Hi everyone, welcome to another video in my Above and Beyond series. In this installment, you’ll learn the effects of some of the most crucial drone settings and strategies you should know to create stunning aerial videos. Hi everyone, welcome back to the channel. This series, which I call “Above and Beyond,” is designed to assist those just starting in the drone hobby or for those struggling to maximize their drone’s potential. Perhaps you’ve owned your drone for a while and feel frustrated because you can’t achieve the results you want.

Purpose of the Series

My goal is to ensure you walk away with knowledge or skills that enhance your drone-flying experience. I want you to use your drones effectively. Determining the best drone movement settings can be overwhelming, especially for newcomers. I last did a tutorial on drone settings when the Mavic 2 Pro was released, so this video is long overdue.

Understanding Drone Settings

As I present these numbers, I want you to understand the effect each setting has on your drone. I won’t dictate exact numbers to use because I hope you’ll discover what works best for you through practice. Fly your drone and figure out what suits you—like, “This works best for me.” You need to decide what looks best for you through trial and error. I’m not giving you a fish here; I’m teaching you how to fish. While I’ll offer recommendations on some settings, you must ultimately decide what’s best for you and each flying situation.

Even though every drone differs slightly, the settings’ effects remain consistent. What I’m showing you will apply to multiple DJI drones. Today, I’m using the A3S, but much of this applies to most recent DJI models. To access the settings we’re discussing, click the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, then select “Control.”

Gain and Expo Tuning

You’ll see a setting called “Gain and Expo Tuning.” Click on that. Hopefully, you can see this on the screen. At the top, you’ll find three options: Cine, Normal, and Sport mode. Having three modes lets you quickly toggle between them and instantly apply your preferred settings. Yes, Cine mode is designed for slow cinematic movements, but you can customize it however you want—same for Normal and Sport modes. Adjust these settings to your liking. You can tweak just one aspect to differentiate it from the other two modes. While the baseline numbers vary slightly, the differences aren’t drastic.

Exploring Normal Mode Settings

Let’s click on Normal mode and Review each setting. The first ones are straightforward: Max Horizontal Speed, Max Ascent Speed, and Max Descent Speed. Typically, you’ll want these set to their maximum. They affect how your drone flies forward, backward, and sideways (horizontal speed), as well as how quickly it climbs or descends in altitude (ascent and descent speeds). Let’s get the A3S airborne, and I’ll demonstrate what’s happening.

Alright, let’s move over there a bit to reduce the noise. Let me check my screen—there we go. As you may know, DJI eliminated geo zones. Thank goodness! I’m thrilled about this. There’s been some controversy, but living in a geo zone area, I had to unlock it every time I flew. Now I don’t, and I’m so happy about that change. That’s a topic for another video, but let’s get up in the air. I’ll ensure we’re above the tree line and revisit the settings.

Maximum Speeds Demonstration

Max Horizontal Speed is set to 33.6, though this varies by drone. These are the maximum speeds your drone can achieve with obstacle avoidance enabled. Let’s test it at 33.6 in Normal mode. Flying straight ahead over the railroad tracks, we’re hitting about 32 mph. Moving sideways, we’re at around 30 mph after gaining some altitude for safety. For Max Ascent Speed, pushing the left stick up, we reach about 13 mph. For descent, it’s around -3 mph—the negative indicates downward movement, though it’s not as fast as the ascent.

These settings are self-explanatory, but I wanted to demonstrate them. You can adjust them based on your needs. Why change them? The stick input for horizontal, ascent, and descent speeds depends on how far you push the stick. You can fly slower by using partial stick movement, but if you want full stick input to limit the drone to a specific speed—like matching a train’s pace without active tracking—you can set it accordingly. Hold the stick, and it won’t exceed that speed. Generally, you’ll keep these at maximum.

Maximum Angular Velocity

Now, Maximum Angular Velocity. Mine’s set high at 75 degrees per second, determining how fast the drone yaws left or right with the left stick. Let’s test it. At 75 degrees, it’s quick—perhaps too fast. I recommend around 60 degrees per second, though it varies by preference. At 20 degrees per second, it’s slow. At 90 degrees, it’s very fast—ideal if you need rapid yawing. I settle around 60 degrees for balance.

Yaw Smoothness

Next, Yaw Smoothness controls how quickly yaw engages and disengages. At one, it stops instantly—sharp starts and stops. At 100, it’s gradual, continuing to roll after releasing the stick. I set mine to 40, offering a slight drift I can edit out. Most pilots prefer 20–30, but adjust to your taste.

Brake Sensitivity

Brake Sensitivity, ranging from 10 to 150, affects how abruptly the drone stops when releasing the pitch stick. At 10, it coasts too much for my liking. At 150, it stops more suddenly. I set mine to 40 for a balanced coast. Adjust based on your flying style.

Expo Settings

Now, Expo settings—often confusing—govern stick sensitivity. At 0.9 yaw sensitivity, the drone reacts instantly to slight touches, as shown on the graph. At 0.1, there’s a delay, requiring more stick movement. I set yaw at 0.3, pitch and roll at 0.25. At 0, it’s hypersensitive; at 0.9, it’s sluggish. I aim for balance—slight motion before movement begins.

Gimbal Tilt Speed

Maximum Control Speed adjusts gimbal tilt speed, from 1 to 100 degrees per second. At 100, it’s too fast. At 1, it’s barely noticeable. I recommend 15–20 degrees per second, with tilt smoothness at 15 for a gradual stop. Reset settings if needed via “Reset Current Settings.”

That covers Gain and Expo Tuning. I hope this clarifies these settings. Questions? Leave them in the comments. Next video, I’ll cover additional drone and camera settings for more control and better video projects. Thanks for watching—I appreciate your patience with my recent content gap due to poor weather. I’m thrilled to be back in my element. Hope you’re enjoying good weather too. Fly safe and smart!

Triple Tech Drone Tablets

The first product I want to show you is one of the most expensive and somewhat controversial drone accessories over the past five or six years, but it’s also one I’ve used extensively: the Triple Tech line of drone tablets. This company sells tablets and a phone targeted toward drone pilots. They achieve this with a super bright screen, like the Triple Tech 9 Pro, which is almost 18 months old now. It has a 1300 sustained nits screen, more than bright enough to see even on the sunniest days. A bright screen is crucial when flying drones, especially one that doesn’t dim as it heats up. I’ve actually lost a drone because I was using my iPhone on a super hot day; the phone dimmed so badly I couldn’t see where I was, and I crashed my drone into the water.

Triple Tech products are also very tough—they can handle being dropped, stepped on, even driven over, or submerged in water. They’re designed for heavy use, and a lot of motocross people and ATV enthusiasts use them. They’re great for traveling across the country when you need GPS mapping ability. They also make mounts for handlebars and such, so it’s a very useful product that can double as a phone, which is an added bonus. The downside, at least for the tablets, is their heavier weight and high price. The 9 Pro, even at a year and a half old, still costs over $1,100. The 8 Pro is quite a bit cheaper and still very capable, but that’s a lot of cash for most people. Unless you’re a hardcore daily user, it’s hard to justify the price. They do offer the Triple Tech Mini, the size of a normal smartphone, but even that is a bit pricey.

Do I still use any of my Triple Tech products? I have all of them, but the answer is no, not really. Although they’re superior to the built-in monitors on the latest DJI drone controllers like the RC and RC2, I’ve decided I don’t want more gear to carry around. I’ve had to make choices about what I carry, and this was one product I removed from my bag to save space and weight. Turn on the controller, turn on the drone, and go. Are Triple Tech products great? Yes. Good customer service? Yes. Expensive? Yes, but if your use case demands ruggedness, long battery life, and a super bright screen, the price becomes irrelevant. You buy the tool that works for you. My long-term review score for all Triple Tech products is a 7.5 out of 10. Oh, and stay away from the Triple Tech 7—that thing was a disaster.

PGY Tech One Mo Backpack

Next, this product is something I reviewed almost six years ago, and it has stood the test of time. I have so many bags, cases, and backpacks I don’t know what to do with them. I’ll probably give some away or sell some on Gear Focus, but this one rises above them all: the original One Mo backpack from PGY Tech. You can’t get this exact one anymore; they now have the One Mo 2, which is pretty much the same with a few enhancements. All PGY Tech bags are some of the best in the industry, but this one has the perfect combination of weight, pockets, durability, and comfort. I’ve raved about this bag from day one, and I’m still very happy with it now. They offer a tremendous variety of storage solutions for all kinds of content creation, so I’ll link my favorites in the video description. If you’re looking for a great bag, backpack, or case that will stand the test of time, my overall score for the PGY Tech One Mo backpack is a 9 out of 10. It’s such a good bag.

Firehouse Ark 5 Drone Beacon

Next, when it comes to flying a drone at night, at least in the United States, you must have an anti-collision beacon attached to it. Over the years, I’ve tried countless brands and models of drone beacons, and nothing comes close to the Firehouse Ark 5. Compact, simple, durable, and brilliant, its 1,000-lumen output allows this beacon to reach well beyond the FAA-required three statute miles. The battery life is great, and the price is appropriate at around $31. If you fly at night, there’s no reason to buy any other strobe. This will be the last one you ever buy unless you lose it, of course. For the Firehouse Ark 5, I give it a 10 out of 10—a perfect score. It’s such an amazing product, and every drone pilot who flies at night should have one.

