DJI’s Big Move, US Drone Manufacturing & Future of Counter UAS | January 27, 2025

01/27/25 • 74 min

In this episode of Weekly Wings, a DroneLife.com podcast, Paul Rossi and Terry Neff break down some of the most critical updates in the drone industry, including DJI’s decision to remove GeoZone restrictions and the broader implications of the ongoing U.S. push to eliminate Chinese drone influence. They discuss how this move aligns with the increasing difficulty of obtaining DJI drones in the U.S. and whether it signals a strategic shift in the global drone market - https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5090093-dji-drone-software-restricted-areas/

The conversation expands to domestic drone component manufacturing, highlighting new efforts in U.S.-based motor and battery production. They analyze companies like Oransi Inc. and Unusual Machines, which are positioning themselves as key players in the effort to reduce reliance on Chinese-made drone components. A deep dive into Unusual Machines' leadership changes also reveals how executives from Tesla and premium mechanical keyboard manufacturers could influence high-quality American drone production - https://dronelife.com/2025/01/20/orsani-inc-the-u-s-company-poised-to-take-on-chinas-drone-motor-industry/ and https://www.stocktitan.net/news/UMAC/unusual-machines-appoints-brad-mello-as-vp-of-manufacturing-to-3fkkunxvdpa5.html

Paul and Terry also explore innovative defense applications, including a new trail cam drone inspired by historical wartime surveillance tactics and Ascent Aero Systems’ advanced swarm-capable coaxial drones, which could redefine military and public safety operations. They discuss reports suggesting counter-UAS technology may now be a standard feature in the Presidential motorcade, reflecting heightened security concerns in the U.S. - https://dronelife.com/2025/01/16/inside-ascent-aerosystems-a-revolutionary-approach-to-drones/ and https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2025/01/21/russian-trailcam-drone-is-a-new-type-of-stealthy-spy/

The episode wraps up with public safety use cases, covering new DFR (Drone as First Responder) programs in Redmond, Washington, and Hempstead, New York, as well as how New York City is considering drones for enforcing sanitation and illegal dumping laws - https://dronelife.com/2025/01/21/redmond-wa-police-take-innovation-to-new-heights-with-drone-first-responder-program/ and https://dronelife.com/2025/01/16/hempstead-police-department-introduces-drone-as-first-responder-system-from-flock-safety/ and https://gothamist.com/news/to-ensure-compliance-with-trash-laws-nyc-considers-deploying-drones

Lastly, they examine the formation of an industry association for drone light shows, which aims to establish safety standards and representation for an increasingly popular sector facing recent operational failures - https://dronelife.com/2025/01/13/drone-show-association-formed-to-develop-industry-standards-and-safety/

Previous Episode

Defense Innovations, Drone Safety & EVTOL Tech | January 7, 2025

In the first episode of Weekly Wings Season 2, hosts Paul Rossi and Terry Neff explore key developments in the drone industry as the new year begins. They kick off with discussions on U.S. Army training operations in Romania using Skydio and Anduril drones for reconnaissance and the evolving role of American-made drones in defense operations - https://dronexl.co/2025/01/03/us-army-tests-drones-romania-anduril-skydio/

The conversation shifts to the unveiling of the Pivotal Helix EVTOL, a personal electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft priced at $190,000 and up. They examine its features, certifications, and implications for the future of personal air mobility - https://pivotal.aero/

Paul and Terry then review the capabilities of XCraft’s latest drone models, highlighting their American manufacturing focus and compliance with NDAA standards. They also cover a new proposed rulemaking by the Department of Commerce aiming to limit the use of Chinese-made drone components in the U.S. market for national security reasons - https://shopxcraft.net/ and https://dronelife.com/2025/01/03/commerce-department-issues-nprm-to-limit-use-of-chinese-made-drones-and-components/

The episode also explores real-world drone applications, including how Santa Fe Police recently used a drone to catch a fleeing suspect and how Severn Trent Water is leveraging DJI thermal drones to detect pipeline leaks remotely - https://www.police1.com/drones/video-n-m-police-nab-suspected-car-thief-within-minutes-after-deploying-drone

Closing the episode, the hosts reflect on a New Year’s Eve drone light show failure and compare the safety risks between drone displays and traditional fireworks - https://www.live5news.com/2025/01/01/falling-drones-injure-man-during-folly-beach-new-years-display/

Join Paul and Terry each episode as they dive into the latest trends and challenges in the drone and EVTOL industries.

Next Episode

U.S. Drone Policy Shifts, Counter-UAS Tech & Market Disruptions | February 20, 2025

In this episode of Weekly Wings, Paul Rossi and Terry Neff break down the latest financial and policy shifts impacting the drone industry. They discuss how recent political and economic changes are driving acquisitions and vertical integration within the U.S. drone sector, highlighting how companies like Unusual Machines are expanding their footprint with strategic investments like the recent acquisition of Aloft Technologies - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unusual-machines-enters-definive-agreement-133000058.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAJAjmsouHpeHT2-uwOkGco7a0rdAvfwKH5h1r4VMZiF7RqboaB-F0GuUalVqkB-DJ8opfu2QdVj6YUlyqyQeXBeWiw7WuiTJzGGKUpurLUiUa_Fy2DnI2r5LZTuL0lI3J17VZ8chKzuS_C0d8hySeq7KdVZNZMwonUjpigKI_oK

The conversation shifts to the Drone Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill that could unlock federal funding for law enforcement drone programs. They analyze how this legislation could reshape public safety operations and whether it will exclude Chinese-made drones from eligibility - https://dronelife.com/2025/02/14/congress-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-expand-drone-funding-for-law-enforcement/

On the tech front, Paul and Terry examine American Robotics’ Iron Drone system, a counter-UAS solution designed for autonomous drone interception. They explore its implications for defense and critical infrastructure security, comparing its potential to Axon’s growing role in public safety drone integration - https://www.stocktitan.net/news/ONDS/ondas-airobotics-launches-global-demonstration-tour-to-showcase-iron-n5wx9ddqesan.html

Additionally, they review GeoQ’s new affordable LiDAR solutions, which significantly lower the barrier to entry for high-precision mapping and surveying applications - https://dronelife.com/2025/02/17/geocue-expands-trueview-lineup-with-tv1-and-tv1-lite-affordable-high-performance-lidar-for-drone-surveys/

They also touch on the growing presence of CIA drone surveillance operations in Mexico, targeting cartel activity with cutting-edge aerial intelligence capabilities - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14409511/trump-cia-drones-mexico-spy-drug-cartels.html

The episode concludes with a discussion on recent aviation safety incidents, including the shocking Delta Airlines crash landing that flipped a jet upside down, prompting concerns about operational safety in extreme weather conditions - https://abcnews.go.com/US/dramatic-video-shows-moment-delta-plane-flipped-after/story?id=118921357