Recent Drone Articles

NTSB Issues Final Report on Collision Between Drone and Army Helicopter

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued its final report on a midair collision between a DJI Phantom drone and a Black Hawk helicopter in September of 2017 that damaged one of the rotor blades of the helicopter, becoming one of the first confirmed and fully investigated incidents between a drone and a manned aircraft.

Drone Versus DSLR Astrophotography: Can a Mavic 2 Take Down Nikon?

Common sense would suggest that drones aren’t equipped for astrophotography. The slightest wind can ruin the long exposure needed to capture the Milky Way center, never mind the challenge of flying relatively blind at night. A DSLR mounted on a tripod properly situated on the ground is the only way the capture the Milky Way in all its glory, right? Maybe not.

The Best of Drone Photography in 2015

Over the past few years, the drone has truly been a transcending device in photography and beyond. They give us a different, unique perspective of the world. The best drone photos of 2015 show us why they have grown so rapidly in popularity. Dronestagram, a site dedicated to drone enthusiasts, display their best photos of 2015.

DJI Phantom 4 Is An Entirely New Beast and Looks Like It, Too

Over the last few years, there just haven't been that many massive updates to DJI's Phantom drone lineup. The biggest was perhaps the inclusion of its own camera when it ditched the need to add a GoPro to the bundle. But just looking at today's Phantom 4 design is enough to indicate the major steps DJI took to step into an entirely new generation of autonomy. Featuring class-leading obstacle avoidance and autonomous flying modes, the Phantom 4 is so good that people are afraid of the implications of never actually having to learn to pilot a drone.

Man's Neighbor Shoots His $3,000 DJI Inspire 2 Drone Out of the Sky

Who here owns a drone? Who here knows every single minute rule, regulation, and flight path allowed to actually fly it personally or commercially? Probably not very many. As the market grows, we find the FAA expanding rulings and steps to go by to make sure you are being safe and responsible when flying these types of devices. Though, even with all those in place we can still find ourselves with a wild neighbor prepared to shoot the thing straight out of the sky with ease.

A Hands-On Look at the New DJI Spark

The new DJI Spark is an intriguing and adorable little (so little) drone. While its size, specs, and usability features all seem to point at it being a drone for the masses, there are many of us wondering how it might hold up in more professional circumstances. Check out this early hands-on review to find out.

GoPro Records Woman Stealing Drone and Falsely Claiming It 'Almost Killed' Her

A first-person view (FPV) drone operator recently crashed his drone in a park where he had permission to fly. While the drone landed at least dozens of yards away from the nearest person, a woman walked the distance with her dog, picked up the drone, tucked it under her shirt, and walked away. The GoPro attached to the drone continued to record the entire incident, including the aggressive verbal language and possibly multiple 911 calls she made as she became rather hysterical and the situation got out of hand.

Updated: It Was a Matter of Time: Drone Strikes Plane at Heathrow Airport in London

When will people learn? It's usually the minority that ruin the fun for the masses, and it looks like we have that situation across the pond at Heathrow Airport in London, England. An incident has been reported to police this afternoon at 12:50 pm about a drone colliding with a plane. This would be one of, if not the first reports of a drone actually striking an aircraft.

Wedding Photographer Takes Gorgeous Video Using Drone

This is by far one of the most gorgeous drone videos I've ever seen. Shot in California by Adam Rubin of Kaveret, its elegance and narrative beauty make it stand far above the crowded playing field.

Johnny FPV's Piloting Skills Give Drones a New Perspective

Drones create unique new ways to film but as technology seems to advance day after day, true pilots begin to push these drones to their limits. Meet Johnny FPV, a drone pilot who has helped take FPV freestyle to the public eye.

Drone Captures Amazing Footage of Big Wave Surfer Ride and Rescue

In late February an approaching storm sent the big wave surfing community into action when forecasts predicted good conditions for some monster swell near Nazaré, Portugal. Surfers and photographers alike drop everything when big wave conditions appear for the chance of winning one of the Big Wave Awards offered by various companies and organizations. On February 28, drone footage of several surfers was captured in a rescue attempt after one surfer wiped out towards the end of his ride. The resulting footage is an amazing example of how drones are bringing the size, danger, and pure intensity of big wave surfing to spectators and couch surfers at home.

DJI Phantom 5 Pro Quadcopter Wishlist of New Features

I absolutely love flying my DJI Phantom 4 Pro. This is my first quadcopter, and from talking with other pilots, the Phantom 4 Pro clearly evolved from previous generations. I am continuously implementing my Phantom in my still photography work and by no means is this a desire for obsolescence. The Phantom 4 hasn't been on the market that long and there are a ton of great accessories available that make it even better, too. This is part review of the Phantom 4 Pro and part feedback for what I hope inevitable future updates bring for so many pilots. While there is still time ahead of the next release, here is my wishlist for features that the Phantom 5 Pro might carry.

