Drone News Roundup: DJI Matrice 3D Shown in Video Secretly Shot through DJI HQ Window, Drone Footage of Strange Driftwood Shack Built on Cliffside, and More!
BY Zacc Dukowitz
12 October 2023This week we’re covering a video secretly shot by drone through a window at DJI HQ showing a prototype of the Matrice 3D.
We’re also covering a drone video showing a strange driftwood shack built on a cliffside in California, news that the DJI FlyCart 30 delivery drone has hit the FCC database, a short video featuring beautiful footage shot by the Mini 4 Pro in Iceland, and updates on the new FAA Reauthorization bill.
Now let’s get to those links!
Matrice 3D Shown in Video Shot through Window of DJI HQ
👉In addition to hunting the DJI Pocket 3, we are not forgetting the DJI Matrice 3D.#dji #djipocket3 pic.twitter.com/rVRd2SwcHy
— Igor Bogdanov (@Quadro_News) October 2, 2023
We’ve seen all kinds of leaks for DJI drones, but this one may be the most audacious. Apparently someone flew a drone outside an upper floor of DJI’s headquarters, shooting video to look for secrets. And it paid off. This video purports to show footage of a prototype of the Matrice 3D, the “mystery industrial drone” that started getting buzz after appearing alongside leaked footage of the Mini 4 Pro. Given the mounting leaks, it seems likely the Matrice 3D could be released before the end of the year.
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Drone Footage Shows Elaborate Driftwood Shack Built on California Cliffside
Well this is strange and amazing. This video shot by YouTuber @ParallaxEffect shows an elaborate structure built from driftwood on a cliffside in California. According to the creator, they first spotted the giant driftwood shack while hiking along the coast, and flew down to investigate. Given the location, it’s pretty incredible that someone was able to get these materials down and make something this intricate without it blowing or washing away. Watch the video for an aerial tour of this incredible driftwood structure.
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DJI FlyCart 30 Will Soon Be for Sale in the U.S.
Credit: DJI
The FlyCart 30 is the first delivery drone DJI has ever made. When DJI launched the FlyCart 30 in August it was only available in China. At the time, we wrote that it probably wouldn’t be available in the U.S. any time soon. That judgment was based on the lag we’ve seen with other drones DJI has launched only in China, including several of the Agras models, which often take six months to over a year to appear in the U.S., if at all.
But the FlyCart 30 is different. DJI recently filed paperwork for the 30 with the FCC, making it look likely that its first delivery drone will soon be available here. The FlyCart 30 can carry up to 66 pounds (30 kilograms) on a dual battery or a whopping 88 pounds on a single battery (40 kilograms) and it can fly up to 10 miles when fully loaded, and 17 miles when empty. Follow the link below to learn all about the new delivery drone from DJI.
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DJI Mini 4 Pro Iceland Short by Travel Vlogger Asa Steinars
https://www.tiktok.com/@asasteinars/video/7282764967852395809
Asa Steinars has built an impressive following on TikTok with videos featuring drone footage shot in far flung locations. In this one, she took the new DJI Mini 4 Pro to Iceland, where she often does shoots. In quick takes, the video showcases the stunning images and video you can capture on the Mini 4 Pro, leading the viewer on a tour of some of Iceland’s most beautiful terrain, including snow-topped mountain peaks and ocean-blue thermal pools.
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FAA Reauthorization Package Faces Further Delays
The FAA is currently in a reauthorization limbo. It’s 5-year 2018 Reauthorization package expired at the end of September and a new one hasn’t been passed yet. Instead, the old one was extended to the end of the year. The extension keeps the lights on, making sure everyone gets paid and operations continue, but it doesn’t have any strategic priorities or deadlines tied to it.
Some of the biggest changes that came with the 2018 Reauthorization included opening LAANC to recreational flyers, and the rollout of the TRUST requirement for recreational flyers. BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) is a big focus for the new Reauthorization, with a proposed requirement that the FAA issue a rule for public review on BVLOS within four months of the Reauthorization passing. The House passed the new Reauthorization package back in June, but it’s been stalled in the Senate since then, leading to the need for the extension.
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