DJI’s new drones will not be available in the US as FCC ban takes effect
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As a person who doesn’t know much about drone features and highlights as those into that world, are there other brands that can do the same or better?
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FranzJoseph
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
Won't help you much since the ones imported from Canada won't be FCC‑approved. Meaning you would be flying one illegally inside the US. Even doubly so if over 250 g or what the current limit sans registration is.
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FranzJoseph
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
You see, with US motors it's no longer considered an IED, but a proper patriotic FED (
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Nope. DJI is light years ahead of everyone else for consumer level drones. At the high end (five figures) there is competition, but that's just a bit out of range for most people.
EDIT: Oh yeah, as @ChefJeff789 points out there are some niche markets that aren't Chinese. But if you want a drone with a decent price, decent camera and fairly robust firmware (it did take them awhile....), you got DJI or Autel.
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Ah state sponsored cronyism with a nebulous "herrr durrrn daddy Drumpf told me Ghina is bad! So banned they are! Illegal or not" said the swarmy sweaty goblin known as Brandon Carr.
This isn't going to stop them from continuing to beat out the rest of the world. Just further isolating us and making the US less relevant by the day.
The party of the free market strikes again!
This isn't going to stop them from continuing to beat out the rest of the world. Just further isolating us and making the US less relevant by the day.
The party of the free market strikes again!
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There are, actually. The problem is that virtually all of the alternatives are marketed to corporations, extreme hobbyists, or FPV flying competitors. None of them is quite the combination of consumer-friendly and capable as DJI. I hope at least one of them steps up here, but hard to say. Even if they do, none of them could be as cheap as DJI. The economics simply aren't there
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American components are, of course, blessed by Trump and would never, ever think about being unpatriotic or frankly seditious. He's so smart and powerful, he talks to every component ever made and bends them to his will.
Or argle bargle morble whoosh.
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I got the Mavic Air 2 when it came out and what a blast it was, then the registration came and I followed suit and got my 107 license and etc. Then came the GPS requirement and that just killed my interest because ultimately for me it wasn't an income maker, just personal enjoyment and video content for me and family. Yet I am sure my little good old Mavic Air 2 is miles better than anything US made, including even today. The image quality for stills and video is simply clear and beautiful (considering its small sensor) and with a propeller upgrade I did a while back I was able to take it 4 miles to the open sea to film some humpback whales and what a sight it was, with no serious loss of signal. So, even from my experience, a really heavy loss truly indeed.
Edit: grammar
Edit: grammar
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The really interesting / concerning part is whether or not you can continue to use a DJI drone. Many of the newer drones, like my mini 3, require logging into DJI servers every once in a while or they won't go far (50 feet up, 500 feet away). My older DJI don't do that so they won't ever get upgraded. But IIRC, anything sold in the last couple of years does this.
A lot of people just might find themselves with a ewaste paperweight.
Maybe Ukraine can start exporting a couple of variants of what they're using. I'd just love a drone that had a ready made bomb rack.
A lot of people just might find themselves with a ewaste paperweight.
Maybe Ukraine can start exporting a couple of variants of what they're using. I'd just love a drone that had a ready made bomb rack.
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OK. Foreign drones bad. US drones good.
So where is the US manufacturing capability and capacity that will make up the shortfall until the US drones are just as capable and cheap as the foreign drones?
So where is the US manufacturing capability and capacity that will make up the shortfall until the US drones are just as capable and cheap as the foreign drones?
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Drones are highly advanced, at the leading edge of battery, motor, communication, and sensing technologies.
Kind of hilarious to expect domestic companies to compete in this space when we can't even compete with the Third World in basic manufacturing.
The national security concerns are a complete farce. When push comes to shove, we are absolutely fucked if China decides to go on the offensive. They already have known backdoors into our networking infrastructure, power grid, sanitation systems, etc. Drones made in China pose no more a threat than the stuff I buy at the dollar store.
Kind of hilarious to expect domestic companies to compete in this space when we can't even compete with the Third World in basic manufacturing.
The national security concerns are a complete farce. When push comes to shove, we are absolutely fucked if China decides to go on the offensive. They already have known backdoors into our networking infrastructure, power grid, sanitation systems, etc. Drones made in China pose no more a threat than the stuff I buy at the dollar store.
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"produced in a foreign country" is a pretty broad brush. Maybe in practice the only country producing them is China? I don't know. But for example I could imagine Ukraine becoming a big producer of consumer grade drones if their war ever ends, but they are already banned here.
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Surveillance like a Cessna with a guy equipped with an decent telephone lens? Or Google Earth? Or buying satellite imagery from several different vendors? Or even, perish the thought, some rando with any cell phone.