What’s New With the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0?

DJI just released a new Phantom V2.0 that adds a new model to the already crowded Phantom family. This V2.0 variant brings evolutions to the table. So, what’s new?

GoPro Karma Drones Are Falling From the Sky

If you haven't heard yet, the new GoPro Karma drones have officially been recalled due to sudden lost of power while in flight. This isn’t very good news for GoPro.

DJI Mavic Air 2 Versus Every Other DJI Drones

DJI has recently introduced Mavic Air 2 and it looks like the best small-sized drone option at the moment. But how does it compete against the other DJI drones?

Drone Pilot Wins Potentially Landmark Lawsuit

In what could be a seminal case for drone operators in the United States, a Massachusetts man has won a lawsuit that challenged the legality of a local ordinance that restricted the usage of drones and required a registration fee, both beyond the level already set forth by the FAA.

GoPro Releases Karma Drone Alongside Hero5 Black and Session Cameras with Gorgeous, Action-Packed Video

GoPro has brilliantly teased us with its careful, controlled releases of Karma drone videos. Today, they've launched the new Karma alongside a pair of Hero5 cameras that are as wonderful to see as the Karma itself. Advanced stabilization looks impressive in the videos (see the mountain biking scene at 1:53), but something to note is how cinematic the image quality now looks. It won't be as easy to tell GoPro footage from other high-quality cameras. And about that Karma: does $799, remote, backpack case, and gimbal handgrip included get you excited?

A Comparison of the DJI Spark, Mavic Pro, and Phantom 4 Pro Video Quality

If there's one thing no one can accuse DJI of, it's having too few drones for consumers to choose from. If you're looking to purchase the Spark, Mavic Pro, or Phantom 4 Pro, this quick comparison will give you a glimpse at the relative video quality between the three popular options.

ParaZero Announces Chutes for Mavic, Phantom Drones

Drones are incredible tools for capturing unique images, but they are susceptible to lost signals, crashes, and other calamities that can hurt your wallet or, worse, someone else. Drone pilots looking to add another layer of safety to the already impressive features on their vehicle will be excited to hear about the latest announcement out of Xponential 2018.

Fstoppers Reviews the Clear Night Filter: Enabling Astrophotography With a Drone?

If you’re into astrophotography, a drone typically isn’t your camera of choice. That’s why I was surprised to see Haida’s release of a light-pollution reducing filter for the new Mavic 3, which they’re calling the NanoPro Clear-Night Filter. Does this filter change the experience of shooting with a drone at night?

Must-Have Accessories and Apps for Your DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter

When buying a quadcopter, it’s hard to know where to draw the line on what accessories you should be buying with it. It’s already an expensive investment independent of all of the extras you’ll practically need. It’s even more painful to consider how a simple, inexpensive component can keep you from flying successfully. After adding a DJI Phantom 4 Pro + to my lineup, I complied a list of all of the hardware I found most valuable to help you get the greatest return on your investment.

Why Should You Buy the DJI Mavic Air 2?

The Mavic Air 2, DJI’s latest drone, sits squarely between its other drones, the Mavic Mini and the Mavic 2 Pro, but what does it offer that its siblings don’t? Gena Nagata, a.k.a Potato Jet, takes all three for a spin to find out.

Is the 2017 GoPro Karma Any Better? Updated Review for the Re-Released Karma Drone

In case you missed it, the GoPro Karma was recalled last year due to sudden loss of power which would cause the drone to crash mid-flight. Not a good thing for a first drone from any company, let alone GoPro. The re-release for the Karma drones fixed the issue by adding latches to keep the battery secure during flight, but were there any changes to the Karma drone to improve it?

Photographer Uses Drones to Illuminate Nighttime Landscapes

We've heard of or seen drones that shoot stills and video and even deliver packages. But have you ever heard of a photographer using drones to illuminate landscapes for still images? Watch this video to learn about this incredible take on landscape photography.

DJI Launch Complaint Against the BBC for Their Portrayal of Drones in Recent Programs, Call It 'Sensationalist'

DJI, one of the world’s leading drone manufacturers, has formally lodged a complaint against the BBC for a pair of "biased" programs they aired on drone safety. DJI claim the broadcaster included little of the information they provided for the programs, and that the shows were sensationalist by focusing on high-risk incidents like the Gatwick Airport drone crisis.

