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Earlier today, DJI announced the latest entry in its popular line of consumer drones: the Mavic Air. The drone starts at $799, which is $400 more than the Spark's current going rate and $200 below the cost of a new Mavic Pro. "The entry-level package does include a dedicated controller, though, albeit one without an integrated display," reports Ars Technica. "The Mavic Air is available for pre-order today, and DJI says the device will start shipping on January 28." From the report: At first blush, the Mavic Air appears to find a middle ground between DJI's beginner-friendly Spark drone and its pricier but more technically capable Mavic Pro. Like both of those devices, the Mavic Air is small -- at 168x184x64mm, it's a bit larger than the Spark but smaller than the Mavic Pro. Like the latter, its arms can be folded inward, which should make it relatively easy to pack and transport. Its design doesn't stray too far from the past, either, with the rounded, swooping lines of its chassis punctuated by stubby, Spark-like propeller arms. The whole thing weighs 430 grams, which is much lighter than the Mavic Pro's 734g and a bit heavier than the Spark's 300g chassis. DJI says it can reach up to 42.5 miles per hour in its "sport" mode, which is faster than both the Spark (30mph) and Mavic Pro (40mph). It has a flight range of 2.5 miles with the included controller -- provided you keep it in your line of sight -- which is closer to the Spark than the Pro. With a smartphone, that range drops to 262 feet, the same as the Spark. The drone carries a 12-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and a 24mm F2.8 lens. As with all DJI drones, it comes integrated into the device. Notably, like the Mavic Pro, it's capable of capturing video in 4K up to 30 frames per second, with 1080p video up to 60fps. It can also take DNG photos.

Earlier today, DJI announced the latest entry in its popular line of consumer drones: the Mavic Air. The drone starts at $799, which is $400 more than the Spark's current going rate and $200 below the cost of a new Mavic Pro. "The entry-level package does include a dedicated controller, though, albeit one without an integrated display," reports Ars Technica. "The Mavic Air is available for pre-order today, and DJI says the device will start shipping on January 28." From the report: At first blush, the Mavic Air appears to find a middle ground between DJI's beginner-friendly Spark drone and its pricier but more technically capable Mavic Pro. Like both of those devices, the Mavic Air is small -- at 168x184x64mm, it's a bit larger than the Spark but smaller than the Mavic Pro. Like the latter, its arms can be folded inward, which should make it relatively easy to pack and transport. Its design doesn't stray too far from the past, either, with the rounded, swooping lines of its chassis punctuated by stubby, Spark-like propeller arms. The whole thing weighs 430 grams, which is much lighter than the Mavic Pro's 734g and a bit heavier than the Spark's 300g chassis. DJI says it can reach up to 42.5 miles per hour in its "sport" mode, which is faster than both the Spark (30mph) and Mavic Pro (40mph). It has a flight range of 2.5 miles with the included controller -- provided you keep it in your line of sight -- which is closer to the Spark than the Pro. With a smartphone, that range drops to 262 feet, the same as the Spark. The drone carries a 12-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and a 24mm F2.8 lens. As with all DJI drones, it comes integrated into the device. Notably, like the Mavic Pro, it's capable of capturing video in 4K up to 30 frames per second, with 1080p video up to 60fps. It can also take DNG photos.

