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Drones Can Be Easily Hijacked, Demoed At Def Con

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The Parrot Bebop drone has never been quite so popular as the DJI’s or 3DRs out there. It does not rank the same on the pro equipment scale so pros are less likely to use it. Then again, it is less than $500 where a 3DR solo (gimbal-less) or a DJI Phantom Vision 3 are around $1000. That puts the Bebop it the same price range as the Phantom  2, but again, not as popular.

Here is another reason why this little drone may not be as successful as its colleagues, it can be taken over or dropped to the ground quite easily.

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Watch As a Huge Eagle Attacks Drone In Midair, Sending It Crashing to the Ground

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Drones seem to be regularly under attack, sometimes from lawmakers, and often from disgruntled neighbors.  But rarely do we see it under attack from the air.  Let’s change that, shall we?

Australian photographer Adam Lancaster was taking his DJI Phantom out for an aerial stroll through the bushes of Victoria when a winged guardian of the skies took exception to its presence.  In exciting footage of the encounter, a Wedge-Tailed Eagle flying nearby is seen attacking the drone midair, sending it plummeting to the ground.

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DroneBase Connects Pilots and Customers For Affordable Aerial Imaging

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Drones are great for capturing aerial imagery on a budget (…at least when they’re not about crashing into airliners).  But, not everyone can afford to or wants to jump on the drone-ownership bandwagon.  And as drone regulations continue to tighten, the prospect of drone ownership is could begin to fade.

However, for those living a drone-free existence who still want to capture great imagery from time to time, DroneBase may be the answer for you.  DroneBase facilitates a peer-to-peer network of drone operators and prospective imaging clients, allowing you to hire a qualified professional to capture what you need without all the hassle or cost of owning the equipment yourself.

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We Knew It Was Coming: Drone Has A Near Miss With An Airbus A320 Airplane

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Looking at the events from last year or so, it was just a matter of time until something like this happen. A drone had a near miss with an Airbus A320 airplane in Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.

The Airbus A320 was operated by Brussels Airlines and carries 160 staff and passengers. On Monday afternoon flight BEL3289 was approaching landing and at about 4,000 feet (about 1.2km) the pilot reported that a drone was crossing its path approximately 75-100 meter away. The pilot also reported that the drone was black and blue and had 4 small motors.

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Annoyed Fisherman Casts and Hooks a Drone Flying Over Pier

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https://youtu.be/SrzU-MMBGIM

We’ve had our share of both Animals and Humans taking drones out of the skies when they consider them a nuisance, but I think this is the first time that we’re seeing a drone being lassoed and pulled in.

Tice Ledbetter was flying his Inspire 1 over the San Diego pier when he caught the attention of one of the local fishermen.

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Drones Under Fire: Officials Offer $75,000 Reward Leading To Pilots Who Flew Over Wildfire

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If your motto is, “Have drone, will fly over wildfires,” you could find yourself in some hot water.  Earlier this month, we reported how private drones were delaying firefighting efforts in California’s San Bernardino County.  Now, the heads of those drone pilots could be on the proverbial chopping block.

Obviously, people weren’t happy.  Officials, who credit the drones with grounding firefighting aircraft and allowing the fires to spread, are offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to the pilots of the drones.  But, it doesn’t stop there.

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Fotokite’s Quadconpter Is Not Legally A Drone, It’s A Tethered UAV

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So, the FAA (US), the CAA (UK), Transport Canada (Canada, duh) and countless others are taking a stand against drones restricting usage and allowed flying zones and conditions. Especially for commercial use.

This is where Zurich-based company – Perspective Robotics hopes to gain footage in an ever-crowded niche. Their UAV solution is somewhat different from the DJI’s and 3DR’s out there in the sense that it does not use a radio to control the UAV. Rather it is using a tethered cable to deliver power and control to the airborne half of the unit.

Fotokite claims that at least one Airspace regulator –  DGAC, the French airspace authority – exempted them from the Drone classification.

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Private Drones Delay Firefighters From Deploying Helicopters To Save Burning People

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There is no doubt that drones have brought some otherwise inaccessible news, but with that aerial access comes the dangers of uncontrolled airspace.

Southern California is suffering from a pretty wide fire and airplanes and Helicopters have been deployed to fight the fire. Specifically, some of the worst incidents are happening around Cajon Pass where a house and several cars were burnt.

After being deployed the aircrafts were forced to land after 5 drones were sighted.

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‘You been told’ – Angry man confronts drone pilots on beach

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https://youtu.be/mINv11H806I

Imagine this:  Two guys on a beach, sipping margaritas and baring their souls to each other.  After a while, they decide to spend some time flying their drones around, leaving smoke trails in the sky.  We aren’t certain what all these guys may have been doing prior to testing out their drones, but Kevin Henderson was kind enough to upload a video of the confrontation for the rest of us to play armchair expert.

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Create Cheap ND Filters For Your DJI Phantom 3

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Photo hacker and drone pilot Rui M. Leal was a little disappointed “Jell-O effect” and dark corners on his new DJI Phantom 3. After reading about how a neutral density filter can help reduce or eliminate this, he set about finding one. However, as he soon discovered, there aren’t currently a whole lot of accessories for the stock camera, so he set about creating some himself.
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