2025 drone 12 months in overview: Difficult politics, regulatory breakthroughs

What a 12 months it’s been within the drone trade. From groundbreaking rules to private milestones, 2025 introduced transformations that may form the way forward for aviation for years to return. Right here’s my look again on the tales that outlined the 12 months with my 2025 drone 12 months in overview:

The proposed BVLOS rule lastly arrived

Let’s begin with controversial the largest drone information story of 2025. After years of anticipation, August 2025 delivered what the trade had been ready for: a proposal of the FAA’s long-awaited BVLOS rule. As drone trade followers know, that is the important thing to unlocking business drone operations at scale.

Past Visible Line of Sight operations have been the holy grail of business drone use for years. The power to fly drones past the place the pilot can see them opens up functions that merely aren’t attainable below present restrictions: infrastructure inspections throughout huge distances, agricultural monitoring of huge farms, package deal supply networks, and emergency response operations that may cowl wider areas. The rule represents a basic shift in how regulators view drone expertise, from a novelty requiring tight restrictions to a reputable software for commerce and public security.

In 2026, anticipate to see a last rule.

Trump’s govt orders set a stage

One key piece for the BVLOS rule got here partially earlier within the 12 months when President Trump signed two vital govt orders in June. The primary, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” targeted on enabling Past Visible Line of Sight operations for business and public security use. In brief, the aim of this govt order was to say: “America must compete globally within the drone financial system, and outdated rules have been holding us again.”

The safety focus intensified

The second govt order Trump signed in June, “Making certain American Sovereignty Over Its Skies,” took a special method. This one was all about drone safety, addressing considerations about foreign-made drones doubtlessly compromising American safety and privateness.

The order directed federal companies to evaluate safety dangers posed by drones manufactured in international locations thought of adversaries, set up requirements for presidency procurement, and develop frameworks for shielding crucial infrastructure from drone threats. It was a transparent sign that — alongside enabling the drone financial system — the federal government was specializing in the safety implications of getting foreign-manufactured plane filling American skies.

The safety-focused govt order foreshadowed what would grow to be one of many 12 months’s most controversial moments, establishing the regulatory pressure that will outline the ultimate days of 2025.

The FCC dropped a bombshell

Then, simply days earlier than Christmas, the FCC dropped a bombshell: a ban on foreign-made drones. The timing couldn’t have been extra dramatic — proper earlier than the vacations, when many individuals have been contemplating drone purchases as items, and simply because the trade was celebrating the progress made with BVLOS rules.

The ban represents a seismic shift within the American drone market. With DJI commanding the overwhelming majority of the patron and prosumer drone market, the implications are huge. What occurs to present drones? How rapidly can American producers scale as much as meet demand? Will third-party retailers discover workarounds? As I write this, we’re nonetheless sorting by way of the solutions.

The regulatory whiplash — from “let’s unleash drones” in June to “however not these drones” in December — captures the complexity of the coverage second we’re in. Drones are concurrently seen as important financial instruments and potential safety threats, and reconciling these two views is proving messy.

DJI saved innovating (however entry received sophisticated)

DJI didn’t decelerate in 2025. The Chinese language drone manufacturing large launched a number of spectacular merchandise, together with the DJI Flip in January, the Mavic 4 Professional in Might, and the DJI Neo 2 in November. Every introduced significant enhancements to their respective classes.

However there’s a catch: DJI stopped transport lots of its newer merchandise on to U.S. clients. If you wish to get your fingers on the newest fashions, you’ll have to undergo third-party retailers like Amazon, B&H Photograph, or Drone Nerds. It’s an additional step that displays the more and more advanced relationship between Chinese language producers and the American market.

DJI additionally continued diversifying past drones, increasing into handheld cameras, microphones (the DJI Mic has grow to be important gear for content material creators), and even automotive chargers. The rise of the influencer financial system has created fully new markets for the corporate — which is useful for DJI if drones gross sales drop off as a result of a U.S. ban on future merchandise.

Drone supply continued to achieve momentum

Whereas drone supply would possibly nonetheless be transferring slower than some anticipated, it’s rising. For instance, Wing launched operations in Atlanta in December, partnering with Walmart to carry packages to clients’ doorsteps.

It might be gradual progress, but it surely’s regular progress.

Associated learn: grow to be a drone supply pilot: Inside Wing’s flight coaching academy

Competitors arrived with the Antigravity A1

After a lot anticipation, the Antigravity A1 lastly launched in December. This drone introduced a basically totally different strategy to flying, capturing all the things and letting customers reframe pictures later. And there’s no actual controller concerned both. The thought with that is you employ a movement controller for the drone to observe.

Ukraine modified fashionable warfare

The battle in Ukraine continued to exhibit how small drones are basically altering army technique. With this, we noticed a rewriting of the playbook for contemporary warfare, with small drones influencing protection methods worldwide.

In March, we noticed one thing new: the primary Palm Springs Drone Fest, bringing collectively drone fans, professionals and trade leaders. It’s the type of occasion we’d like extra of — an opportunity to attach in particular person and have fun this expertise all of us love.

Drone exhibits grew to become mainstream leisure

Drone gentle exhibits developed from novelty to necessity in 2025. Theme parks embraced them as the brand new fireworks various, and the expertise grew to become so accessible that colleges began educating drone present programs.

The second that had Disney followers (myself very a lot included) dropping their minds was when Disney examined a secret drone present in Southern California. And we proceed to see larger and higher drone exhibits.

A present with 1,000 is now not fully extraordinary based mostly on immediately’s requirements (they usually’ve grow to be extra accessible as a result of choices just like the FAB rental system from UVify), and firms like  Sky Parts (which was a finalist on America’s Obtained Expertise in late 2024) continued to push the boundaries with larger exhibits.

We misplaced two heroes

This 12 months introduced heartbreaking losses to our group. We stated goodbye to Romeo Durscher, whose contributions to the drone trade have been immeasurable, together with careers at each DJI and Auterion. His legacy lives on within the requirements and practices he helped set up.

And on September 30, I misplaced my mother, Cheryl La Manna. She was my greatest supporter, my cheerleader, and the explanation The Drone Woman exists within the type it does immediately. This web site wouldn’t be what it’s with out her unwavering perception in me. I miss her daily.

A private spotlight: I received married!

However 2025 additionally introduced unimaginable pleasure. On September 20, I married Hamilton Nguyen (whom you will have seen all through The Drone Woman as my photographer, enterprise supervisor and web site tech man!) in a celebration that featured — what else? — a 200-drone gentle present placed on by Electrical Sky Drone Exhibits with help from UVify.

And sure, The New York Instances lined it.

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