Smartphone Gimbal

Next, let’s talk about something I really liked at first but now hardly use at all: a smartphone gimbal. The purpose of one is to help you get smooth, steady footage with your phone so your videos look more professional. They also have fun software features like motion hyperlapse and focus tracking, but I just don’t find myself using these anymore. However, they must still be popular somewhere because companies keep making them, and people keep buying them. I feel like it’s just another extra piece of gear I don’t want to carry around. It’s nice to have if you really need it, but most of the time, you probably won’t use it. One use case where they still have value is for Realtors who want to make their own walkthrough videos of properties—it provides enough stabilization to improve those over just carrying your phone around the house. For the average Joe, though, I think your money would be better spent on an action camera like the DJI Action 5 Pro or one of the DJI Pocket cameras, like the Pocket 3. I’m not including those in this video since it’s about products I’ve used for a while, but either would be a better investment than a smartphone gimbal. They’re inexpensive, but I’d rather see you put that money toward something you’ll use in more situations. For smartphone gimbals, I’d give them a 6 out of 10 right now because there are so many better options out there.

Freewell ND Filters

Now let’s get back to drones. What about ND Filters? Picking an ND filter for your drone is like deciding what shampoo to use—yes, that joke was intentional—but I’ll make this easy for you. When it comes to drones, you should look at nothing else besides Freewell. They own the market due to their build quality and natural color, which is their primary focus. Unlike many companies that do so many other things, they invest heavily in research and development. I’ve only used Freewell for the past four years on my drones. I’ve tried others, but I always go back to Freewell. A common question is: do you need the all-day packs? Do you have to spend that much on these 16- or 8-packs of filters? It depends on whether you fly in varied situations. Nine times out of ten, an ND8, ND16, and ND32 are all you need. The polarized ones are nice if you’re capturing city aerials or footage around water on sunny days with lots of reflections, but even then, I usually stick to a straight ND filter. I long for the day we get a drone with a built-in ND filter, but I don’t know if that’ll ever happen. For Freewell filters, I give them a 9 out of 10—they’re so good, and the price for what you get is amazing.

Kershaw Live Wire Knife

Now, here’s a quick and random one: part of my EDC—everyday carry—is my pocket knife. Why am I showing you this? Why not? Over the past year, I’ve started collecting knives. It began because I wanted a nice knife for unboxing—something YouTubers who do unboxings seem to enjoy. It’s cool to have a nice knife, and that’s all it took; for some reason, it’s really addicting, and I don’t understand why. My go-to brand has been Benchmade—I started with them and have some of their knives—but last fall, I was looking for an Out The Front knife. I didn’t feel like paying so much for a Benchmade since their Out The Fronts are pricey, like $400 to $600. A salesman at Shields showed me his knife: the Kershaw Live Wire. I think it’s the 9000 model. He showed me a YouTube video of a guy beating the crap out of his, and I was sold. I use this knife every single day, multiple times, at home, at work, unboxing packages. I’ve yet to sharpen it—it’s the best knife I own. Is it a bit spendy for an Out The Front knife? Relatively, yes, but I wanted to show it to you because people occasionally ask if I’m into EDC, and yes, I am. This is it; this is my EDC.

Samsung Evo Select Memory Cards

So what about storage, like memory cards? I’ve used SanDisk since day one, and I’ve only had one card ever fail on me—a SanDisk card. But for the past year, I’ve switched to the Samsung Evo Select for my drones, action cameras, and other devices. Right now, I’m using this aquamarine-colored one—the Evo Select. I switched because they had a huge sale one day—I don’t even remember when—and I decided to try them since the price was much better than SanDisk. The ratings were great, and I thought it’d be nice to save a few bucks. Since then, I’ve stuck with Samsung cards because they’re consistently cheaper than SanDisk, even when neither is on sale. Sometimes they’re a lot cheaper; I’ve noticed more sales on Amazon. As long as I have no issues with them, I’ll keep using them. My score for the Samsung Evo Select cards is 8.7 out of 10, and it could go higher the longer I use them.

Simic Charger and Power Source

Next, I want to show you the product I labeled my product of the year last year: this 100-watt charger and 145-watt power source from Simic. It works with an 18V Ryobi battery—I call them “RY” batteries—and it’s incredibly useful for so many things. It has an OLED screen, two USB-C ports for charging, a flashlight, and a strobe light; it looks really cool. If you own anything Ryobi, this is a great investment for your toolbox. They’ve since released a bigger version, the PSC Pro Max, a 225-watt power source that’s incredible for such a small device. It’s powerful, versatile, and portable. I can still highly recommend this product—I give it a 9 out of 10.

Favorite Drone

Finally, I want to answer one of the most frequent questions I get, and many drone YouTubers get too: what’s my favorite drone? I’ve been fortunate to fly a wide variety of drones, and narrowing it down to one is really tough. I need to mention the drone that started it all for me and so many others: the DJI Mavic Pro. It was instrumental in growing the hobby into what it is today. That said, it’s not my favorite anymore because technology has progressed so much since then. I also want to mention the Matrice 30T—it was such a fun experience. It’s a beast with thermal imaging, amazing tracking, and the ability to fly in rain or nearly any weather condition—just a really cool drone. But my favorite all-around drone is the DJI A2S. I say that because it’s the one I used for both commercial purposes and just flying for fun. Whether for real estate or capturing amazing aerial footage, I took the A2S everywhere. The image quality was awesome—it still is. The size, signal strength, everything about it made it my go-to drone.

I haven’t flown it in a while because we now have the A3S, my most-used drone currently. It’s a step above the A2S, and that medium zoom camera lens is spectacular—so good. I haven’t used the A3S as long as the A2S, so in a few months, I might shift the A2S down and call the A3S my favorite of all time. The A2S is still great, though. The problem now is that while you can find some online, the price hasn’t dropped much. For just a couple hundred more, you can get the A3S. So, if you’re looking for an awesome drone, don’t spend your money on the A2S right now unless you find a good refurbished one for around $700 or $800. Otherwise, just get the A3S. Overall, I give the A2S a 9.9 out of 10—it’s such a great drone.

Birthday Giveaway

Since you stuck around and watched the entire video, you get to hear about the giveaway, and this one’s really cool because you can hardly find it anywhere in the world. As a celebration of my birthday month, I’m giving away this brand-new DJI Neo Fly More Combo. The box is opened, but nothing has been used—I just opened it once to take a video of the drone for B-roll, then put it back. Nothing has been turned on or used. It comes with everything: the controller, three batteries, a charging bank, and all accessories—about a $420 value. One of you has a chance to win it. Here’s what you need to do to be eligible:

1. Subscribe to the channel.
2. Click on my Amazon store link in the video description. No need to buy anything, but if you want to, go ahead—it helps this channel survive.
3. Throughout this video, five numbers flashed on the screen. Send me an email with those five numbers—do not comment them below the video. Email them to the address shown on the screen. If you comment the numbers below, I’ll delete your comment.

Once this video hits 10,000 views or on February 28, 2025—whichever comes first—I’ll place every correct submission on a list and use a random comment picker to choose the winner. I’ll email the winner for their shipping address and announce them on my YouTube community tab and Instagram Stories. So, when the video reaches 10,000 views or passes February 28, 2025, the giveaway is complete. It takes a little effort on your part, but it’s a great item that’s super hard to find, and you have a chance to win. One final thing: if you want to know about any giveaways I do, I always let my channel members know ahead of time. If you’d like to become a channel member, there’s a link in the video description. Click the thumbs-up on your way out today—I appreciate that. Thanks for watching, have a great day, and as always, fly safe and fly smart.

Why This Drone Video Series?

Over the next couple of months, as we approach spring and summer, I’m going to create a series of videos that teaches you—whether you’re a new drone pilot or an older but frustrated drone pilot—not to give up. If you’ve reached a place of boredom with your drone and you don’t want to stay there, then hopefully this series can help you. This first video is one that I published a few years ago, and I want to share the information again because it really lays the groundwork for what’s to come.

In this video, I talk about the four most important things that make a Drone Video cinematic, and I share my top six drone moves that can be slightly modified to create a really great aerial masterpiece. I don’t have all of the videos for this series planned out yet, but one of them will discuss the best drone to purchase, another will talk about the overall best camera settings to use combined with intelligent flight modes, and so on. There’s a lot of great information that I hope will inspire you. I’m calling this series Above and Beyond because as you learn from each video, I want you to be able to do things you haven’t done before with your drone.

Enjoy this first video, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes of the series. Also consider becoming a channel member; I’ll put a link in the comments and in the video description. I’m going to take advice and suggestions for topics in the series from my members, so if you want to be part of creating this series, come and join the channel. It’s only a couple of bucks a month, and the more people who join, the closer I get to becoming a full-time YouTuber. Let’s get right to the first video in the Above and Beyond series.

What Does “Cinematic” Really Mean?

When it comes to capturing drone video, you may have heard the word “cinematic” uttered one or two thousand times. But what does that actually mean, and what does it take? What are the components that make up what we would consider a cinematic drone video?

After about six years of flying and watching many other people fly and create content with their drones, I think I’ve narrowed it down to the four most important things your drone video needs to have to be considered cinematic. I know a lot of people don’t like that word, but it’s a great way to describe drone videos that make you feel like you’re there. One way to define “cinematic” is having qualities or using techniques associated with good movies—such as drama, emotional intensity, visual or sonic artistry, epic narrative, and more.

Cinematic does not just mean how something appears; simply throwing an ND filter on your drone and filming does not automatically make your project cinematic. It’s more than that, and that’s what I hope you get from this video. After watching today, I hope you’ll be inspired to try creating your own amazing videos using your drones. The four things I’m going to discuss are story, planning, music and sound, and variety.

1. Story

As in any content creation, story is the foundation. You can’t just fly around randomly recording this and that without having a story in mind. Ken Heron is very good at this: he uses his drones as a tool to tell a story and to add perspective, bringing the viewer into the narrative. It’s one of the best things you can do with a drone because it’s a unique method of capturing a subject that few people are able to do.

