DJI’s latest audio recording solution, Mic 2, now supports connection with select Sony cameras. The feature has been made possible via a firmware update and the release of a new camera adaptor accessory for the DJI wireless microphone.

Creating a smaller, less fancy product usually means making sacrifices in terms of performance. But, today, even mini drones — that fit into your pocket and weigh less than 250 g — can capture stunning cinematic shots and photos, and that too at a fraction of the cost of larger, more advanced models. Here are the best mini drones on the market right now, based on price, ease of use, camera quality, and flight time.

DJI’s latest sub-250-gram camera drone, Mini 4K, is now available to buy at an incredible price of $299. Despite being highly affordable, this beginner drone can shoot 4K video at up to 30fps with 2x digital zoom and 2.7K footage at up to 60fps. The new DJI Mini 4K further supports video bitrates of up to 100Mbps. All these are significant upgrades compared to the Mini 2 SE, the cheapest-ever camera drone by DJI.

Insta360 has released a new firmware update for its AI-enhanced action camera, Insta360 Ace Pro. The camera, which recently saw its price drop to $400, now supports in-camera 360º Horizon Lock and DJI Mic wireless microphone devices.

Tech giant DJI has begun informing users that it will no longer support future updates of its drone flying app on devices running iOS 12. DJI’s Fly app lets users fly drones with a simplified UI, flight tutorials, and an intuitive editor.

As the farming season starts in the US, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is urging drone operators to be extra careful near low-flying crewed agricultural aircraft. The safety of ag aviators is crucial because they help farmers on over 127 million acres of land to increase productivity and protect crops.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given security robotics company Asylon new approval for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations using the US-made DroneSentry drone-in-a-box system. The waiver removes the requirement for on-site personnel.

Tech giant DJI has released a new firmware update for the newly-released Power 1000 portable charger that can power common household devices and provide superfast charging for DJI drone batteries.

[Update, April 29]: The new DJI Mini 4K drone is now released and available to buy.

DJI has quietly announced the release date of a new 4K mini camera drone for beginners: DJI Mini 4K.

The DJI Agras T50 and Agras T25 agriculture drones are now available for purchase in the US and other international markets. Building on the popular Agras drone line, the T50 is built for larger-scale growing operations while the lightweight T25 is designed to be more portable for smaller fields. Both drones are compatible with the DJI SmartFarm app which has been upgraded for comprehensive aerial application management.

The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) says it has signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The agreement establishes a pathway for drone component manufacturers with Green UAS certification to directly share their data with DIU. The goal is to potentially incorporate Green-certified components onto DIU’s Blue UAS Framework list.

America’s biggest non-military helicopter manufacturer, Robinson Helicopter Company, has acquired Ascent AeroSystems, a company that designs and manufactures rugged “coaxial” drones for the industrial, public safety, and defense markets. Through this acquisition, Ascent can now build its drones at Robinson’s cost-effective, vertically integrated manufacturing unit in California. 

Amazon is calling it quits on Prime Air services in one of the two cities where they launched their drone delivery program back in 2022. The news of the Lockeford, California, delivery site shutdown comes on the same day the company announced a new aerial initiative in Arizona’s West Valley area.

Less than two weeks since the last update, DJI is rolling out a new firmware version for the Mini 4 Pro drone users today.

Autonomous drone delivery startup Zipline says it has made one million commercial deliveries to customers. It’s a feat that would have taken a human pilot 120 years of flying! In addition, the company has announced new partnerships with Panera Bread, Memorial Hermann Health System, and Jet’s Pizza starting in the greater Seattle, Houston, and Detroit metro areas respectively.

Drone fleet management and airspace data specialist Aloft Technologies is joining forces with US drone maker Skydio to integrate live UTM (Uncrewed Traffic Management) telemetry. Available today for all enterprise, government, and public safety customers, you can now see your Skydio aircraft flying in real-time within the full context of the Aloft airspace maps and applications.

Commercial aerial logistics solutions provider A2Z Drone Delivery has released several new safety features for its popular smart drone winch RDS2. And alongside the software-enabled features, that can be accessed via a firmware update, the company is also releasing a new weatherproof cover for the winch as well as a new auto-releasing bag hook able to deposit packages without a recipient awaiting the delivery.

[Updated April 21 with DJI’s response]

Texas-based Anzu Robotics has announced its entrance into the US drone market with the launch of Raptor and Raptor T industrial aircraft. These drones have all the qualities of a great DJI alternative because they have been developed through a strategic licensing agreement with DJI itself but in a way that satisfies key geopolitical and cybersecurity concerns for most enterprise and public safety users.

DJI has released a new firmware update for the Mavic 3 Enterprise drone series. The comprehensive update brings several exciting features including the ability to map vertical and slope missions, manual White Balance camera settings, and real-time view from obstacle avoidance sensor cameras.

DJI has released a new firmware update for the Air 2S drone. The software package brings good news for users who wish to obtain a C1 class identification label for their aircraft under Europe’s new drone regulations.

Today, DJI released its third product of April, DJI Power, a large battery system to replace the need to find outlets while outing the field. However, it’s much bigger than that, it’s truly a new market DJI is entering and as first generation product, is it any good?