Earlier today, DJI announced the latest entry in its popular line of consumer drones: the Mavic Air. The drone starts at $799, which is $400 more than the Spark's current going rate and $200 below the cost of a new Mavic Pro. "The entry-level package does include a dedicated controller, though, albeit one without an integrated display," reports Ars Technica. "The Mavic Air is available for pre-order today, and DJI says the device will start shipping on January 28." From the report: At first blush, the Mavic Air appears to find a middle ground between DJI's beginner-friendly Spark drone and its pricier but more technically capable Mavic Pro. Like both of those devices, the Mavic Air is small -- at 168x184x64mm, it's a bit larger than the Spark but smaller than the Mavic Pro. Like the latter, its arms can be folded inward, which should make it relatively easy to pack and transport. Its design doesn't stray too far from the past, either, with the rounded, swooping lines of its chassis punctuated by stubby, Spark-like propeller arms. The whole thing weighs 430 grams, which is much lighter than the Mavic Pro's 734g and a bit heavier than the Spark's 300g chassis. DJI says it can reach up to 42.5 miles per hour in its "sport" mode, which is faster than both the Spark (30mph) and Mavic Pro (40mph). It has a flight range of 2.5 miles with the included controller -- provided you keep it in your line of sight -- which is closer to the Spark than the Pro. With a smartphone, that range drops to 262 feet, the same as the Spark. The drone carries a 12-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and a 24mm F2.8 lens. As with all DJI drones, it comes integrated into the device. Notably, like the Mavic Pro, it's capable of capturing video in 4K up to 30 frames per second, with 1080p video up to 60fps. It can also take DNG photos.

linuxwrangler writes: Chinese drone maker DJI proposed that drones be required to transmit a unique identifier to assist law enforcement to identify operators where necessary. Anyone with an appropriate receiver could receive the ID number, but the database linking the ID with the registered owner would only be available to government agencies. DJI likens this to a license plate on a car and offers it as a solution to a congressional mandate that the FAA develop methods to remotely identify drone operators. "The best solution is usually the simplest," DJI wrote in a white paper on the topic, which can be downloaded at this link. "The focus of the primary method for remote identification should be on a way for anyone concerned about a drone flight in close proximity to report an identifier number to the authorities, who would then have the tools to investigate the complaint without infringing on operator privacy. [...] No other technology is subject to mandatory industry-wide tracking and recording of its use, and we strongly urge against making UAS the first such technology. The case for such an Orwellian model has not been made. A networked system provides more information than needed, to people who don't require it, and exposes confidential business information in the process."

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: The Inspire wasn't the only DJI line to get a refresh at today's intimate event in Los Angeles. The company's Phantom line is also getting a bump, with the addition of the Phantom 4 Pro. Like the Inspire 2, the refreshed prosumer model features improved obstacle avoidance, courtesy of infrared light pulses that bring detection to the sides of the system, in addition to current 3D mapping of the drone's front, rear and bottom detection. The 4 Pro has a top speed of 45 miles an hour in sport mode (and 31 mph in P mode with obstacle avoidance switched on), coupled with a battery that promises up to 30 minutes of flight time on a charge. The system also has a number of new flight modes like Draw, which let users traces lines on the control to create routes. The system has built in ActiveTrack object recognition, which can distinguish and follow people and bikes. The on-board camera, meanwhile, sports a 20-megapixel sensor and is capable of capturing 4K video at 60fps. The system also sports a new safety feature that returns the drone to its last connected position after it loses a GPS signal. The Pro runs $1,499, a price that includes the standard controller. Another $300 will get you a high-luminescence version of the control. It's available now for pre-order and is set to start shipping in a week. DJI has been releasing high-quality drones left and right lately. In September, the company announced the Mavic Pro drone that can fold up into roughly the "size of a standard water bottle." In addition to the Phantom 4 Pro drone unveiled today, the company also updated the Inspire, the drone line focused specifically on filmmakers and pro photographers. The Inspire 2 features an aluminum alloy frame and two new camera options -- the X5S, which features a micro four-third sensor at 20.8 megapixels and supports 10 lenses, and the X4S, a lightweight pro camera with a 20-megapixel sensor. What's more is that it can capture 5.2K video at a rate of 4.2 Gbps and travel at speeds up to 67-miles an hour. The Inspire 2 will cost $2,999.