Find your subject, explore it, learn about it, and experience it for yourself. Then, using that experience, figure out how to tell your story to others. This might involve writing a little script and placing text on the screen as you fly, or voicing over the script with a short narrative—this can be even more impactful because the more senses you stimulate in your story, the more emotion it evokes in the viewer.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to tell the story with words. You can do that through how you put your video together and how you present it to the viewer. Here’s one small example I found from a very small YouTuber named Claudo Sass (I’m not sure how to pronounce his name), who has fewer than 200 subscribers. Yet this drone video has over 15,000 views. He uses his DJI Mini 3 Pro to tell a very simple story of his bike ride around Monte Levada and the surrounding scenery. His video provided a great perspective of the area, capturing many different views and points of interest. You could tell he had planned this flight ahead of time, and he wanted to tell a story with it.

2. Planning

Planning is the next component of a cinematic drone video. When you plan a drone flight, it’s actually pretty simple. First, I recommend getting to know the rules of the area where you’ll be flying and understanding if there are any restrictions. Next, if you’re not already familiar with the area, hop onto Google and search it with Google Maps or Google Earth. I suggest doing this even if you know the area, because you might discover a landmark or a unique subject you didn’t realize was there.

Use your mapping research to figure out where you’ll park your vehicle, where you can launch and land your drone, and how to position yourself for the best angles to be as efficient as possible when filming. I also recommend using street view to get a detailed look at the area. This contributes to the overall cinematic effect by preventing raw footage overload, saving you from adding needless clips to your project. If you just go out and fly for 30 minutes while recording the entire time, you’ll end up wasting 90% of that footage, and it becomes overwhelming when you try to edit.

Instead, I suggest recording about 30 to 60 seconds maximum per scene, then moving on to the next position. Position your drone, capture 30 seconds, reposition, capture another 30 seconds, and so on. I’ll talk about what sorts of drone shots to capture later, but you can pre-plan them in this step as well.

3. Music and Sound

Music and sound effects are absolutely vital to a cinematic video because this is where the whole viewer experience comes in. As I mentioned earlier, you want whoever is watching your video not just to watch it—you want them to feel it. Adding sound design is the best way to do that.

When you’re out flying on location, listen for the sounds around you. Try to focus on everything you hear—maybe write them down or put them in your phone so you can remember them when you’re editing. You could even record the environment with your camera, a digital recorder, or your phone. It could be the sound of a bubbling stream, birds, bugs, traffic, a train, or whatever else is there.

For example, this summer we went on a trip to Colorado. I tried to remember all the sounds I heard while flying over a river with my Mini 3 Pro. Without audio, the footage was pretty dull. To make it more memorable for the viewer, all I had to do was head to Epidemic Sound (where I get all my sound effects and music), download some audio that matched what I remembered from when I was there (the rushing river in spring, the highway next to Rocky Mountain National Park, the birds, etc.), and add those sounds to my edit. It became an entirely new experience, and you feel like you’re sitting there with me.

When you get to the editing process, you need to add these things to help tell the story. As you know, drones can’t record audio on their own, so without sound, you only have half the story. Even if all your drone footage is beautifully captured, it won’t be truly experienced without audio and, most often, some music as well.

There are plenty of places to find music and sound online. I’ve used Epidemic Sound for all my music and sound effects for five years. They’re not sponsoring this video; I just like recommending them. The reason I’ve stayed with them so long is that they have more music and sounds than I’ll ever need, all of it is copyright-free, and it’s the lowest-priced royalty-free music platform out there right now. I’ll put a link in the video description if you want to check them out.

For a great example of how audio completely makes a video, watch the Oregon video from Devin Super Tramp (Devin Graham). If you aren’t subscribed to Devin, I recommend it. He has about six million subscribers for a reason—he’s an amazing filmmaker and an artist at using audio to add that cinematic experience.

Many of you are probably wondering how to edit something like that. That’s an entirely different topic, but I have a couple of older tutorials I’ve made. I’ll link them down in the video description if you want to check them out. The software may have changed a bit, but the process is still the same. If you have no idea where to start with editing, those videos can give you a good starting point. I’m nowhere near an expert at editing, but hopefully they help.

4. Variety

A truly impactful aerial video project contains a variety of subjects, angles, and movements, combined to tell your story in an engaging way. Try to capture the things that struck you most when you experienced what you want to share with the world. Think about how to make the viewer feel the same way you did when you experienced that story. Was it a particular location you traveled to that left you with a core memory? An event you were involved in that brought you joy? Or maybe it’s something you see regularly, but after viewing it from above, you experienced it in a whole new way.

When you’re filming with your drone, capture different angles that draw the viewer into the experience. As for drone moves, don’t overwhelm yourself. There are plenty of videos showing the “best 20” or even “best 100” drone moves for beginners, and those are great. However, in my opinion, if you have six solid moves perfected, that’s really all you need for most situations.

The six moves I prefer—by no means the ultimate list—are:

1. The forward slow reveal
2. The point of interest with a tilt-up or tilt-down
3. A backward reveal
4. A rise-up shot
5. A simple trucking move (flying laterally)
6. A bird’s-eye view

These are the foundation of my drone movements. Each of them can be slightly modified. For instance, rather than just a simple bird’s-eye shot from above, you can do a rising bird’s-eye shot, and then add a bit of rotation to it. Another tip: there’s nothing like passing an object very closely with your drone—it’s very exciting for the viewer. That’s why FPV is so popular; people love that immersive experience.

There are literally hundreds of moves you could do, but don’t feel like you have to learn them all. Find your own basic five to ten moves, then tweak them as you gain more experience. Over time, you’ll learn the kind of look you like to share with people. The bottom line is to mix it up so you keep your viewer watching to see what’s coming next.

Final Thoughts

Is there anything else you think makes a truly engaging, memorable, cinematic video? Share it in the comments so everyone can see what others are doing. Hit that “like” button if this video helped you at all, and if you want to see more content like it, please consider subscribing to the channel.

Last of all, watch the video right here next to learn about one of the most controversial topics when it comes to flying drones. Have a great day, and as always, fly safe and fly smart.

The Consent Judgment Against Philly Drone Life

The consent judgment against Philly Drone Life was released today from the United States District Court, and it’s a doozy. So let’s talk about how you go about screwing around and finding out with the FAA. Hi everyone, welcome back to the channel, and for those of you here for the very first time, my name is Russ, and this is 51 Drones, and we’re talking about Philly Drone Life.

Now many of you have probably heard of him if you’re interested in drones or you’ve been following any of that news for the past six years, because that’s how long it’s been going on. Philly Drone Life is a YouTube channel run by a gentleman named Mikey, and he did some bad things. He is finally paying the price for it now.

The FAA’s Educational Approach

Since 2019, Philly Drone Life, or Mikey as many people know him, has been operating a drone in a multitude of unsafe and illegal ways, and according to this judgment, the United States alleges that during certain flights, Mikey improperly operated a drone inside controlled airspace near the Philadelphia Airport, over people and over cars, and at least in one instance (probably more), he lost control of a drone, causing it to fly uncontrolled over Philadelphia.

You should know when you get caught or reported to the FAA for doing something you shouldn’t be doing, their very first order of business is to locate you and inform you of your wrongdoing. They’ll let you know that what you’re doing is unsafe and/or illegal, and their primary goal with any early interactions is to inform. They want people to learn because, let’s face it, there is so much to learn when it comes to anything related to aviation, and that includes flying drones. They regularly give people the benefit of the doubt; they really want to make sure people are educated about these things. And they did that with Mikey several times.

Enforcement and Penalties

So what did Mikey do? Well, he just kept doing the things they told him he should not and could not be doing. He purposely and egregiously ignored what they warned him not to do. So the next step after Education is enforcement. In 2024, they were basically left with no choice, and they handed down a penalty—123 penalties, in fact, at a cost of $1,500 for each of them. So his total fee added up to $182,400. He flew recklessly, and the worst part is he filmed it all and posted it on his YouTube channel.

Another thing to note: he did all of this without having a Part 107 remote pilot certificate, or what most people refer to as a drone license. It’s technically not a license, but he did not have his Part 107. Do I think they would have been easier on him if he did have his Part 107? No, I don’t think so, because that would be even worse, knowing the rules and still breaking them, which effectively he did. I guess because he was informed of the rules, he was educated and told that what he was doing was wrong. Although, I think he knew what he was doing was wrong in the first place.

They came to him and said, “Look, this is really bad, and you need to stop doing it.” He’s like, “Okay,” and then he just kept doing it. Mikey was doing all of these things with his drones for views; that’s it. When people watched because it was kind of entertaining sometimes, that just motivated him to continue to break the law in his videos.

Consequences for Michael DiCiurcio

Mikey plays a character, and the goal of his channel was to entertain, put smiles on people’s faces, and just be kind of a goofy character. But his desire to continue to feed the monster has now cost him pretty much everything—his channel, his hobby, and his source of revenue. Part of the terms of the recently announced consent judgment calls for Michael DiCiurcio to agree that he will never operate any drone of any type, size, or model, nor will he ever seek any type of certification or license to operate any type or form of a drone for the rest of his life. Mikey can never fly a drone, and if he gets caught, he’s going to prison.

Number two: he was forced to take down his YouTube channel known as Philly Drone Life and can no longer operate or resurrect his content or any part of it in any form. He lost his YouTube channel, and that’s already been done.

Number three: he has to abandon his drones and other items that he surrendered to the FAA in the spring of 2024. That’s right, he had to give them all of his drones and all of his related gear.

So many people supported Mikey when he first informed his viewers of his financial troubles. They cried foul and said the FAA was just being a big bully and handing down egregious fines for a guy just trying to have fun and make a few bucks. But they were only listening to and seeing Mikey’s side of the story, and they didn’t know the details of why it got to be as high and as serious as it did.

