As drone hardware reaches a plateau, can developments in Drone software drive the industry forward with new applications for drones? Today's show addresses a critical question which is if developments in drone software can lead to new developments and applications in the drone industry? Our caller for today, Chris, would like to know what the future hold for drone software development and if this can lead to new applications for drones. An excellent question relevant to today's state of the dron...
Feb 23, 2022•37 min
Does the Mavic 3 possess a global shutter and what applications can it be used for? Today's show is a quick one to respond to questions from our earlier podcast on the Mavic 3 and whether the Mavic 3 possesses a global shutter or not. We thank everyone for the overwhelming support and comments from our latest podcast on the Mavic 3. One question on everyone's mind from the podcast was if the Mavic 3 possessed global shutter and we would like to clarify and clear these doubts and highlight the ap...
Feb 14, 2022•11 min
As pilots what are some of the best ways to know a market and understand its pain points? Today's show is about all the efforts that pilots need to put in to understand an industry better so to allow them to provide better service to their customers and increase their overall effectiveness for their business. Today's question for the day is from Robert who would like to know some ways by which he can enhance his knowledge about an industry and stay better informed about the problems faced by the...
Feb 11, 2022•23 min
How can pilots make smart SD card purchases and is it really worth it? Today's show is about a well discussed topic here at Drone U and also in the drone world. It's about SD cards but it's worth taking a look at SD card considering all the new developments in the tech world. Our question for today, from Tom, who would like to make smart choice on the purchase of an SD card and how pilots can make informed purchasing decisions based on the configuration of the SD card. First, we look into the mo...
Feb 04, 2022•14 min
Does the latest firmware update bring any improvements to the Mavic 3? Today's show is about the Mavic 3's latest firmware update and if the latest updates bring significant improvements to the Mavic 3 and how pilots can make the best out of the latest updates. Our question for today, from Tom, is about the latest update from DJI for its drone Mavic 3. Tom would like to know if the latest firmware update did actually bring about improvement for the Mavic 3 or if its better to stick to DJI's last...
Feb 03, 2022•29 min
What benefits does using sophisticated GCPs bring? Can naturally occurring markers replace them? Today's show is all about understanding the use and importance of sophisticated GCPs and their importance in ensuring quality deliverables. Our question for today, from DeWayne, is about using sophisticated GCPs. DeWayne is observing his co-workers and team rely more on naturally occurring markers to make do with their mapping missions. He would like to know if they are indeed effective and if pilots...
Feb 02, 2022•18 min
Will DJI Introduce Dual Operator Setup on the DJI Air 2S? Today's show is if the Air2S will have a firmware update that will allow dual operator setup for pilots and if they should opt for Inspire or Air2S platform. Our caller for today, Larry, wants to know if the all-new DJI Air 2S would allow for dual operator setup through a future firmware update. What are some DJI alternatives that come with dual controller setup? To help Larry out, we first delve into the pros and cons of a dual operator ...
Jan 29, 2022
Today's show is all about purchasing the best and most affordable drone and equipment that gives you the best value for money. Our caller for today, Bryan from Chicago has just received the go-ahead from his employer to purchase a new drone. How can Bryan pick a drone that fulfills all his requirements without overshooting his budget? To help Bryan out, we reveal some of the biggest things that every drone pilot should consider when making a purchase. From the nature of the job to flying conditi...
Jan 22, 2022•30 min
Today's show is understanding the many liabilities that drone pilots are exposed to, when flying out on missions and contracts. Our caller for today, Isaac, and his family operate a drone business and would like to know what are the potential liabilities that a drone pilot would need to cover when undertaking a project and how pilots can be prepared for these liabilities. We address Isaac's question today by going over the many liabilities that a drone pilot can encounter. While some of these ar...
Jan 20, 2022•26 min
Today's show is all about software options available to pilots working in SAR missions and how these applications can greatly aid a pilot in executing a comprehensive SAR mission. Our caller for today, Colin from Canada, performs a range of SAR missions and would like to know the best application to be utilized that can help him in using a variety of drones to perform SAR missions with ease. Search and Rescue Missions (SAR) have today progressed as a life saving tool to quickly assess and rescue...
Jan 16, 2022•28 min
We start off 2022 with CES 2022 and all the latest in the drone industy, 7-Eleven now begins drone deliveries in Japan and all the latest in the drone industry in this week Drone Life News show. In our latest episode of Drone Life News show we cover all the latest updates in the drone industry - from CES 2022 updates to drone deliveries to all the latest developments in the new drones for 2022 In our first news segment of the drone life news, we discuss all the updates from CES 2022. Paul and Mi...