It didn't take long for DJI to respond to GoPro's voice-controlled Karma drone. Today, the company has unveiled the Mavic Pro, an ultra-portable drone that can fold up into roughly the "size of a standard water bottle," DJI says. Of course, it also features a high-resolution camera and several autonomous software tricks. PetaPixel reports: Despite its petite form factor, the drone packs a punch: there's a 4K camera on the front, a visual navigation system, a 4.3-mile (7km) range, and a 27-minute flight time. By comparison, the Karma has a range of 0.62 miles (1km) and a flight time of 20 minutes. The Mavic Pro can be operated with a remote controller for long-range uses, or simply with your smartphone if you're not planning to fly it far. For the latter, the drone can go from folded up to in flight in less than a minute. In the Mavic Pro is a new FlightAutonomy system, which uses 5 cameras, GPS and GLONASS navigation, 2 ultrasonic rangefinders, redundant sensors, and 24 computing cores to serve as the drone's "brain and nervous system." Using FlightAutonomy, the Mavic Pro can follow positions and routes while avoiding obstacles at 22mph (36kph), allowing you to create advanced flights with minimal input and flying skills. What's more, the drone can even be controlled with your physical gestures, making it easy to shoot an aerial selfie if you so desire. A new compact remote controller has been designed for the Mavic Pro, and it features an LCD screen with essential data, dedicated buttons (e.g. Return-to-Home, Intelligent Flight pause), and a OcuSync video link system that provides live view at 1080p resolution. DJI is also announcing DJI Goggles to go along with the Mavic Pro. Wearing the goggles allows you to fly the drone with an immersive 85-degree view in full 1080p, viewing the world through the eyes of the drone. The DJI Mavic Pro will be available starting October 15th, 2016, with a price tag of $749 for just the drone and $999 with a remote controller bundled in. The DJI Mavic introduction video can be viewed here.

An anonymous reader writes: DJI has issued a software update this week that prevents its unmanned aerial vehicles from flying over the Olympic venues. The temporary no-fly zones, which will be in place for the duration of the games, include Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, and several other Brazilian cities. The Brazilian military requested DJI to prohibit its drones from entering certain coordinates in the cities, and DJI complied. "DJI is proud to work with Brazilian authorities to put temporary no-fly zones in place during this important time, in order to increase safety and security at high-profile locations and reduce the likelihood of drone operators inadvertently entering sensitive areas," Manual Martinez, DJI Latin America corporate communications director, said in a statement. "The overwhelming majority of DJI customers want to operate safely and within the law," Martinez said. "And establishing clear no-fly zones helps reduce any potential for drone operations that could distract from the upcoming events."

An anonymous reader writes: The world's most successful consumer drone manufacturer, DJI, has filed a lawsuit in California claiming Yuneec has infringed on two of its patents. The claim centers on "systems and methods for target tracking," and "interchangeable mounting platform." They're asking the court to halt the sale of the infringing Yuneec products and systems. The case marks the first legal battle in the consumer drone industry. "DJI welcomes competition, but is committed to protecting its intellectual property," a press release on the filing stated. "Friday's filing is a response to safeguard that investment, to protect customers and partners and to promote genuine innovation in this promising area." Last year, Yuneec launched the 4K Typhoon drone to compete with DJI's Phantom 3 Professional drone. It also announced the Typhoon H at CES, which is equipped with an Intel RealSense camera.

Nerval's Lobster writes: Ford and Chinese technology company DJI (which manufactures drones that specialize in aerial photography) used the spotlight of this year's CES to announce a developer challenge: figure out how someone can use the dashboard touch-screen to launch (and land) a drone from the back of a pickup. While the challenge is framed as a "search-and-rescue system for the future," drone control from a moving vehicle has a lot more applications than search-and-rescue. In 2014, Renault designed a concept car that came with a small flying drone controllable via tablet or preset GPS waypoints. In theory, this "flying companion," launched from a retractable hatch in the roof, could prove especially useful at scanning the road ahead for possible traffic jams. (Renault hasn't yet announced a production model of the car.) So are drones-from-cars an odd sideshow? Maybe. But if they catch on, imagine the driver-distraction issues from trying to pilot a UAV while you're on the road.