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DJI's drones will stream live video over Facebook
Now that Facebook can stream live video through virtually any device, you're going to find those live feeds coming from unusual places... including overhead. DJI is promising an update in late April that will let you stream its drones' video through Facebook Live, making it comparatively easy to share those dramatic skyline shots with your friends. The feature will work for any model that plays nicely with the DJI Go mobile app, which largely includes recent Phantom and Inspire drones. While you could stream to YouTube before, this definitely widens the playing field -- there's a better chance that more of your social circle will witness your aerial exploits.
Drone smuggling prison contraband gets stymied by stupidity
Smuggling contraband into prison via drone is a bad idea, even if you toss morals out the window: the aircraft are noisy, flashy, and require a good amount of skill to fly in undetected. However, some British crooks didn't get the memo. Police report that unidentified suspects tried using a drone (a DJI Phantom 2 Vision, to be exact) to sneak drugs, phones and weapons into Bedford Prison, only to be foiled when the machine got caught in barbed wire. Prisoners supposedly paid an inmate to accept a delivery from friends on the outside -- if so, there are quite a few people in hot water right now.
DJI's drone safety upgrade rolled back after 'flight behavior' issues
DJI was the unfortunate drone brand of choice to pay an unplanned visit to the White House. The company responded days later with an update that added some new safety features, including GPS geofencing that stops the drone flying about near sensitive places: like the White House. However, it has paused the roll-out of the update after a few reports that "unanticipated flight behavior after updating" to Phantom firmware v3.10. For now, the company advises that Phantom pilots stick to older versions for now until those safety upgrades are completely, well, safe. As Wired recently reported, it's in the best interests of DJI to ensure its drones aren't flying where they shouldn't be...
DJI no longer lets you fly its drones in Washington, DC
' DJI really, really doesn't want to see its drones in the news for the wrong reasons. Just a day after the world learned that one of its robotic vehicles crash-landed at the White House, the company is pushing out a "mandatory" firmware update for its Phantom 2 drones that prevents you from flying anywhere within a 15.5-mile radius of downtown Washington, DC. The move is practically necessary given FAA guidelines barring unmanned vehicles from flying in the area. However, it also means that there's no longer much point to owning a DJI drone in the US capital -- unless you refuse to install any upgrades or regularly head out of the city, you now own a very expensive paperweight. [Image credit: US Secret Service]
Watch a brave drone get dramatically close to an erupting volcano
DJI has just shown off one of the most spectacular drone videos we've ever seen of an erupting volcano, so close it resulted in a melted a GoPro camera. The pilot, Eric Cheng, captured the footage at the Bardabunga volcanic system in Iceland using an off-the-shelf DJI Phantom 2 drone equipped with a GoPro Hero 3+ camera. After an eleven hour journey over nearly impassable terrain, his team arrived to within 2 km of the volcano, which was spewing lava as high as 150m (460 feet) in the air.
DJI's Phantom 2 Vision takes a stabilized camera to the sky, we go hands-on (video)
You may not have come across DJI before, but this brand is no stranger in the world of hobbyist drones. Even production studios use the company's gear for aerial videography, but that involves a lot more money than the average consumer can stomach -- DJI's three-axis camera gimbal alone can cost up to $3,500, on top of about $3,000 for its latest six-rotor aircraft. And this is before you include a camera plus a remote control. Fortunately, we now have a more affordable option that still comes with camera stabilization: the Phantom 2 Vision. With a $1,199 price tag, this all-in-one package is aimed at prosumers who are looking for something more serious than, say, Parrot's AR.Drone series. While the latter's designed for entertainment, the Phantom 2 Vision gives you a taste of the advanced maneuverability and camera features from DJI's pro-level products. The relatively light 1.16kg drone features a built-in 14-megapixel camera (with a 1/2.3-inch sensor), which is mounted on a tilt-axis gimbal under the belly. The only bits that need to be installed are the four self-tightening propellers, along with a swappable 57.72Wh battery that lasts up to 25 minutes (but takes from one to two hours to fully charge when depleted).
