Drone News Roundup: Beautiful Cinematic Mavic 3 Pro Video, HoverAir Upgrades Selfie Drone ahead of DJI Neo Launch, and More!

This week we’re covering a beautiful new video shot entirely on the Mavic 3 Pro featuring shots of wildlife and dramatic mountain landscapes.

We’re also covering upgrades to HoverAir’s X1 selfie drone ahead of the competing DJI Neo launch, Walmart ending drone delivery programs in three states, big improvements to Drone as First Responder programs through a new partnership between BRINC and Echodyne, and news about the schedule at Commercial UAV Expo, which is just two weeks away.

Now let’s get to those links!

Rolling Mountains with the Mavic 3 Pro

Need a moment of zen? Take a few minutes to watch this video expertly shot and edited by YouTuber @genki_drone92‬ entirely on the Mavic 3 Pro. According to the video’s creator, the Mavic 3 Pro’s triple-camera system elevated his entire approach to shooting, allowing him to “capture different viewing angles from the same drone, elevating my creative process to a whole new level.” He went on to say that “the 3 x tele camera was ideal for capturing jockeys, lambs, and cows . . . [and] the 7 x camera was great for shooting wildlife and other animals from farther away.” 

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HoverAir’s Selfie Drone Gets Big Upgrades ahead of DJI Neo Launch

Leaks about the DJI Neo have been all over the internet recently. Although its exact launch date is unknown, it’s clearly coming soon. And that is probably why the HoverAir X1—a popular selfie drone seen by many as the inspiration for the Neo—may be getting a major upgrade. Zero Zero Robotics, the company that makes the HoverAir X1, has put out two new versions:

• The HoverAir X1 Pro. Comes with a 1/2″ CMOS sensor and 17mm wide-angle lens, and can capture 4K videos at 60fps.
• The X1 Pro Max. Comes with a 1/1.3″ sensor and 16mm wide-angle lens, and captures 8K video at 30fps in 10-bit HDR.

When you look at the leaked Neo specs, it looks like these new HoverAir’s will beat the Neo in terms of video resolution. But the Neo has a lot of other compelling features, including voice control—stay tuned for news about its launch.

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Walmart Stops DroneUp Drone Delivery Services in Three States

Credit: Walmart

Walmart is ending drone delivery programs run by its partner DroneUp in Phoenix, AZ, Salt Lake City, UT, and Tampa, FL. The reason? The programs are just too expensive. At the moment, it costs $30 to make a drone delivery—more than it would cost to use other methods. DroneUp CEO Tom Walker recently said he wants to bring the cost down to $7, which would make it more viable. But for now, three of the delivery programs the company was conducting with Walmart will stop, which means that 18 Walmart delivery hubs will close, resulting in layoffs of 17% of DroneUp’s workforce (70 employees). You may remember that a Florida man recently shot down a DroneUp delivery drone making a test delivery for Walmart in Lake County, FL—apparently that program, which was just getting started, is still active.

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BRINC Partners with Echodyne to Automate DFR Programs

BRINC and Echodyne are partnering to bring “true BVLOS” to Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs, allowing these programs to operate without the need for visual observers. In a DFR program, a drone is deployed automatically to the scene of a 911 call, giving first responders early and ongoing intel to inform their response to the emergency. Through the partnership, Echodyne’s cutting-edge radar technology will be integrated into BRINC’s DFR solution, which includes the Responder Drone. This addition allows the drone to fly automated DFR missions, enabling automatic grounding or rerouting to avoid air traffic as well as alerting pilots to potential dangers.

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Commercial UAV Expo Is Just Two Weeks Away

Commercial UAV Expo is just two weeks away! The conference will take place from September 3-5 at Caesar’s Forum in Las Vegas, NV. Register here if you’re not already signed up.

Wondering what the schedule looks like? Here are the broad strokes:

• September 3: Outdoor flying demonstrations (6:15 AM – 12:00 PM)
• September 3: Exhibit hall opens (5:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
• September 4: Full day of keynotes, exhibits, and sessions (8:00 AM – 6:30 PM)
• September 5: Keynote, exhibits, and sessions continue (8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

Daily features include exhibit hall hours, theater presentations, and breakout sessions, as well as networking events, including a welcome reception and happy hour. Learn more about the conference and why we’re so excited to attend here.

Planning to attend? We’ll be exhibiting—make sure to come see us at Booth 1226!

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