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Today's show is about using drones in the oil and gas industry. Our caller for today, Jason from Texas wishes to leverage his experience in the oil and gas industry. He is wondering about the best way to market his drone services to industry stakeholders. In today's show, we discuss regulations, safety concerns, and marketing tactics. Thanks for the great question, Jason. Fly Safe! Drone Regulatio...

Today's show is about extinguishing a drone battery fire. We dispel some common misconceptions and reveal the best solution so that you can avert any disaster. Our caller for today, Bob tuned in to our previous show, Can You Get Into Trouble for Not Retrieving Your Drone After a Crash? And after listening in, he has come up with a great follow-up question. Bob's question is about extinguishing a f...

Today's question is about the new executive order issued by President Trump on January 18, 2021. Just before President Trump ended his term, he signed a bunch of executive orders - one of them being Executive Order 13981 on January 18, 2021. Titled "Protecting United States from Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems", this order places restrictions on the use of drones and drone spare parts manufactur...

Today's show is about the current drone industry trend that has become really popular lately. Our caller for today, Tom has come up with a great question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before. Tom's question is about the current drone industry trend where manufacturers are charging extra for add-on services and accessories. While this trend is now catching on in the drone industry, subscri...

Today's question is about drone laws. Specifically, what should a drone pilot do when flying near manned aircraft? Our caller for today, German is from Florida. Recently, when flying his drone at a 200 feet altitude, he came dangerously close to a helicopter. So, can helicopters legally fly at such low altitudes? And, should drone pilots always yield to manned aircraft even if they are flying with...

Today's show is about the DJI Crystalsky. Experienced pilot and Drone U's newest instructor, Tom has called in with a great question today. Considering the US's toughening stance towards Chinese companies, is it still safe for you to buy DJI equipment? Specifically, the DJI Crystalsky. Is it true that DJI Crystalsky is nearing its end of life? Can you still update your apps and get adequate suppor...

Today's show is about the all-new Sony Airpeak Drone. Recently, Sony unveiled a new prosumer grade drone at CES 2021. This new drone, The Sony Airpeak comes with an FPV camera, obstacle avoidance, and an impressive payload. Mounting troubles for DJI have thrown up some interesting possibilities for other drone manufacturers who wish to jump into the fray. And considering Sony's past partnership wi...

Today's show is about the commercial viability of the DJI Mavic Air 2. Our caller for today, Matt files a DJI Mavic Air 2. Matt is wondering if he can use this beginner drone for commercial drone photography and videography. Can Matt compete with drone pilots who fly more expensive drones like the Mavic 2 and Inspire 2? The different options discussed today include the Mavic 2 Pro, the Mavic 2 Zoo...

Today's show is about a drone crash. Can you get into trouble for NOT retrieving your drone after a crash? Our caller for today, Gavin recently crashed his DJI Mavic Air 2 in a canyon. Notwithstanding his lost investment and footage, should Gavin retrieve his lost drone? What are the risks of leaving your drone out in the wild? You will learn how to retrieve your lost drone and the dangers of over...

In today's show, we share our predictions for the drone industry in 2021. 2020 was a particularly turbulent year for the drone industry. Along with the pandemic, we also witnessed a significant increase in the anti-China rhetoric which compounded troubles for industry leader, DJI. But with the end of the pandemic finally in sight, can we expect things to finally turn a corner in 2021? Can we expec...

Today's question is about affordable drones that can be used for creating content for social media. Specifically, we discuss the DJI Mavic Mini 2, DJI Mavic Air 2, and DJI Mavic Pro 2 in today's show. Our caller for today, Emily has come up with a great question. Specifically, Emily needs a drone for posting to social media. And, she is wondering if the DJI Mavic Mini 2 is a good option for her. I...

Today's question is about drone cameras with regular (EO) and thermal capabilities. Which is the most affordable set-up for drone pilots that generates good results? Our caller for today, Dave is on the lookout for a drone camera with EO and thermal capabilities. However, he is on a tight budget. So, which is the most affordable drone camera that will get the job done? Does he absolutely need a ra...

Today's question is about police drones. Which are some of the best drones for law enforcement? And, what are some of the most important things that the department should consider when setting up a new drone program? Our caller for today, Officer Abrennaman is calling from Montgomery County, Ohio. His police department has recently kickstarted a drone program, and Alex is wondering if they have pu...