Jan 15, 2022•17 min
Today’s show is about determining the best and most efficient workflow for flying drones in agriculture. Our caller from today, all the way from Portugal wants to know the best and most efficient workflow for scanning agricultural fields with drones. To help our caller out, we first explain the fundamentals of agricultural drone mapping. You will learn how crops emit a wide range of spectral densities, and how you can use multi-spectral cameras to “read” this data. And different software to accu...
Jan 10, 2022•16 min
Today's show is a special one as we are joined by Watts Innovation founder, Bobby Watts. Bobby shares his insights and views on the state of the drone industry and how the industry is set to grow in terms of autonomous flights and changing regulations to permit such flights. Paul and Bobby discuss the Prism, an all-American product from Watts Innovation, that comes with variable propulsions and flexible payloads and how the PRISM its set to lead the disruptive changes in the drone world. We also...
Jan 07, 2022•40 min
Today’s show is about using the DJI Mavic 3 for drone mapping. Does this new DJI drone have the specs and capabilities required for building an accurate 3D drone map or model? Our caller for today, David is a new commercial drone pilot and a proud owner of the DJI Mavic 3. Now, he is keen to take on drone mapping jobs, and wants to know if he can use his new drone for the same. On today’s show, you will learn why the DJI Mavic 3 should NOT be used for drone mapping. To make things simple for Dav...
Jan 06, 2022•24 min
Learn everything about heavy lift drones and their applications, Dizi drone launch for nuclear industry, Percepto receives BVLOS flight approval and all the latest in the airspace security domain. In our latest episode of Drone Life News show we cover all the latest updates in the drone industry - from new launch to fundings, acquisitions. In our first segment of the drone life news, we discuss everything about heavy lift drones and how they are increasingly becoming an important sector for the ...
Dec 23, 2021•19 min
Managing a Large Drone Inventory, Buying the Right Drone Insurance, and Refining Skillsets Today’s show is about managing a drone fleet. We talk about team and inventory management, & buying the best and most affordable drone insurance. Our caller for today, Andrew has some interesting questions for us today about managing a large drone fleet. Specifically, some of the questions that we discuss today… Will setting up a drone business LLC shield your personal assets from any potential busines...
Dec 18, 2021•20 min
DJI Mavic 3 Review - Does This New DJI Drone Live Up To All the Hype? We are discussing a red-hot topic on today’s show – the DJI Mavic 3. Our caller for today, Tom is flummoxed with all the mixed opinions about this newly launched DJI drone. Difficult market conditions and the onset of covid had pushed up the launch of this much-awaited DJI drone. And over the past year, we have heard numerous rumors that further contributed to all the hype. But, now that the Chinese market leader has finally l...
Dec 15, 2021•32 min
Is the DJI Mini SE Still a Good Buy? Today’s show is about the DJI Mini SE. If you are considering buying the DJI Mini SE or are already flying one, this show will be particularly interesting to you. Recently FAA placed the DJI Mini SE on their cover list. And our caller for today, Marcus, a hobby pilot is wondering if he should still go ahead and purchase this beginner DJI drone. Does this development impact drone pilots like Marcus in any way? You will learn whether or not the DJI Mini SE can ...
Dec 14, 2021•8 min
Drone Delivery Service Provider, DroneUp Acquires AirMap, Archer Aviation Applies for Air-Worthiness Certificate for its New eVTOL Aircraft ~ Tune in for the Latest Drone News Now! Our biggest story this week is about the drone delivery industry. In what could possibly be one of the biggest industry consolidations of 2021, Drone Delivery service provider, Drone Up has acquired AirMap. How will this development impact the drone delivery space as a whole? And particularly retail major, Walmart? Dr...
Dec 13, 2021•15 min
UK-Based Research Agency Highlights the Growing Acceptance of Law Enforcement Drones, Renault’s Flying Car Retails at a Whopping 4 Million Euros, Dronut – the Drone Without Propellers Our first story is a heartening one for drone enthusiasts. It's about law enforcement drones. A research report by a leading UK-based agency highlighted a startling 68% acceptance rate for the usage of drones in law enforcement. We discuss the findings of this report and share how public acceptance has shown a dram...
