What a 12 months it’s been within the drone business. From groundbreaking rules to private milestones, 2025 introduced transformations that may form the way forward for aviation for years to come back. Right here’s my look again on the tales that outlined the 12 months with my 2025 drone 12 months in evaluation:
The largest drone information tales of 2025
The proposed BVLOS rule lastly arrived
Let’s begin with controversial the most important drone information story of 2025. After years of anticipation, August 2025 delivered what the business had been ready for: a proposal of the FAA’s long-awaited BVLOS rule. As drone business 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 economic drone use for years. The power to fly drones past the place the pilot can see them opens up purposes that merely aren’t doable below present restrictions: infrastructure inspections throughout huge distances, agricultural monitoring of enormous farms, package deal supply networks, and emergency response operations that may cowl wider areas. The rule represents a elementary shift in how regulators view drone know-how, from a novelty requiring tight restrictions to a reputable instrument for commerce and public security.
In 2026, count on to see a ultimate 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 important 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In brief, the aim of this govt order was to say: “America must compete globally within the drone financial system, and outdated rules had been holding us again.”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 strategy. This one was all about drone safety, addressing issues about foreign-made drones doubtlessly compromising American safety and privateness.
The order directed federal businesses 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 important 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 turn out to be one of many 12 months’s most controversial moments, organising 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 had been contemplating drone purchases as items, and simply because the business 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 buyer and prosumer drone market, the implications are monumental. What occurs to current 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 stored innovating (however entry acquired sophisticated)
DJI didn’t decelerate in 2025. The Chinese language drone manufacturing big 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 arms on the newest fashions, you’ll must undergo third-party retailers like Amazon, B&H Picture, or Drone Nerds. It’s an additional step that displays the more and more complicated relationship between Chinese language producers and the American market.
DJI additionally continued diversifying past drones, increasing into handheld cameras, microphones (the DJI Mic has turn out to be important gear for content material creators), and even automobile chargers. The rise of the influencer financial system has created completely new markets for the corporate — which is useful for DJI if drones gross sales drop off resulting from a U.S. ban on future merchandise.
Drone supply continued to realize 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 deliver packages to clients’ doorsteps.
It might be sluggish development, however it’s regular development.
Associated learn: How you can turn out 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 option to flying, capturing all the things and letting customers reframe photographs later. And there’s no actual controller concerned both. The thought with that is you utilize a movement controller for the drone to observe.
Ukraine modified trendy 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 lovers, professionals and business leaders. It’s the sort of occasion we want extra of — an opportunity to attach in individual and rejoice this know-how all of us love.
Drone reveals turned mainstream leisure
Drone gentle reveals developed from novelty to necessity in 2025. Theme parks embraced them as the brand new fireworks various, and the know-how turned so accessible that faculties began instructing drone present programs.
The second that had Disney followers (myself very a lot included) shedding their minds was when Disney examined a secret drone present in Southern California. And we proceed to see larger and higher drone reveals.
A present with 1,000 is not fully extraordinary primarily based on at the moment’s requirements (and so they’ve turn out to be extra accessible resulting from choices just like the FAB rental system from UVify), and firms like Sky Components (which was a finalist on America’s Acquired Expertise in late 2024) continued to push the bounds with larger reveals.
We misplaced two heroes
This 12 months introduced heartbreaking losses to our group. We mentioned goodbye to Romeo Durscher, whose contributions to the drone business had 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 rationale The Drone Lady exists within the kind it does at the moment. This web site wouldn’t be what it’s with out her unwavering perception in me. I miss her every single day.
A private spotlight: I acquired married!
However 2025 additionally introduced unimaginable pleasure. On September 20, I married Hamilton Nguyen (whom you will have seen all through The Drone Lady 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 assist from UVify.
And sure, The New York Occasions coated it.
Associated
Uncover extra from The Drone Lady
Subscribe to get the newest posts despatched to your e-mail.