is designed to strap onto existing DJI drones, which it monitors using sensors. If the sensors detect a flight disruption, a ballistic launcher deploys a parachute at 90MPH / 144kmh. The tube containing the parachute is designed to inflate in order to protect the parachute from the drone’s rotors and body.

The drone was validated for use with the DJI Inspire 2, but may be offered for the Matrice 200 and 600 series, as well, by the end of the year.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Venus Optics announces 9mm F2.8 lens with DL mount for DJI cameras, drones

08 Jan

Venus Optics has the Laowa 9mm F2.8 DL Zero-D, the widest lens available for DJI X7 cameras and Inspire 2 drones.

The lens, which is identical in design and specs to the Fuji X, Sony E and Canon EF-M mount versions, features a 113-degree field of view and ‘close-to-zero distortion.’ Venus Optics notes the widest DL lens currently available, the DJI 16mm f/2.8 ASPH ND, has a diagonal field of view of just 80-degrees, meaning X7 and Inspire 2 users are able to get much more in the frame than previously possible, as seen int he comparison video below.

The lens weighs only 210g (0.46 lbs) and measures 60mm (2.36 in) long. It’s constructed of 15 elements in 10 groups with two aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements. The front filter thread has a diameter of 49mm and it uses a seven-blade aperture diaphragm.

Below is a collection of sample footage captured by Ling Chen and shared by Venus Optics that shows the lens onboard a DJI Inspire 2 drone, as well as a sample gallery of still images shot by Liu Su Pei and shared by Venus Optics.

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The Laowa 9mm F2.8 DL Zero-D retails for $ 499 USD, but Venus Optics notes pricing may vary from country to country. It’s available now from Venus Optic’s online shop and authorized Venus Optics resellers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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