Dec 08, 2021•14 min
Learn the Nuances of Setting Up and Managing a Successful Drone Business Today’s show is about setting up and managing a successful drone business WITHOUT quitting your day job. Our caller for Billy is keen on setting up his drone business. However, he does not want to quit his full-time, W-2 job till he has established himself in the industry and built up a steady stream of work. To help Billy out, we first lay out the most important things that he must consider when making this difficult trans...
Dec 07, 2021•50 min
Drone U Producer - Editor, Steve Delasantos, on livin' the drone life. In this Black Friday - Cyber Monday special episode we have a discussion with Drone U's Producer - Editor Steve Delasantos on his experience flying drones, his work with Drone U and how pilots can achieve success in the drone world. We start off discussing Steve's encounter with a fellow drone pilot on showcasing the best practices for flight take off and how these important procedures are often forgotten by most pilots in th...
Nov 28, 2021•39 min
Mac or Windows? Laptops or Desktops? What are some of the best options for drone pilots? Today’s show is about the best computer options available for drone pilots. Our caller for today, Cody is, of course, a drone pilot who is scouting for the best and most affordable computer system. So, what are some of the main things that Cody should consider when buying a computer for his drone business? How can he get the maximum bang for the buck? To answer Cody’s question, we first discuss the all-new M...
Nov 26, 2021•14 min
Hyundai makes some major strides Urban Air Mobility, Space Tourism receives a fillip, Who are the top drone manufacturers in the world and so much more…. This week’s drone news is about all the latest developments in the drone industry, from urban air mobility to racing leagues. In this week’s drone news show, our first story is on urban air mobility. With automobile major, Hyundai announcing their new Urban Air Mobility division, it looks like technology will revolutionize the way we travel in ...
Nov 19, 2021•16 min
Which are the best drones for flying over people? What are the drone laws for flying over people? Today’s show is about flying drones over people. Specifically, our caller for today, Bryan would like to know if there are any drones available in the market that comply with all the regulatory requirements for flying over people. Great question, Bryan. And certainly, not a straightforward one. We start this show by referencing the RaceDay Quad lawsuit challenging drone remote-id. Next up, you will ...
Nov 17, 2021
Working “On” Your Drone Business, Getting Clients from the Internet, and How to Overcome Your Fear of Cold Calling Our caller for today, Cristian is worried about the impact of the upcoming winter on his drone business. With solar inspection and mapping jobs likely to dry up, Cristian is wondering how he can sustain his business in this “lean period”. On today’s show, you will learn the importance of looking at your drone business from a long-term perspective. From getting business from the inte...
Nov 13, 2021•30 min
DJI Mavic 3 Sneak Peek – Why this New DJI Drone Fails to Impress, and the Fallout of the Failed Drone Attack on US Power Grid This week’s drone news is about the DJI Mavic 3. Will DJI continue its stellar run with this new drone? We take a good, hard look at this new DJI offering, share some latest updates, and discuss how some missing, critical features might stave off many potential buyers. Specifically, we discuss how the lack of an SDK module on the DJI Mavic 3 makes it less suitable for com...
Nov 12, 2021•18 min
Drone Battery Maintenance | Expert Tips for Improving Drone Battery Life Today’s show is about drone battery maintenance. What are some best practices for using your drone batteries and prolonging life? Our caller for today, Todd works in a fire department and manages a large fleet of drones. Todd’s question is about drone battery maintenance. Owing to the nature of his job, Todd needs to make sure that he can fly at a moment’s notice. How can he ensure that all his drone batteries are sufficien...
Nov 11, 2021•18 min
Autonomous Drones and the Pressing Need to Revamp Drone Laws, Skydio Updates, Working Upcoming Drone Conference in Houston, DJI News In this week's drone news show, we focus on autonomous drones, and the pressing need to introduce new drone laws that are in alignment with the rapid technological strides. In our first story, we discuss the recommendations made by a UK-based research agency to monitor unmanned flights. This research agency has recommended the use of electronic systems which enable...
Nov 04, 2021•26 min
How to Create More Accurate Drone Maps and Models Today’s show is about drone mapping. Our caller for today, Eduardo wishes to specifically know if using a GNSS rover and marking GCP points can improve the accuracy of his drone mapping deliverables. To help Eduardo out, we first clear up some fundamentals of drone mapping. Topics discussed here include the difference between relative accuracy and absolute accuracy and the importance of ground sampling distance. You will also learn how to select ...
Nov 02, 2021•27 min
