Having reviewed dozens of drones of all shapes, sizes, and prices, I'd recently come to the conclusion that smaller, lighter, and cheaper drones were the way to go for 90 percent of consumers. But then DJI launched its new premium-priced, jumbo-size flagship consumer drone, the Mavic 4 Pro, and made me fall in love all over again. Yes, this drone is seriously impressive. But before I deep-dive the phenomenally good camera and ridiculously long range, it's important to note that the Mavic 4 Pro will not be officially available in the US. As well as ongoing issues around flight restrictions and security, a DJI spokesperson told WIRED, "Like many global companies, we have had to adjust our market strategy as local conditions and the industry environment have evolved. While we do not have a timeline for when we can introduce the product to the US market, we are closely monitoring the situation and actively exploring every possible solution."

In July of last year, a DJI Mavic 2 drone approached a Pennsylvania power substation. Two 4-foot nylon ropes dangled from its rotors, a thick copper wire connected to the ends with electrical tape. The device had been stripped of any identifiable markings, as well as its onboard camera and memory card, in an apparent effort by its owner to avoid detection. Its likely goal, according to a joint security bulletin released by DHS, the FBI, and the National Counterterrorism Center, was to "disrupt operations by creating a short circuit." The drone crashed on the roof of an adjacent building before it reached its ostensible target, damaging a rotor in the process.

I don't love that I am doing it, but my current take on anything related to "are drones safe in cities, what will people be using them for, consumer drones, Slaughterbots, etc." is the trite: they'll probably be banned. The public is starting to realize the risk of consumer drones. That being said, most people probably forgot the Gatwick Drone Incident, where one drone shut down thousands of flights across a couple of days in London (about 140,000 people affected). I would also guess if you ask people about hacked drones, they understand they are scary but unexpected. This difficulty with regulating drones and dealing with vast numbers of them lies parallel to the fact that no one was charged in the Gatwick incident (2 arrests, released without charge)! It is a very messy space, and consumers have a weird infatuation with their loud flying friends.

File photo - An airplane flies over a drone during the Polar Bear Plunge on Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York Jan. 1, 2015. If you're thinking about adding a flamethrower or gun to your drone for an epic end-of-summer blowout party, think again. The Federal Aviation Administration wants you to know that it's illegal to weaponize a drone. "Perhaps you've seen online photos and videos of drones with attached guns, bombs, fireworks, flamethrowers, and other dangerous items. Do not consider attaching any items such as these to a drone because operating a drone with such an item may result in significant harm to a person and to your bank account," the FAA said in a warning last week.

Rogue Drone Pilots Face A New Foe: Deep Learning AI In the wake of airspace-invading drones causing the precautionary shutdowns of three major airports--London's Gatwick in December and Heathrow in early January, along with Newark Liberty International, NJ last week--aviation authorities the world over are now considering the acquisition of commercial drone detection, tracking, and capture systems, in a bid to keep airliners and passengers safe. However, they could be jumping the gun. Experts are warning that today's counter-drone systems are no cure-all, as they cannot defend against some types of criminal drone threat--especially the most determined airspace saboteurs using home-built, customized drones that may not respond to conventional countermeasures. However, a number of ingenious ideas are now being investigated to shore up some of the gaps in functionality, and some of them are even based on the technology of the moment: deep learning. Aviation safety authorities worry about drones because they can penetrate cockpit windscreens, injuring the pilots, or risk starting inflight fires by breaching the fuel tanks in aircraft wings, or causing sudden engine failure during a critical part of flight like takeoff or landing, perhaps leading to a crash.

Yuneec has announced a new addition to its lineup of consumer drones called the Mantis Q. It has a bunch of features for a $500 drone: 4K video, voice controls, and face detection, plus a top flying speed of 44 mph and 33 minutes of flight time. The Mantis Q weighs 1 pound and can be folded to fit into a backpack, making it ideal for families and casual photographers. The drone has three automatic flight modes: "journey mode," which flies on a straight, designated path; "point of interest," which circles an assigned object; and "return to home," which automatically returns the drone near its takeoff area. The Mantis Q is supposed to be able to recognize faces from up to 13 feet away and can take photos either through gesture control mode if the user waves their hand, or through a voice command like, "Take a selfie."

In 2017, the Australian military drone-racing team made its competitive debut during the Australian Drone Nationals. Given the technology's long history within the military, you might think they would have an edge. But that's not what happened. Drone racing is a fairly new sport that merges video game racing with real-life drone flying. Racers put on a pair of first-person view (or FPV) goggles, which allow them to see exactly what they would if they were sitting in the teeny-tiny cockpit.

Since the advent of the consumer drone (not so long ago, really), making a purchasing decision around new flying machine has involved weighing a list of compromises. You're going to have a big drone that's tough to maneuver. Your footage will look like garbage. Want something easy to fly? You're getting a glorified toy that will fall apart in a light breeze. DJI, the world's leading manufacturer of consumer drones, tried to solve this last year with the Mavic Pro.

The US is going to start taking rogue drones out of the air… by launching its own drones to smash into them. Attacks using consumer drones are on the rise. In 2017, ISIS forces in Mosul attacked US-backed Iraqi troops with dozens of consumer drones dropping grenades, and earlier this year a swarm of small drones attacked a Russian airbase in Syria. Such attacks are difficult to counter with existing weapons.

Criminals are increasingly using drones in illegal activity and as a way to counter surveil and disrupt the FBI and other law enforcement agents, according to a report by Defense One. The publication cites one instance where an FBI hostage rescue team set up a raised observation post to monitor a situation. A so-called "swarm" of small drones appeared and assailed the FBI in a series of "high-speed low passes at the agents in the observation post to flush them." That incident was shared by Joe Mazel, head of the agency's operational technology law unit at the AUVSI Xponential conference in Denver. Mazel said the FBI agents lost situational awareness.