I will say this: I don’t think Mikey is a bad guy. I actually think he’s pretty nice, and he genuinely likes to make people laugh. But at the same time, he pulled some pretty stupid stunts, pushing the limits without regard to the law. I think he does deserve everything that he got. If you ask me, I think he got off pretty good with this deal—no fines, no prison time; that’s a win. It could have been so much worse.

So word to the wise: if you do something illegal with a drone, whether it’s intentional or by accident (because there are a lot of rules out there), there are a lot of places you shouldn’t be flying, and there are a lot of things you shouldn’t be doing with your drone. Most people don’t understand it, but if you do those things and you get caught by the FAA or somebody reports you, and they come to your door or send an email or a phone call or whatever, my advice is to quit doing those things. If you don’t, we could be reading about you in the news one day.

Final Thoughts on Philly Drone Life

I used to feel a little bad for Mikey, because it genuinely did hurt him; you could see it when he would do interviews. He’d go on other YouTube channels or on his own channel, and he would talk about that fine that was handed down, and I felt kind of sorry for him, right, because he honestly was just trying to have fun. But then after I learned, like, dude, how many times were you contacted, and how many times did you just keep doing it?

I think I watched a video of him one day—I don’t know if it was on a live stream or whatever—but he’s complaining about his fine, saying he’s just trying to have a little fun and make some money, and then the very next day, he did a Drone Video again, doing something very, very illegal. Like, dude, you had so many chances! So, I quit feeling sorry for him, and I’m just like, you know what, this guy needs to pay for what he’s doing, and he needs to be made an example of, because that’s the type of behavior that makes it bad for the rest of us. The reason the government and the people hate drones so much is because of things like that. And so, people like that need to be—like, they need to answer to what they’ve done.

I don’t know, this will be very interesting, you guys, but I want to know in the comments. I want to know your opinion. What do you think about Mikey’s penalties? Do you think it was too harsh, or is it appropriate for what he did? Let me know; that’ll be fun to watch!

So hit that like button as you leave the video today. I do appreciate that; it really helps the video move, and then watch this video next to see another controversial topic about drones. Have a great day, everyone! And, as always, fly safe and fly smart.

I’m here to prove to him and everyone else that he is just deaf. I’m going to use my DJI Mic Mini to compare the audio—not only the volume but also the pitch—of both drones. Today, we will find out once and for all which one sounds the most irritating.

First, let’s start with the Flip. I grabbed my controller, raised the Flip, held the Mic Mini right next to it, increased the altitude (and therefore the RPMs), and then brought it down. I repeated this a couple of times before moving on to the Neo.

Alright, here goes the DJI Flip. It’s kind of noisy, right? Now, let’s compare it to the DJI Neo. Here goes the Neo.

Conclusion

What do you think? Has Ken completely lost his hearing, or was he right? Go watch his video and listen to the comparison he makes during a hover test. Yes, the Flip does sound a little bit louder in that setting, but when you actually perform some functional testing, the Neo is by far the most irritating drone on the market. I don’t know how Ken thinks the Flip is worse, but Ken, I love you—but you really should get your hearing checked.

Thanks for watching this video, everyone. Have a great day and, as always, fly safe and fly smart.

Current Legislation

House Bill 1038 was just fast-tracked through the House of Representatives and is about to do the same in the Senate. The purpose of this video is twofold: first, I hope that the senators in my great state take just a moment to watch this video and hopefully learn something that they haven’t learned yet, especially something that I have to say towards the end of this video. Secondly, I hope that those of you who live in other states are motivated to stay current and knowledgeable about what your lawmakers are doing when it comes to drone legislation.

Key Points of HB 1038

First of all, HB 1038 is a bill that calls for two things. First, it states that all state agencies that own and operate drones manufactured in China, like DJI and Autel, must stop using them and replace them with non-Chinese made drones within 2 years. Of the 353 drones in use by North Dakota state agencies, 300 of them fall within this designation. I don’t even think there are any Autel drones—I could be wrong—but I’m guessing that the majority of those are DJI drones.

Financial Concerns

These agencies must surrender their current drones to the North Dakota Department of Commerce, who will then sell them at market price to the Department of Homeland Security to be used for Counter UAV research and training. For this portion of the bill, the Drone Replacement Program, this legislation is asking for $15 million.

Now that sounds a little bit high, right? 300 drones, $15 million? Many of the drones in use by state agencies right now range in value from a few hundred to upwards of $20,000 to $25,000, and very few at that top end. This legislation is asking for $50,000 per drone to be replaced. Make that make sense—$15 million of our money, my tax dollars, to be used unnecessarily on much less capable and much more expensive technology just because a few lawmakers are willing to believe the narrative that DJI drones are a national security risk.

Security Audits and Facts

Now, why do I say that? Senators, I ask that you please do a little bit of research about DJI and the claims that their drones are gathering and sharing sensitive data. Did you know that that has never been demonstrated or proven? Ten security audits and certifications over the past seven years by independent agencies—two of them by FTI Consultants (look them up, I’ll put a link in the video description)—the most recent cybersecurity audit by FTI was just done in September of 2024. FTI is based in America, by the way. These are American consultants studying these drones.

This most recent audit demonstrated zero Data Security issues. With features like restricted network mode and local data mode, the user has the option to eliminate all outbound data. Even if the user does allow information to be transmitted, it goes no further than the servers posted right here in the United States.

The drones used for these audits aren’t provided by DJI. DJI doesn’t say, “Hey, can you please audit our stuff, and by the way, here’s some drones for you to look at.” No, the auditors go out and purchase these drones off the shelf, and they conduct their testing. Over the next 12 months, DJI is going to go through four more independent audits—that’s in 12 months—on their products, further demonstrating their efforts to ensure user data security.

I ask you, Senators, to please consider the many reasons that our federal government might want to ban the use of DJI drones. American manufacturers cannot compete, and the only way to break away from DJI is through legislation. The narrative has always been ‘they may pose a security threat‘, but not a single time has that been demonstrated.

I do understand the need to reduce our dependence on critical technology from adversarial Countries—I mean, no one’s going to argue with that—but I also know that the reason our great state of North Dakota is one of the most financially stable states in the country is because our lawmakers are known for making informed financial decisions. $15 million is egregious, especially when there’s no justification for spending it other than speculation.

If this bill passes, you will effectively be taking the best tools away from our most critical entities and asking them to use inferior products to do their jobs. DJI just released the Matrice 4T—this drone is the latest in compact and affordable aerial thermal technology. It is the perfect solution for Search and Rescue teams, and it costs about $7,500. For $15 million, you could purchase 2,000 of those drones—the best in the world. You could get 2,000 of them for $15 million.

Please take some time to study the facts about DJI security measures. That phone in your pocket right now, or sitting on your desk right now, has much more potential security risk than a DJI drone. Now, do I want an American company to innovate and outperform DJI? Of course I do, but I think it should be done the right way and without taxpayer money.

The second part of this legislation proposes $11 million to administer a state radar Pathfinder program. This would be instrumental in ensuring that North Dakota remains the leader in beyond visual line of sight development. That is the future of commercial UAVs, and it’s an investment in our state and its people. It makes sense, and that portion of this legislation should absolutely pass.

Alternative Proposal

My proposal is to amend HB 1038 and strike the $15 million of taxpayer money to be used for a drone replacement program. Over the next year, with the additional audits plus the scrutiny that the NDAA of 2025 calls for on DJI, there will be much more data available for you to make a more informed decision on how to move forward.

Then also consider this, and this is really important: in 2025, if our federal government finds any security issues with DJI—and I’m telling you they’re going to go through it as deep as they’ve ever gone—and if they find one single thing, or even if they don’t assign an agency to conduct the studies (because they haven’t done that; all the NDAA said is we’ll assign some agency to conduct these audits and to scrutinize DJI, but if we don’t find an agency by the end of the year, we’ll just put them on the FCC list anyway)—so if they don’t assign an agency or if they find something, they are automatically banned, like immediately. That means there would be a very high potential of a federally funded drone replacement program, which means that you would have spent $15 million of our tax money that you would not have had to.

Amend the bill. It’s too soon, there are still too many questions out there, and there’s no reason to replace the tools that we have, nor take the time and money to train people on how to use different ones.

Check the links in the video description for more information. I don’t consider myself an expert on this, but after doing this for 8 years, I do believe that my opinion deserves a little bit of consideration. Let me know if you have more questions, and if I can’t answer them, I can definitely put you in touch with someone who can.

I want to thank you for watching, everyone. Keep an eye on your own states and be an advocate as much as you can. Your lawmakers have a lot on their plate, and they need their constituents to help them understand some of the bills that land on their desk. Now, if you happen to be from North Dakota, please share this with your senators. Have a great day, everyone, and as always, fly safe and fly smart.

This is the brand new DJI Flip, and it is one of the most unique drones – actually, it probably is the most unique drone that I’ve been able to fly over the past eight years. What I want to do with this first video (I’m going to have a few videos on this drone because it is pretty cool and I think it’s going to be pretty popular) is give you my first impressions, and then I’m going to tell you most of the reasons that I think this is going to be the most popular drone of all time. I know that’s a bold statement, but I think people are really going to love this drone.

Perfect First Drone For Beginners And Experienced Pilots

Hi everyone, I hope you’re having a great day! So if you don’t have a drone yet and you’re shopping for your very first one – get this one. And if you already have a drone? So what – get this one too, if not for the portability, then for the absolute ease of use in any situation.

Welcome to the channel everyone, my name is Russ and I’ve been flying and reviewing drones for over 8 years. Over that time, I’ve seen a lot of different drones, but the DJI Flip is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Now there are timestamps in the video description so you can navigate to whichever section of the video that you like with ease.

