dji
Latest
The best smartphones, tablets and smartwatches to give as gifts
A smartphone makes for one really nice but expensive holiday gift. If you're shopping for someone who deserves it (or just really needs to upgrade from a phone from way-back-whenever), we've got recommendations across iOS and Android, as well as other devices and tech that people might need on the go. Don't worry: Not everything is a new phone. This year's picks include Apple's iPhone 11, its cheapest flagship in years, and Google's Pixel 3a, whose sub-$400 price belies its amazing camera. We've also included our favorite portable battery pack from Anker and Amazon's latest Kindle Paperwhite, and the Brydge Pro remains one of the best keyboards for transforming your iPad Pro into something resembling a laptop replacement.
DJI Mavic Mini review: A tiny drone with big ambitions
What a difference four years make in the world of drones. If you spot someone with an iPhone 6s today, you'd barely flinch. But if you see someone rocking a Phantom 3, it feels quaint thanks to the major advances in size, weight and power. Enter the Mavic Mini ($399), the company's most diminutive drone to date that boasts up to 30 minutes of flight time. It makes the Mavic Air look chubby, the Mavic 2 Pro look positively chunky and the Phantoms might as well be a different species (yes, technically they are).
Interior Department grounds drone fleet over security concerns
The US Department of the Interior has halted the use of its 800 drones, which help monitor endangered species, inspect federally protected land and fight forest fires. According to The Wall Street Journal, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt called for the fleet to be grounded this week due to concerns that the drones enable the Chinese government to spy on users. The units will remain unused, save for any emergency situations, until potential security risks are fully reviewed.
DJI's palm-sized Mavic Mini can fly for up to 30 minutes
DJI's latest drone is its lightest and smallest model ever. The foldable Mavic Mini weighs in at just 249 grams, and comes with a bunch of features designed to make drone flying and aerial photography fun and accessible to everyone, without skimping on quality. And it's so small that you needn't bother getting FAA registration for it, either.
DJI’s Mavic Mini is so small it doesn’t require FAA registration
DJI's new drone, the Mavic Mini, is a palm-sized device that's so light it doesn't require FAA registration. DJI hasn't officially announced Mavic Mini, but it hasn't done a great job of keeping it a secret, either. Today, a listing on the online retailer Newegg's Canadian site confirmed rumors about the tiny drone and leaked photos.
Can DJI compete against GoPro in the action camera arena?
Drone maker DJI has been manufacturing drones with cameras for quite some time. However, the Osmo Action was its first attempt at making a stand-alone action camera, á la GoPro. Though the Osmo Action has similar specs to GoPro's Hero 7 Black, it also features a front facing display and HDR video recording. Managing Editor James Trew appreciated the excellent image stabilization and the ability to frame shots of yourself using the front display, but was let down by the absence of GPS and basic editing features. The Osmo Action earned a solid score of 84, while its competitor the GoPro Hero 7 Black had earned an 89.
Los Angeles Fire Department wants to double its drone fleet
It's not just law enforcement finding success with drones. The Los Angeles Fire Department's Battalion Chief Richard Field told TechCrunch that he intended to double the drone fleet just five months after a partnership with DJI began. On top of the existing 11 drones, the new ones would provide help to "specialized resources," such as crews who deal with hazardous materials, urban search and rescue and swift water rescues. Existing units provide clearer viewpoints on blazes and help create maps for wildfires.
Skydio’s next self-flying drone is ready to take on DJI
When Skydio revealed the fully autonomous R1 drone, it was truly impressive. This thing could follow you like no other drone before, or since. You didn't need to wear anything (like AirDog), and its visual tracking system was smart enough to avoid almost any obstacle in its way, even at speed. But the R1 was kinda big (like a large pizza box) and at $2,500, prohibitively expensive for the majority. You also couldn't really control it yourself in a meaningful way, so it wasn't as versatile as DJI's cheaper Mavic 2 Pro.
DJI's Osmo 3 smartphone gimbal has a travel-friendly folding design
DJI continues to improve its smartphone gimbal technology with the launch of the Osmo Mobile 3, a cheaper and more travel-friendly version of its last model. The electronic stabilizer has an all-new folding design and locking mechanism that takes up a lot less space. At the same time, it's easier to operate thanks to a new Quick Roll control that switches the gimbal from portrait to handheld mode with no need to remove the phone.
DJI reveals ultra-low-latency goggles for drone racers
Drone racers just got a major viewing upgrade. Aerial imaging company DJI has launched its digital first person viewing (FPV) transmission system, which boasts the first low latency HD video transmission signal. This means a crystal clear display, minimal lag, anti-inference reliability and range of up to 2.5 miles.