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This administration has demonstrated zero expertise in applying expertise for national good.
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I wanted to get into drones this year - FPV specifically - but costs, tariffs, and legislation all conspired with expenses to make it a non-starter.
China has a solid corner on quality entry-level hardware, especially on FPV setups, and the big thing to keep in mind is that you want to plan out your hardware growth from the beginning to avoid wasting money; If you want to go DJI, that's fine, but you're going DJI all the way due to poor interoperability (I'm simplifying, but that's mostly true).
As far as I'm aware the US just isn't there for entry-level hardware.
China has a solid corner on quality entry-level hardware, especially on FPV setups, and the big thing to keep in mind is that you want to plan out your hardware growth from the beginning to avoid wasting money; If you want to go DJI, that's fine, but you're going DJI all the way due to poor interoperability (I'm simplifying, but that's mostly true).
As far as I'm aware the US just isn't there for entry-level hardware.
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No. The goal is to deny consumers access to inexpensive drones that outperform inferior ones costing 10x+ or more.
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You do make a good point. But I was thinking more of the recent arrival of fucking helicopters that are definitely not transporting patients to the hospital and fly way too low over my house, fixed wing small aircraft and Palantir making up shit out of whole cloth.
The squeaks and squelches that started coming through my speakers, who the fuck knows?
ETA: I can't say for sure about the choppers, but it's also only about ten minutes from here where they did that Rambo operation repelling down to harass children and their parents.
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Seems like there are still a lot of questions as to "why?" and comments like "this doesn't make sense".
When you consider that the primary objective of this administration is to, in fact, cripple and make toxic the US, then, perhaps, some things become clearer.
There is cronyism and cruelty and dozens of other distractions, but the main objective is to relieve the US of its burden of being the center of global monetary policy as well as multi faceted isolation and retreat.
When you consider that the primary objective of this administration is to, in fact, cripple and make toxic the US, then, perhaps, some things become clearer.
There is cronyism and cruelty and dozens of other distractions, but the main objective is to relieve the US of its burden of being the center of global monetary policy as well as multi faceted isolation and retreat.
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Another victory for ideology over practicality. What this administration does best.
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I feel like tomorrow we're going to see Trump Media & Technology Group announce new Trump Drones.
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I wonder if it prevents you from importing parts and rolling your own? Kind of like all the kit car exemptions that get around DOT regulations.
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My theory is Trump admin saw how effective inexpensive DJI drones helped turned the war against the Russians. So I bet they fear that if in 2028 the mask comes off you have the risk of civilians having powerful ISR capabilities if we end up in some civil war.
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Parts are also banned, including batteries, transmitters etc.. it is a comprehensive ban.
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The ones used in Ukraine are fiber optic-guided to not be jammable, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-n...-front-line-city-blanketed-web-of-drone-wire/
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Donald Trump Junior sits on the "board of advisors" of American drone maker Unusual Machines.
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Like so many decisions by the regime, there's a trail back to corruption and capriciousness.
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IMHO, Trump is just following Putin's orders. And Putin is following China's orders, too.
It's a two-fer...
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The biggest "...risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons" is the government itself and the incompetent and unqualified MAGA cronies and sycophants in charge. Maybe they should ban themselves.
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Practicality for whom? As with so many other things we've seen this administration do, I wouldn't be surprised to see the same playbook here: Assert leverage by using the power of the office, then demand kickbacks and concessions and support for some vague relief. Schools. Law firms. Industry after industry. Geopolitics. It's just mob boss stuff 101, nothing special.
And if no one plays ball? It hurts America, but not the goons specifically. No skin off their noses. And they can pull of rhetorical "wins" with their base either way.
No one and nothing is immune. If you exist and you have vulnerabilities and they can see you, they're going to come after you sooner or later.
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MilanKraft
Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
You joke, but this tracks, actually. So much ridiculous firearms-related shit ordinary civilians can buy that they have no business owning. "Freedum Dronez" mounted with radio-controlled, 3D printed (i.e. light weight) pistols can't be too far off.
Sincerely,
A Gun Owner Who Hates the NRA and its DC lackeys for helping to murder common sense in America (pretty sure was pronounced dead after Sandy Hook, but others' mileage may vary). And if there was a pulse remaining, Altman et al just pulled the plug not too long ago.
PS - it bears repeating so I'll say it again: if the only people in this country who own guns are MAGA types / staunch conservatives (currently account for about 90% in my estimation), we're all fucked (by all I mean all Americans). Because that's where all these hot-button topics we talk about every week are going, if Dems can't regain control of Congress soon (no signs they will and plenty of signs actual election rigging inbound, however ironic.)
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The US drone's body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.
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