DJI Flip Weighs Less Than 250 Grams But No Remote ID

So I already showed you reason number one that I think this is going to be a very popular drone – the speed at which you can get it up into the air and recording and having fun. Now secondly, because the DJI Flip has no exposed moving parts and weighs less than 250g, you can fly it directly over people without getting an FAA waiver. This drone takes away the ability for online trolls to call you out for breaking the law. I’m sorry, what’s that? No? What? No Remote ID? Okay, thanks. So it turns out because there’s no remote ID on this drone, it does not qualify as a category one. It has everything else, but because it doesn’t have remote ID, you cannot fly it over people without obtaining an FAA waiver. But it’s still pretty safe.

Now next, one of the most important things that many people consider when buying a drone these days is the noise level. This becomes more valued all of the time as people continue to be skeptical about drones, especially as they’ve been in the news a lot lately, and when they hear a drone, they get nervous and anxious. A less conspicuous drone is preferred by many people because it minimizes negative interactions when flying in public.

Okay, so first I want to show you the Neo because I think the Neo is the most irritating sounding drone. Medium follow, 3, 2, 1…

Okay, now let’s show you the Flip. So what do you think? Definitely much better than the Neo!

Is The DJI Flip Resistant To Strong Winds?

Reason number four that this drone is going to fly off the shelves is – although it’s a very light and compact drone under 250g, much like the recently released Neo, it can handle the wind much better. If your drone, as you may know, has difficulty in any sort of wind, the chances of it flying away are greatly increased. Now I’ve flown the Flip in a variety of windy conditions, including a steady 20 mph wind and then also in some pretty gusty conditions.

All right, this is a true test of how the Flip does in the wind. It is pretty windy, about 12-13 knots right now, gusting up to I think 23 knots, which is almost 30 mph. I’m not sure – I’ll put it up on the screen here, but I just… there’s an app that I used to find the wind and it shows it in knots, so I think it’s like 27 to 30 mph. So I’m just going to put it up here… okay, I can’t set it there. One disadvantage, you guys, of this thing is being able to set it down in the snow and launch it because those back propellers sit in the snow. So all right, let’s hit record.

That’s not too bad. Let’s bring it closer to the vehicle window here. You guys can see how it’s fighting pretty good against the wind. Yeah, it’s getting rocked but holding steady. Look at the… yeah, it’s moving around a little bit on the screen but not too bad. So let’s go ahead and just fly it a little bit here. I don’t want to get too daring… All right, let’s move over here. Let’s get the Perkins flag in the frame here so you guys can see how windy it actually is. Flag’s flying half staff today for President Jimmy Carter.

So let’s go ahead and just hover here and let’s see how it holds position… really, really good. It is… it’s not moving at all. Thank goodness it’s not flying away. So yeah, 243, 242 feet of height, holding steady altitude and distance and everything. So much better than the Neo, you guys, so much better. The Neo would be gone right now if I was trying to fly it. So yeah, very impressed with this very, very lightweight drone. Of course, it is having some trouble getting back here, but we’re getting it. Okay, let’s get it lower here so we can get it back to the pickup.

So I wouldn’t… I definitely wouldn’t fly it in these conditions normally just because it is kind of risky, but I just wanted to show you guys that it does have the ability to handle these winds. Let’s get one more shot of how this is getting thrown around… but hey, it’s still holding position, right? So that is impressive.

So yeah, good job Flip! Flying against the wind and sideways into the wind was still a little bit of a struggle – it slowed down quite a bit, but it performed so much better than the Neo. I was really worried about these tiny little motors, but I think the streamlined design is the reason that it does so well in windy conditions.

Flying The DJI Flip Is Fun!

Reason number five: the fun factor. The DJI Flip is very responsive and it’s very fast. I was able to get it up to 34 mph consistently in sport mode, and overall it’s just a very fun drone, especially when you’re flying near and around obstacles because there’s really no anxiety, there’s no stress. Plus, you can fly around really fast and even if you crash this drone, more than likely it’s going to be okay. Now it’s not quite as fun as the moves that you can make with a typical FPV drone when it comes to like maneuverability, but it comes really close.

Flight time is yet another highly valued feature on drones today, and with its 3110 mAh battery, you wouldn’t expect the DJI Flip to be able to fly very long. However, in my testing, I did several flight tests to see how long you could keep this thing in the air, and here’s my final results from 100% to 5%. That’s an amazing number, especially for a little drone with a little battery like this. That percentage of advertised flight time is on average with the past couple of years of DJI drones – they have really improved the battery efficiency in their drones.

So all of those first five features that I mentioned are about flight performance. For a mini drone, the flight performance is something that I think so many people are really going to appreciate. Next, this absolutely unique airframe design – the compact folding prop guards is something that I really didn’t appreciate at first. When I first saw this when the leaks came out, I’m like, “What are they thinking?” But after experiencing how easy it is to pack away in the bag, my opinion quickly shifted.

It is super compact, it’s quick to fold, easy to store and transport, and then these thin wire-like spokes – they’re not wire, they’re like plastic but they feel like they’re wire – they provide a much more streamlined approach to propeller protection than, say, that of the Neo or any other drone for that matter that has built-in prop guards. They are strong but they’re very light, and I think they are what saved my Flip from a brutal attack of some angry pigeons.

Okay, let’s pan down here, let’s just take a look at some rooftops and fly over those with the camera tilted down… Son of a… stupid pigeon just tried to attack my Flip! These damn pigeons have been flying around the drone for a while, but they’ve never really attacked it… but still flying, thank God!

Weighing less than 250 grams makes the DJI Flip very regulation-friendly in many Countries. For instance, in the United States, you do not have to register it with the FAA when flown recreationally, which I think so many people are going to appreciate. Now the lightweight also encourages users to take it anywhere they go, providing more opportunities to capture aerial footage. Lightweight mini drones are the future for consumer drones.

The most vulnerable hardware on any drone is the camera gimbal, and the Flip is designed in a way to minimize any kind of gimbal damage should a collision occur or a ground impact occur. There’s almost no way for this gimbal to hit the ground directly if it were to crash because of these large propeller guards.

Unfold And Fly Away!

The best design feature of the Flip in my opinion is that when you unfold the props – and I think this should be the standard moving forward on all drones – it immediately activates the drone and gets it ready to go. As I demonstrated at the beginning of the video, from bag to recording takes less than 30 seconds, so when an opportunity presents itself, you have the ability to capture it at a moment’s notice. Fold the Flip back together and it turns off automatically in 5 seconds.

“Aircraft will power off in 5 seconds, press any button on aircraft to cancel.”

DJI Flip Design Of The Drone

Now just to show you the rest of this airframe design: on the port side or the left side of the frame, you’ll find the quick shot modes button and the micro SD card port and the USB-C port.

On the starboard side or the right-hand side of the drone is the power button and the battery level indicator LEDs.

On the front of the drone, you’ll see the LiDAR obstacle avoidance sensor that also has indicators letting you know what quick shots mode is enabled at that time.

Now I’ll go over the DJI Flip QuickShot modes in another video coming here real soon. The bottom of the drone has vision positioning sensors to help with safe landings.

Now these motors, like I said, very very small, very tiny, which made me a little bit concerned about the flight performance at first, but once again, the Flip outperformed my expectations and I think it’s incredible how they’re able to make these tiny little motors so powerful. This is definitely a unique overall airframe design and I think people are really going to appreciate it.

The Camera Is Surprisingly Good

The camera system is by far the most valued feature of any GPS drone. People buy drones like this to capture and create impactful photos and videos – they love image quality and they want the best image quality that they can get paying the least amount of money that they have to.

The DJI Flip comes with a 24mm wide-angle lens with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and a fixed 1.7 aperture, so nothing new there. Also, it’s a quad-bayer sensor and it shoots 48 megapixel photos and it records up to 4K 100 frames per second slow motion. It also has dual native ISO which enhances performance in low-light conditions – also nothing new. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Now my second flight with the Flip was in the morning before the sun came up, and it handled the less than ideal lighting conditions very well. Both the photos and the videos from this drone are quite impressive. I think DJI just has done so well with that sensor, they’re just going to continue to use it for as long as they can.

The Flip also has 10-bit D-Log M profiles so you have the ability to fine-tune your videos to look more professional. Of course, it would not be a DJI drone without some intelligent flight modes. The Flip does have the normal quick shot modes including follow, dronie, circle, rocket. It also has Spotlight and Direction track. Now one improvement over previous drones is that the Flip has an updated algorithm that allows you to capture only the waist up when following a human. It can also follow closer and lower than previous drones, which gives you the ability to capture some pretty interesting shots.

The Flip also has Mastershots, which has been around for a very long time and it’s a great feature for beginners that just want the drone to record and compose and do everything and create a little highlight video to share with their family and friends. Now the Flip does also have hyperlapse mode, which is one of my favorite things to do with a drone and it’s one of the most fun things to do to show off to people. The disadvantage of that on this drone is that you can only record a 1080p hyperlapse.

Remote Controller Or No Remote Controller

So let’s talk about all of the ways that you can fly the Flip. First of all, as I’ve already demonstrated, you can fly it just by itself – no controller, no phone. You just choose one of the quick shots modes, you hold down that button and it will launch and do whatever you have chosen.

This is the perfect option for following you like on a hike or a bike ride or something like that when you’re going through beautiful scenery – you just pull it out, pop it up, hit that button and capture your footage.

Next, you can fly it with the RC2 or RC-N3 controller. Now this is how I think most people are going to want to fly this drone because it gives you so much more control over the flight, the recording, visual feedback – you have an attitude indicator, like… it’s just the best way to fly, right?

Then finally, you can fly the Flip with just your phone. It connects by Wi-Fi and you can control the drone with one hand. It’s a minimalistic way to fly quickly and efficiently, but you still have some control. Now also, you can record audio through the phone like you could do with a Neo, and it automatically removes the sound of the drone if you want it to.