How to shoot your next adventure like a pro
In the Instagram and YouTube age, your outdoor adventures basically didn't happen unless there are good images and videos to share. At least that's how it feels sometimes. So why is it that your photos and carefully curated montage clips don't visually pop quite as much as those of your favorite action sports athlete? It could be the gear you're using, the lighting or maybe your settings. Either way, it's probably more than something a filter can fix (even my beloved Clarendon). To help you up your game, we spoke to several experts. From pro skateboarders to wingsuit fliers and YouTube creators to make sure you have all the tools you need. We hope that next time, you absolutely get the shot. (If you want to add Clarendon after the fact, that's up to you). Before we get to the experts, though, there are a few basics to consider. When it comes to action shots, there's one name that's pretty hard to avoid: GoPro. Its Hero line of cameras has become synonymous with outdoor activities, thanks to the rugged design and extensive range of accessories. At the time of writing, the Hero 7 Black is the flagship, and that's the camera we're recommending. We love the built-in stabilization, and the waterproof design has stood the test of time. For aerial video and photos, we're recommending the superlative Mavic 2 Pro.
DJI's new gimbal is almost half the weight of the Ronin-S
DJI's new Ronin gimbal for mirrorless cameras was designed to be a compact version of the Ronin-S, making it much easier to carry for your photo or YouTube shoots. The single-handed 3-axis model, called Ronin-S Compact (or Ronin-SC), weighs only 2.4 pounds or just a bit over a kilo -- DJI says that's 41 percent lighter than the Ronin-S released in late 2018. The manufacturer used a combination of aluminum, magnesium, steel and composite plastic to create a lightweight gimbal that's also easy to take apart and fit inside bags.
DJI's first educational robot is a $500 drone tank
Less than a month after launching its first-ever action camera, DJI is now introducing its first educational robot, The RoboMaster S1, which the company says has been in development for two years, was inspired by a robotics competition that DJI has sponsored and hosted for the past five years, called RoboMaster. DJI says that RoboMaster has been a passion project from founder and CEO Frank Wang, who figured the company could use its know-how in computer vision, artificial intelligence and camera technologies to create a robotics product that it could get "into the hands of everyone." The result of that, DJI says, is the new RoboMaster S1, or S1 for short.
DJI drones will detect and warn of airplanes and helicopters
DJI has announced that all its consumer drones over 250 grams will use "AirSense" tech to help operators see and avoid airplanes and helicopters. They'll be equipped with so-called ADS-B sensors already installed in many aircraft and air traffic control (ATC) towers. Drone pilots will be able to see air traffic on their controllers and take evasive action if the system will warns of any potential collisions. "ADS-B was designed for airplanes and helicopters, but already there are more drones in the sky than any of them," said DJI VP of policy Brendan Schulman.
US government warns China may have access to drone data
Today, the Department of Homeland Security issued an alert warning that Chinese-made drones may be sending flight information back to their manufacturers, who could share it with third parties. According to CNN, the alert warns companies and organizations that the US government has "strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data."
DJI takes on GoPro with the Osmo Action camera
The action camera space has a new player: DJI. Today, the company revealed Osmo Action ($349), its first ruggedized, compact shooter. The Osmo Action, which is designed to compete with GoPro's Hero line, features a 1/2.3-inch sensor capable of capturing 12-megapixel photos, 4K and 4K HDR video. It also comes with electronic image stabilization (EIS), which is going to come in handy during your adventures. But what really makes the Osmo Action stand out are its dual displays: There's a 2.25-inch touchscreen on the back and a 1.4-inch on the front, the latter of which has 800 nits of brightness that will help it be useful in direct sunlight.
DJI Osmo Action review: A worthy GoPro rival
Well, here's a surprise. After GoPro trod on DJI's foot with its ill-fated Karma drone, DJI is stomping right back with a rugged camera of its own -- the Osmo Action. It looks like a GoPro, is similarly priced ($349 -- $51 cheaper) and pretty much goes toe-to-toe with the Hero 7 Black on key specs. Can DJI pull off what GoPro couldn't, and give its rival a run for the money? We'll get to that, but at the very least, the king of action cams has a new challenger to fend off, and that can only be a good thing for video-loving action fans.
DJI updates geofencing system in Europe after Gatwick airport scare
Drone manufacturer DJI announced today that it is updating the geofencing system it uses in Europe to prevent drone pilots from flying the unmanned aircraft in places where they don't belong. The updated Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) 2.0 system will be introduced in 19 European countries and is expected to roll out over the course of this month.
Drone giant DJI will take a huge loss due to employee fraud
The world's largest drone-maker, DJI, has reported that it will take a loss of up to a billion yuan ($150 million) due to employee fraud, according to Bloomberg and other sources. The company said that it fired multiple employees who apparently inflated parts costs to pad their own pockets. DJI discovered the "extensive" corruption during an internal probe and has contacted law enforcement.
DJI drones can fly over crowds, if they pack a parachute
Most of the time, commercial and personal drones are not allowed to fly over groups of people. For safety, obviously. Indemnis' drone parachute changes that. The company's product was just certified to allow operators to legally fly drones over small groups of people. This is the first time such a device received the certification.