DJI Announces Zenmuse X7: First Super 35 Camera Optimized for Aerial Cinema

When it comes to flying cameras, there's no doubt that DJI is at the top of the game. Alongside its consumer, pro-sumer, and professional cinema options, today DJI announced the Super 35-format Zenmuse X7. Designed to work seamlessly with the Inspire 2 drone, the X7 features a number of advancements to make it the perfect match for cinema-quality aerial video capture.

A Beginner’s Guide to Using Drones

Have you thought about buying a drone but hesitated because you don't know how to fly them? This is exactly what you need.

Drone Explodes in Alligator's Mouth After It Snatches It Out of the Sky

In the latest installment of social media "influencers" ruining everything, an alligator was likely severely harmed after a TikTok influencer harassed it with a drone to the point that the animal literally jumped out of the water to snatch the device, causing the drone's battery to explode in its mouth.

This Drone Uses DJI Cameras and Can Film Underwater

I got the new DJI Phantom 4 Pro 10 days ago. I just flew it for the first time yesterday. Know why? Because Cleveland is a nonstop fountain of bad weather. I need this new waterproof drone in my life.

Intel Uses 100 Drones to Set a Beautiful World Record

We can all agree that there's nothing wrong with a little publicity stunt, as long as it's awesome, right? I think that Intel has achieved that with this video they released during their CES keynote last week in Las Vegas. It's pretty straightforward actually, just 100 drones flown simultaneously in the sky while performing a choreographed light routine as a live orchestra played Beethoven's 5th Symphony. Go big or go home, right?

Don't Miss This Incredible Footage From Inside a Category Four Hurricane

There is no reason anyone would reasonably sail into a hurricane, but thankfully, nowadays, we have autonomous vehicles that can enter them to collect footage and data for scientific research. The results from the 2021 season were incredible, as this terrifying footage shows.

BTS: Aladdin and His Magic Carpet Come to Life in NYC in Casey Neistat's Latest VLOG

It's hard to keep up with Casey Neistat's daily vlogs, but today's stands out in particular for its special ingenuity and because it's Halloween. Thanks to a little creativity with an electric skateboard, some red cloth, and an Aladdin costume, New York City has Neistat and his buddy, Jesse Wellens, to thank for a truly epic Aladdin and Magic Carpet sighting. Go behind the scenes and see how they filmed it.

DJI Calls FAA Data 'Poorly Chosen' and 'Deeply Flawed'

DJI recently issued a white paper expounding upon the relationship between the weight of drones and the risk posed by them, asserting that current FAA regulations are based on "poorly chosen data and deeply flawed assumptions."

From Google Maps to DJI Inspire: How I Find Places to Shoot Aerial Photography

After about two years of doing aerial photography, I have decided that I will share one of my little secrets for finding a location to shoot. A lot of people tell me that my aerials are really cool, but not too many ask how I find these places. It is funny to answer and say I use Google Maps, but honestly that is the truth and it's the one and only thing I really use when looking for something new to photograph with my drone.

Why You Should Stay On Top of Yourself and Shoot as Much as Possible

I feel like I write a similar article every few months, but this whole theory I have about going and shooting is something that just continues to benefit me day after day. Of course it can be challenging to always go out and shoot or to always even just want to shoot. I know some of us are young, some of us have other jobs, some of us have families or some of us do photography as a hobby...

DJI Mavic Air First Impressions: Strengths and Weaknesses

The highly-anticipated Mavic Air finally landed at Fstoppers a few days ago. This tiny quadcopter comes with an impressive set of features but everything is not perfect. Here is short preview of what I like and dislike about this drone.

A New Approach to Flying DJI Drones: Litchi App

As one of the most popular autonomously flying apps on the market, Litchi is taking the complexity out of flying drones. Drone enthusiasts now can easily set waypoints and POI’s in Google Earth, before even leaving home. By using state of the art technology, Litchi is attempting to corner the market, by replicating features which were once only available through more expensive apps and providing them in a simpler and more affordable format.

10 Reasons to Register With the FAA by January 21, Even If You Don't Have Your Drone Yet

Just in time for 2016, the FAA released a registration system and will require anyone currently operating unmanned aerial systems (UAS), otherwise known as "drones," to register by February 19 of this year. Although the FAA's legal authority over this issue is questionable and although this applies to anyone flying drones only within certain weight guidelines for hobby or recreational use outdoors, there are a number of reasons you should register in the next 10 days, even if these particular circumstances do not apply to you.

I Destroyed a Drone on My First Flight and Here's What I'd Do Differently

The first time you do anything, you’re bound to do it poorly. The first time I shot football, I thought a 1/200 s shutter speed would be perfectly fine to stop action. The first time I shot portraits, I thought my f/1.6 photos were perfectly sharp (they were not even close). And the first time I flew a drone was a catastrophe worse than both of those experiences.