DJI's New FPV Drone To Be Released This Christmas?, Police Drones, Troubles Compound for DJI as Senior Employees Jump Ship Our biggest story this week is about DJI's new FPV drone. If you are a regular ADU listener, you must be aware of all the latest industry rumors pertaining to this new DJI drone. Now, you shall be enthused to learn that DJI's has submitted their FCC filings for this new drone,...

Our biggest story this week is about a Philadelphia drone pilot and YouTuber, Mikey. FAA's decision to slap a mammoth $185,000 fine (!) on Mikey for his 123 infractions has been met with disbelief and mixed reactions by industry stake-holders. While there are some who feel that Mikey had it coming after blatanty ignoring FAA's many warnings, there are yet others who feel that this fine is too hars...

In today's show, we attempt to decode what navigable airspace truly means. Getting to the bottom of this can help drone pilots navigate the confusing maze of drone rules and laws to clearly understand where they can and cannot fly. Back in 1946, United States vs. Causby (1946), a Supreme Court decision abolished "ad coelum". "Ad coelum" stated that a person who owned the soil also owned all of the...

Today's show is about renewing your Part 107 certificate in the wake of COVID. With most CATS centers shut down due to a second lockdown, how can drone pilots renew their Part 107 certificate? In normal circumstances, Part 107 pilots need to visit a testing center to renew their Part 107 certificate. However, this renewal procedure has changed in the wake of covid. With many areas announcing secon...

Drone Gift Ideas for Christmas |DJI Mavic Mini 2 Our question today is about the DJI Mavic Mini 2. You will learn why this newly launched, sub-250 gram micro-drone is the BEST drone that you can buy for your kids (PERIOD!). An ADU listener needs our help. He is thinking of buying a drone for his kid, and is totally confused by the myriad of options. So, what would you look for in a drone that you...

Today's question is about getting your Wide Area Airspace Authorization (WAAS). Do you need WAAS if you are planning on flying in controlled airspace at twilight? Our caller for today, Kevin has come up with a great question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before. Kevin's question is about getting approval to fly in controlled airspace at twilight. Recently, while flying a job for Amazon, K...

Today's question is about getting airspace approval from an airport that is not LAANC-enabled. Our caller for today, Chris has a question about getting permission to fly near an airport without LAANC. As per the FAA, getting airspace approval from a non-LAANC enabled airport can take up to 90 days. Clearly, this is not a feasible timeframe for most drone pilots. So, is there any way to speed up th...

Today's show is about fixing your drone after a crash. What is the best and most reliable place to get your drone fixed in event of a crash? Our caller for today, Jon bought a new Phantom 3 Advanced and crashed it soon after. Jon is looking for some recommendations to get his drone fixed. How can you figure out the extent of damage on your drone after a crash? Should you attempt to fix your drone...

DJI Mavic Mini 2, DJI Mavic Mini 2 Specs, DJI Mavic Mini vs. Mavic Mini 2 Our biggest story this week is about the DJI Mavic Mini 2. DJI has launched this new drone which is a significant improvement over the original Mini. The new Mavic Mini 2 comes with 4K capabilities and Occusync - features originally found in more expensive drones like the Mavic 2 Pro. Additionally, Haye managed to get his ha...

Drone Crash | How To Avoid Getting into Vortex Ring State Today's question is about getting your drone into a vortex ring state and crashing your drone. As drone technology becomes more and more sophisticated, do you need to worry about getting into a vortex ring state at all? Our caller for today, Sean is a regular ADU listener and has listened to us talk about the dangers of getting your drone i...

Today's quesiton is about drone remote id and micro-drones like the DJI Mavic Mini 2. Our caller for today, Adam has a question about Remote ID. If you are a regular ADU listener, you might be aware of this contentious issue that will greatly impact the drone industry as a whole. Now, Adam is wondering if he needs to comply with these restrictive remote-id rules at all if he flies a micro-drone we...

Today's question is about drone mapping. What are some deliverables that you can offer without scale constraints and GCP's? Our caller for today, Marc has come up with a great question about drone mapping. Specifically, Marc is wondering if there are any drone mapping uses that do not require the use of GCP's and scale constraints. As you may be aware, marking GCP's requires expensive GPS equipmen...