Cold Weather And The DJI Flip

So there’s one thing that I noticed about this drone – it does not like extremely cold temperatures. So it’s 9° out right now, Fahrenheit, and anytime you fly it in these kinds of conditions, it’ll say “preparing to take off” and what that is, if you tap on it, it will say the IMU needs to warm up before it can take off. So extremely cold temperatures are going to affect your IMU of this drone. Now I haven’t had any issues like flying it when I’ve been flying in these kind of conditions, but just know that really cold temperatures are going to affect that IMU.

So the Flip does have LIDAR-enabled obstacle avoidance when flying forwards to help minimize collisions, even in low light situations. However, as we know, most drone collisions happen when moving sideways and backwards, so it’s very nice to have forwards obstacle avoidance, but keep in mind you’re still going to have to be very careful when you’re flying this drone sideways or backwards.

With O4 transmission, the DJI Flip has an advertised video feed distance of up to 13 km or about 8 miles. TRUST me, you will never be able to fly the Flip that far away, not only for battery life but also for connectivity, but I can ASSURE you that you can fly the Flip further away than your eye can see and maintain a solid signal.

The battery charging bank for the Flip can hold four batteries and it can charge two of them simultaneously, which is very nice for getting you back into the air very quickly.

So let’s talk about a couple of things that I wish were a little bit better on this drone, because we all know that nothing is perfect, right? So first of all, the onboard storage on the Flip is only 2 GB, which is going to give you just a few minutes of video storage. Now I’m guessing the reason that’s so low is to help keep the weight down, but how heavy can onboard storage be? I mean, they make 2 TB micro SD cards now, so like this is so incredibly light, like there’s no weight to this at all. I just don’t understand why they can’t put more onboard storage on drones and why they refuse to do it. I don’t get it, I really don’t. Maybe it has to do with processing power or something like that.

But secondly, the lack of rear landing gear – even just a couple of little feet on the back here makes this drone nearly impossible to launch from the ground if you’re in any kind of like dirt-like conditions or grass or snow or anything like that. You have to have like a landing pad or a flat clean surface to launch this drone from. I get it, this drone is designed to be launched from your hand, but there are many times, like especially when you land, you don’t want to land it in your hand – you want to land it on the ground or somewhere else, and if you’re in any kind of situation like I said that has any kind of dirt or anything, it’s going to get right on the ground there.

All right, one thing I do want to show you guys – don’t set this down in the snow, you’re setting those motors right on the snow. So if you’re going to be flying in conditions like this, you probably want to hand launch it or maybe launch it from your vehicle.

So I believe that the DJI Flip is going to be our replacement for the mini lineup. I think this is the new standard for compact drones – regulation friendly, they’re safe to fly, easy to use for anyone and everyone, and also has high-end camera features. This is the perfect package for consumers, especially beginners.

Now there are a lot of things that I did not cover in detail in this video, so I’m going to be running some videos over the next couple of weeks about this drone. So if you don’t want to miss those, be sure to subscribe because there’s so many things that this drone can do.

I do want to thank you for watching the entire video today. Hit that thumbs up button on your way out, have a wonderful day, and as always, fly safe and fly smart.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Now I’m here to tell you two things:

• First of all, drones are not going anywhere. In fact, there are more and more in our skies every month, and it’s only going to become more normal for you to see them in our skies.
• Secondly, not everyone who flies a drone is a bad person. Believe it or not, most of them are hobbyists just trying to enjoy one of the best hobbies ever, and some of them are people just doing their job.

Either way, you may see some flying over your home or your property, and the fact is that is totally Legal. A few years ago, I made a video about that, and I wanted to share it again today because with recent events, many people have questions about flying a drone over private property, and I hope I can answer just a few of them. Also, during the holiday season, there are just more people flying drones because people get them as a gift, so hopefully this video can help educate some of those new pilots as well as people who may be seeing a drone for the first time.

Who owns the airspace over your home?

Do you own the airspace directly above your property, and if you do, is a drone effectively trespassing if they are flying in that airspace? Let’s talk about it.

So first of all, a few disclaimers: everything that I’m about to discuss only applies in the United States. Secondly, I am not an attorney, but I have done my research. I’ll put a few references in the video description to help you do your own research. Thirdly, this video is informational, it’s not an opinion. I’m not here to argue what’s right or what’s wrong. You can discuss that in the comments if you please. I welcome it. I want to see it. I will have just a couple of brief opinions on few things here, but overall this video is meant to progress your knowledge and spark civil conversation in the comments. Believe it or not, you guys, we can still learn from each other.

And then finally, for all the thousands of you that are going to comment “if you fly a drone over my property, you can expect it to be blasted into pieces,” and yes, I know you value your privacy and you should. Bad people do bad things with drones and they should be dealt with appropriately, but federal law states that an unmanned aircraft, a drone, whether they are breaking the law or not, is an aircraft. If you disable an aircraft as a civilian, whether it be with a weapon, a rock, fishing line, your shoe, or anything at all, it’s a federal crime. It’s very clearly stated by the FAA.

Now I’m not arguing the right and wrong of it again. I am stating the law that exists for your knowledge and making you aware of the consequences. And if you feel threatened or harassed, do what you got to do, but just know that the law protects that aircraft. Oh, and if you tell me it’s legal in your state to disable a drone or to shoot at a drone, by all means post a link to that law so we can all read it and make fun of it.

Now, last week, actually a couple of weeks ago, I made kind of a viral TikTok video about private airspace, and in that video, I incorrectly stated that you do not own the airspace that is immediately above your private property. And yes, you heard that right – I said incorrectly. Once in a while, I don’t get it right. So you actually do own that airspace, but there’s a lot more to it than most people understand.

The Causby case of 1946

According to ancient common law, you do technically own everything above your land to infinity. However, most people reference the Causby case of 1946. I guarantee you there’s going to be a hundred of them referencing the Causby case in the comments of this video. I’ll post the Causby case in the description along with some summaries about it, but the short version of it is that a chicken farmer sued the government because they were flying planes over his property on a regular basis. He argued that the government was taking his property by doing so because his chickens were dying, he was enduring long-term stress, and he couldn’t operate his chicken farm. The court agreed and he won compensation because of the takings ruling, but they also stated that the common law of airspace ownership to the ends of the universe has no place in the modern world.

Yes, you own the airspace, but you also grant an easement of that airspace for public use. A citizen of the United States has a public right of transit through the navigable airspace. Now so many people get hung up on the number 83 – 83 ft. “That’s 83 ft in my state. I know, I heard my uncle’s cousin told me that it’s 83 ft in their state.” See, the deal is the planes that were flying over Causby’s property, they were flying at 83 ft above ground level. That’s where that number came from.

Listen very carefully: the court did not set airspace ownership at 83 ft. They in fact did not set any limit. The only thing the Causby case concluded was that the federal government was responsible for the taking of his airspace that resulted in the loss of his use or enjoyment of that property. According to common law, you still own up to the ends of the universe. There’s no limit. However, because you live in society in modern times with other humans, you are also required to grant easement to the use of that space.

Now if there’s something that is interfering long-term with the use or enjoyment of that space, then you have a case. The most basic example is where you are allowed to trim the branches of your neighbor’s tree if they are hanging into your airspace because it’s impeding your enjoyment or use of the space. But if an aircraft flies into your airspace once or even occasionally, that is legal transit by easement as defined by the courts.

Here is what I think the most important takeaway from this video: the courts determined that the common law of airspace ownership should not apply in today’s modern times because of the invention of technology like airplanes. Fast forward 80 years and now we have even more advancement with the development and growth of UAVs or drones. So the FAA has determined that because a UAV is an aircraft and they can navigate just about anywhere through any airspace, they qualify for that easement.

According to the FAA, a drone, as long as it is abiding by all FAA UAV rules, is allowed to fly in your private airspace because it is considered navigable airspace. You see, the definition of navigable airspace has changed with the invention of drones, and this is the rule. You may or may not agree with the rule – this is not my opinion, I’m not saying what’s wrong or what’s right. I am simply stating the current determinations of the Federal Aviation Administration for your knowledge.

Yes, there are different classes of airspace which the FAA governs, but this discussion is not related to that. Also, no matter how much you think you know what the legal minimal limit of drone flight is allowed over your property, you are most likely wrong. There is no set minimum altitude that a drone can fly over the ground – none. No state laws, no local laws, nothing.

Also, your city or your state has no authority to restrict or manage drone flight in its airspace. Don’t comment yet, hear me out. They can restrict launching location and landing location – basically, they can set whatever rules they want for the ground, for the land, but local governments have zero authority to set flight restrictions. And if you think I’m wrong, please don’t just comment “you’re wrong.” I would ask that you find your local laws online, copy the link, paste it in the comments so everyone can see what you are referring to.

Now listen, there are quite a few state laws related to drones already, but nearly all of them are based on the premise of surveillance or voyeurism. In these states and towns, people can only be charged with a crime under these rules if it is proven that the drone owner has the specific intent to spy on someone or, in some cases, on critical infrastructure. I’ve been unable to find any state or local laws that simply restrict the flight in the airspace within city limits, and I think maybe that’s because they know that as the federal rules are currently written, they can’t regulate flight.

So that’s how they are getting around the federal jurisdiction – they can charge someone if they suspect that person is spying with their drone but not if they are simply just flying around town. You see the difference there? Spying, they’re flying – they can charge you for this one, they can’t for this one.

Now if your little town has a drone flying restriction, you can always try to refer them to the FAA for clarification of the law, but just be careful as you know most small town law enforcement doesn’t really care if you are breaking the rules that they have set in place for their community. Then they will find something to charge you with.

