Drone News: Drone Shop Owner Arrested for Flights, Baltimore Bridge TFR, Avata 2 Release and More?

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update, we have 3 stories for you this week: Drone Shop Owner arrested for prison drops, Baltimore bridge collapse, possible Avata release next week? First up, next week appears to have two DJI releases! The first release appears to be a possible gimbal which is set to release on the 9th. Leaks on the new gimbal suggest an RS4 Pro and suggest battery compatibility and new accessories. Unlike the possible RS4 Pro, the next release has several leaks. Set to release on the 11th appears to be a new DJI Avata! Leaked specs and pricing from DroneXL suggest a 1/1.3” CMOS sensor, D-Log, O4, and 23 minute battery life. Pricing has also been leaked, with the drone only coming in at $410 and the fly more combo at $960. We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else about either of these releases! https://dronexl.co/2024/04/03/dji-avata-2-leaks-specs-prices-features/ https://dronexl.co/2024/03/28/dji-rs-4-pro-gimbal-leaked-photo/ Next up, the bridge collapse in Baltimore is a No Drone Zone. If you’re unfamiliar, a container ship hit a bridge pylon on the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore resulting in the bridge collapsing. To reduce possible airspace congestion, a TFR has been issued for the area surrounding the bridge. Authorities including as the NTSB are using drones and helicopters as part of the investigation, with the NTSB releasing videos and images of the collapse. The FBI has issued a statement saying: “The FBI's message is simple: All drones are to stay away from the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. This is to ensure the safety of all first responders and crews in the area as well as to not interfere with their work," said William J. DelBagno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office. "You will be charged federally if you fly a drone in a restricted area. It is harmful to the recovery operations, and it is illegal” Don’t be that guy… https://dronexl.co/2024/03/31/fbi-no-drone-zone-baltimore-bridge-collapse/ Last up this week, a drone shop owner in Georgia was arrested for using drones to smuggle contraband into Prison. Georgia Department of Corrections arrested business owner Robert Schwartz from Thunder Drones on charges including contraband drops and inmate communications. Police said during the investigation they stopped over 170 prison drops, seized more than 50 drones, 51 lbs of ecstasy, 22 firearms, and 273 cellphones. The investigation began in November of 2022 and has led to 146 arrests. We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else about this story. https://dronexl.co/2024/03/29/drone-shop-arrested-georgia-prison-contraband/ Alright, that’s it, have a great weekend and we’ll see you next week on Monday for the live!