Should the rules be changed? Should the airspace above your property be off limits to drones? So my question to you is: is this something that should be decided by our federal courts, federal government, or should the laws be made at the local level allowing different communities to set their own restrictions? Let me know your thoughts.

So in summary:

• You do own the airspace above your property
• You have the right to use that airspace as you please
• That airspace is also an easement for all aircraft
• Drones are aircraft as defined by the FAA
• It doesn’t matter, Clyde, if you think a drone is a toy and not an aircraft – what matters is what the FAA thinks
• According to them, someone can legally fly into your airspace with a drone
• If that someone is doing it repeatedly and they are interfering with your use or enjoyment of the airspace, then yeah, you probably have a legal case against them
• If you think they are watching you or someone that you love or that you know with a camera drone, there are rules against voyeurism and spying already in place in most states
• These rules apply to drones the same as they do to a camera or a smartphone or binoculars or anything like that

Now some states have created drone-specific laws that refer to surveillance, but no state or city can restrict drones from flying in their airspace. Concerning FAA airspace classifications, that’s a completely different topic which maybe I will address in a future video. If you are really interested in learning about that, I do suggest getting your Part 107, and I’ll post a link in the video description that can help guarantee you pass your Part 107 exam.

So let’s discuss this in the comments, share your research for others, rebuttal as you please. I wholeheartedly welcome that. There’s still so much more to cover on this topic. Thank you to all of you for watching. Hey, I do suggest you watch this video right here next. I think you’re going to love it. Have a great day everyone and as always fly safe and fly smart.

Initial Thoughts

The first thing I want to say is I’m not going to criticize anyone’s opinions out there – there is a lot of uncertainty here. So whatever you put in the comments, feel like you can say whatever you want. I’m not going to criticize you because there’s just so many questions out there. And I’m really not an expert – like I have a little more knowledge about drones than the average person, but I’m definitely not an expert. So whatever you say in the comments, feel free to say whatever you want. In return, I ask that you give me the same courtesy when I tell you my opinion.

The Need for Critical Thinking

The number one request that I have for anyone interested in this situation is to engage in critical thinking. Don’t know what that is? Look it up. There are several theories about this situation, but the one thing that cannot happen is mass hysteria, which appears to be the case in many of these sightings. Use some critical thinking as you take in all of the information and try to avoid making decisions by emotion.

What’s Really Being Seen

I’ve watched over 30 videos and I don’t know how many news reports to gather as much information as I can, and I can tell you first of all that a very large percentage of the footage that I have seen are undeniably manned aircraft. They sound like planes, they look like planes – they are 100% airplanes. It’s like people are looking up into the sky for the first time ever. It’s weird – like just today I watched a video of someone zooming in with their phone camera (which by the way they all look terrible) on this mysterious glowing orb in the sky, and the guy’s just freaking out. You know what it was? It was Venus.

Now on the other hand, there are also many videos showing these mystery objects moving in ways that unconventional aircraft would move – side to side, circular patterns, and so on. Now those obviously are not manned aircraft. However, every single one of them has FAA-compliant navigation lights and anti-collision lights on them. Like every single one of them. Those are drones – they sound like drones and they move like drones. These are most likely people flying their drones.

Understanding Size and Perception

There are a few reports of people stating that the objects they’re seeing are the size of small cars, and this is what concerns a lot of people because that’s really an unknown – we’ve never seen drones that large before. The explanation, in my opinion? Perspective and parallax. When you look at something in the sky, especially at night (and that’s the other thing you guys – not a single sighting of these mystery drones in the daytime, isn’t that a little bit weird?), it’s almost impossible to tell how high it is above the ground, thereby making it very difficult to assess the size. And it’s also difficult to judge movement due to something called the parallax effect.

Media and Government Response

The press is egregiously misinformed about drones. One news reporter from a major news organization claimed that it is illegal to fly drones at night. Also, I watched one of the representatives from New York State say the same thing. Some may be from hobbyists, but certainly the ones we’re seeing are not – they could be commercial, but if they’re commercial, our government should know about it, and they should also know they’re violating FAA airspace which says you cannot fly between sundown and sunrise. Incredibly ignorant to not get the facts before you go off on national news and get people riled up.

Legal Night Flying

It is perfectly Legal to fly a drone at night when following FAA guidelines. There are close to 1 million registered drones in this country, and there are estimates that barely half of all drone owners actually register their drone with the FAA. This means that there are most likely about 2 million plus drones out there, and people are flying them more than ever. I guarantee you that since this story broke, just about every person that owns a drone in New Jersey has gone out and flown their drone at night.

Military Installation Concerns

What about the reports of sightings near military installations? That’s pretty concerning, right? These are people flying their drones near military installations – is this dangerous and illegal? It’s very, very illegal, yes, but since when has law stopped people from doing things? Most military bases and critical infrastructure around our country have what’s called a geozone around their perimeter. This is basically an invisible wall that prevents some drones from flying into that airspace. The world’s largest drone manufacturer, DJI, is the only company that adheres to these geozones.

Government Transparency Issues

Some legislators are convinced that this is our own government testing out counterterrorism activity and they are not being honest with the American people. The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have stated that there should be no concern, there’s no risk to public safety. Well, how would they know that and why would they state that? Tell me why you’re saying that.

People want transparency and openness from our government, and it’s pretty obvious that they are not sharing everything they know. They should frankly be scrambling something up here – like figure it out. I’m surprised they haven’t put a plane up just to say “here’s what we’ve done,” but to see no response, no federal response, is truly upsetting.

Local Response

There was a gathering of 200 mayors in New Jersey recently to try to get answers, but no one at the federal level is giving them answers. I can see how frustrating that would be. These are folks that actually have witnessed drones flying over their property, and they are not misidentifying them. These are smart people – you can look up in the sky and see that’s not an airplane, that’s a drone flying over my street.

Chinese Drone Concerns and Government Response

Our government at both the state and federal levels has tried very hard to ban the sale and use of drones from China for a few years now. There has been a combined effort to prevent people from securing and using drones from DJI and Autel, the two largest drone manufacturers in the world, who both happen to be Chinese companies. Our government has been claiming that the use of these drones are a threat to National Security as they may have the ability to capture sensitive data and information.

However, there are two problems with these efforts. First of all, none of the claims of data collection have been verified or confirmed through multiple audits by third parties. There is no proof that DJI has been doing anything that our government says they are doing. Now does that mean it’s not happening? No, I mean I don’t know, most people don’t know, it could be happening, but if you don’t have the proof to show the people, it’s really hard to sell your case.

And another thing that people are really misstating – like a lot of professionals are saying okay, well these drones can do facial recognition. They can’t, you guys. DJI does not have that ability. You could definitely get a payload and put it on a DJI drone that has facial recognition, but super super expensive, nobody’s doing that, and it’s not the drone that’s doing that – it’s the company that makes that facial recognition hardware and then someone’s attaching it to a DJI drone. You could do that with any drone right now.

Secondly, the majority of drones used in this country for commercial use – like Search and Rescue, agriculture inspections, all kinds of commercial uses – are mostly DJI drones, and if you ban them, it would result in a massive financial earthquake and believe it or not, it would affect every single one of you watching this right now.

So the latest effort to include a Chinese drone ban in the National Defense Authorization Act just failed. Although the potential ban got more traction this year, like it’s building every year, it still did not pass for the reasons I just mentioned.

Using Fear as a Tool

So what is the best way to pass legislation that would otherwise face challenges? Fear. You incite fear and uncertainty, you make people afraid of something, and then they will do whatever you want them to do. So how do you get people to fear drones at a higher level? You introduce them to drones in the most uncertain way possible.

Next year when new legislation comes forward, guess what’s going to be all over the news? The great Christmas drone mystery of 2024. The events of the last few weeks is the battering ram that our federal government needs to get the Chinese drone ban that they have had so much trouble trying to get through.

Now do I sound a little bit like a conspiracy theorist? Maybe. But the timing certainly makes it worth consideration.

Bottom Line of the Drone Mystery

The bottom line – you all have nothing to be afraid of with these drones. Please, please do not give in to the panic. The press wants clicks and views, the mischievous drone owners just want to cause trouble, and the government wants you to be afraid so you ask for what they want you to ask for.

My advice? Stop looking up at the sky, go buy yourself a drone – there’s a link in the comments for you to find the best ones for new drone users. Subscribe to this channel and learn how to use it. Thanks for watching the entire video today, have a great day, Merry Christmas, and we’ll see you next time.

According to Moss, a member of the Drone Service Providers Alliance (DSPA), House and Senate leadership are currently working to bypass normal procedures and create a compromise bill that could include language from the Countering CCP Drones Act. This accelerated process, driven by end-of-year time constraints, could see the bill presented for votes as early as next week.

Critical Timeline and Process Changes

The usual process for the NDAA would involve separate House and Senate votes followed by a conference committee to reconcile differences. However, congressional leadership is now pursuing a shortcut by crafting a compromise bill directly, potentially incorporating restrictions on Chinese drone manufacturers without the usual debate process.

“Both leaderships are trying to hammer out a compromise bill for the House and Senate to vote on to skip the step of actually voting and then going into compromise,” Moss explains. “They’re running out of time.”

Industry Impact Concerns

The proposed restrictions could prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from granting new licenses to DJI, Autel Robotics, and potentially other Chinese drone manufacturers. This would effectively halt the import of new drone models from these companies, which currently supply approximately 90% of commercial drones used in the United States.

The impact could be severe across multiple sectors:

• Commercial drone operations
• First responder services
• STEM Education programs
• Real estate photography
• Agricultural monitoring
• Search and Rescue operations

“In 3 to 5 years or sooner, probably even 2 years, our drone fleets are done,” Moss warns. “We don’t have that drone out there that’s going to replace what we are currently using. It does not exist to my knowledge.”

Manufacturing Capacity Concerns

While the United States does produce high-quality drones, particularly for military and enterprise applications, there are significant gaps in the consumer and prosumer segments where most commercial operators work. Current U.S. manufacturing capacity cannot meet the demand for replacement aircraft if Chinese options are restricted.

The projected $15 billion U.S. drone industry by 2030 could face serious setbacks if operators cannot access suitable replacement aircraft as their current fleets age out.

Questions About Security Claims

Recent developments have cast doubt on some security concerns used to justify restrictions. In October, DJI filed a lawsuit challenging its placement on the Chinese Military Company List, providing evidence that several DOD claims were based on misidentified individuals and mischaracterized industry participation.

The lawsuit highlights instances where normal business activities, such as participating in civilian safety requirement committees alongside companies like Nokia, Ford, and Samsung, were incorrectly portrayed as security concerns.

Call for Action

Industry stakeholders are encouraged to contact their congressional representatives and key committee leaders immediately. Key points to emphasize include:

1. Impact on business operations and public safety
2. Lack of comparable replacement options
3. Manufacturing capacity limitations
4. Economic consequences for the U.S. drone industry
5. Effects on STEM education and workforce development

Contact information for relevant officials can be found at congress.gov.

Looking Forward

The outcome of this accelerated NDAA process could have long-lasting implications for the U.S. drone industry. While security concerns deserve careful consideration, industry experts argue that blanket restrictions could harm American competitiveness and innovation in the drone sector.

“We can talk politics without becoming political,” Moss notes, emphasizing the need for fact-based discussion of these critical industry issues. The coming days will be crucial for the future of commercial drone operations in the United States.

‘T was the night before Christmas, when all through the net,
The drone YouTubers gathered, their cameras all set.

Aldryn from FlytPath, the king of the skies,
His polished perfection makes others all sigh.
He’s smart and he’s nice, the envy of all,
The crown on his head, his kingdom won’t fall.

And then there’s OriginaldoBo, bold as can be,
His language as colorful as a Florida sea.
FPV whizzing, real estate flying,
In 3D printing, his skills are undying.
But listen closely, you’ll notice, dear friend,
In words that he says, the “G” meets its end.

Now Billy Kyle, the pretty boy scout,
Travels the country, never without
His fluffy dog and trusty Tesla,
A nomad of drones, a true aerial hustler.
Inspections and mapping, commercial delight,
This young lad’s adventures are quite the sight.

Captain Drone, the nerd of the bunch,
With toys and gadgets, he has quite a hunch.
But DJI’s absence makes him cry and moan,
Wishing for a feature that was all his own.
His jealousy shows, but his heart is gold,
For his love of the hobby will never grow old.

Ken Heron, the funny man with a silvery mane,
His channel has shifted, a few drones remain.
Comedy has been his preferred flight path,
Bringing smiles and joy, igniting our laugh.
A radio rock star, his humor’s a must,
In Ken we TRUST for a comedic thrust.

ReadySetDrone, the dad of the clan,
In Austin, Texas, he’s the welcoming man.
His reviews are vast, his kindness renowned,
In this drone realm, his wisdom’s profound.
A steady hand and a heart full of grace,
His years of experience set the pace.

Drone Valley, the engineer of renown,
With giggles and gadgets, he wears the crown.
He’ll tell you he’s retired, but his knowledge is key,
With a laugh that’s as silly as his expertise is free.
A schoolboy’s chuckle when a new drone’s enhanced,
This retired engineer is still in demand.

The Drone Creative from Ireland‘s shores,
With drones held high, his view counts soar.
A leprechaun perhaps in disguise,
His videos more popular than many would surmise.
Yet his charm and wit keep viewers engaged,
On YouTube‘s vast stage, his presence a sage.

Mike from Drone Supremacy, underrated and grand,
With motorsports visions, a drone in each hand.
His splendid channel deserves more views,
For his passion and knowledge are tried and true.
In the world of drones, he’s an unsung star,
Yet his dedication will carry him far.

Dustin Dunnill, chill on Hawaiian sand,
Breaking drone rules with the wave of his hand.
His relaxed demeanor, a breath of fresh air,
In distant max flights, he shows his flair.
Amongst the drone crowd, he’s the laid-back king,
In the island breeze, his praises we sing.

51 Drones with rosy cheeks and a smile,
Talks about rules, but sometimes takes a while.
His handsome face and cool attire,
In drone knowledge, he’ll never tire.
Though his speeches may sometimes delay,
His insights and charm brighten the day.

Idaho Quadcopter, small but bright,
Reviews cheaper drones with friendly insight.
His channel may not be the biggest of all,
But his genuine nature stands proud and tall.
In the drone world, his kindness shines,
A beacon of warmth through all the lines.

DM Productions with a British tone,
Leaked a DJI drone, now widely known.
His sharp accent and well-groomed beard,
In the drone community, his growth is cheered.
Though controversy sparked a fiery debate,
His channel’s rise was a twist of fate.

Jack from Half Chrome, with a teacher’s grace,
His pleasant voice sets a steady pace.
A natural presenter with knowledge to share,
In drone reviews, he’s beyond compare.
Though similar to others, his touch is unique,
A calming presence, his wisdom we seek.

Drone Wilder, smashing drones like toys,
Gains views of plenty with his reckless joys.
The DJI Neo his recent claim to fame,
In drone destruction, he’s made his name.
Though his methods may seem a little extreme,
His channel’s success fulfills the dream.

Shawn from Air Photography from Canada, he hails,
Once just hands in his videos, now full of tales.
“G’day folks,” he starts with a confident grin,
His weight loss journey, a battle he’ll win.
Hiking and biking, embracing the wild,
His newfound happiness makes viewers smile.

iPhonedo with intro so grand,
Creative and professional, the best in the land.
Unique camera movements, perspectives that thrill,
His colorful lighting is unmatched in skill.
Turkish accent with humor and flair,
A talented musician beyond compare.

And then there are those who dabble, not dive,
McKinnon, iJustine, PotatoJet thrive.
Should they stick to their crafts, leave drones to the pros?
In the drone world, it’s the skills that truly show.
But each has their place, their unique point of view,
In this vast YouTube space, there’s room for a few.

Each channel distinct, with value to show,
In the drone community, they help us all grow.
With humor and insight, they light up the sky,
In their own special way, they help us all fly.

So here’s to the YouTubers and all that they do,
Bringing joy and knowledge to me, and to you.

Improved Focus Tracking Speed

When it first came out, the Neo could only track you at a maximum of about 12 mph, and even that was kind of sketchy. The most you could really do with the Neo when it came to tracking was either walking or jogging. Some people, like DC Rainmaker, could run faster than the DJI Neo could track them.

Now they’ve increased the speed on the focus tracking. While they don’t give us a specific number, I did my own testing on my e-bike. In sport mode, I was able to maintain a speed of about 18 mph, which is a lot better. Interestingly, when I went back to the same spot and set it into normal mode, it actually reached up to 21 mph for a brief moment. This was only for a split second, but it did perform better in normal mode than in sport mode. I’m not sure why this happened—all the conditions were the same, with the wind at my back. I don’t know if it was a fluke, but it was consistently able to maintain 18 mph, which is really good for this little drone. This is really great news for people that mountain bike or ride any kind of bike and want to track themselves with the DJI Neo.

Controller Recording Updates

Another feature that was updated is the ability to record when you’re using the RCN2 or RCN3 controller. This is useful for people who like to fly the Neo with a controller. While some people like to fly it with their mobile device or by itself, most people really enjoy using the controller because you have more control—it just feels like you’re actually flying a drone.

New Audio Recording Modes

Related to recording, they’ve added the ability to record ambient noise around you. When the Neo first came out, you could only record in Pure mode, which removed all background noise and only picked up your voice. The downside was that your voice sounded like you were in a tunnel or was somewhat echoey.

Now you can choose Natural audio recording, which includes some of the ambient noise around you, like birds singing or grass blowing in the wind. When the drone is close to you (within 100 feet or less), Pure mode is still probably the best option, as otherwise you’ll hear the constant buzzing of the drone. However, if the drone’s far away, the Natural setting is better because you can hear what’s going on around you—whether it’s geese flying overhead or birds in the background.

Audio Mode Comparison

Here’s what Pure mode sounds like: It’s recording my voice and removing all of the background noise—the wind noise, traffic, and even the deer hunters (it’s hunting season). It takes out all of those noises so you can just hear my voice.

In Natural mode, you can hear the drone a little bit along with the background noise. During testing, there wasn’t much going on other than wind and a little traffic noise. There was also a train in the background. The speaker asks viewers to decide which they prefer—Pure or Natural mode.

Native Vertical Mode

Another feature added with this Firmware Update is the ability to record in Native vertical mode. This is great news because many people use the Neo for social media and previously had to crop their landscape video. Now you can go into the camera settings and set it to 1080p at 60 frames per second and have that native vertical mode without any cropping before uploading to social media. While it’s only 1080p, that resolution is perfect for social media.

Horizontal Mobile Device Mode

The final update allows you to fly with your mobile device in horizontal mode. Previously, you could only fly in vertical mode when using your phone, which made the screen really small and the controls too close together. Now you can click on the little square in the lower right corner, turn your phone sideways, and fly in horizontal mode. This gives you much more screen space and better control because it feels more like you’re using a remote control.

Future DJI Neo Updates and Deals

This $199 drone continues to receive great new features. For those waiting for the Goggles N3 (which is compatible with the Neo), they’re coming soon—likely before Black Friday, though that’s not guaranteed.

Speaking of Black Friday, holiday specials are already available. There will be a link in the video description with all of the best deals on tech for the holiday season. The link will be updated daily as new sales are released for the holidays.

Thank you for watching the entire video today. Remember to fly safe and fly smart!