Drone News: Cost of Ban Exposed, DJI in US, Export Rules, Drone Deer Scouting, 900ft Drone Rescue

Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update. We have five stories for you this week. First, Oregon exposes the real cost of the DJI ban. Second, the FAA reveals DJI makes up 96% of US drones. Third, the Commerce Department updates drone export rules. Fourth, Indiana prosecutes illegal drone deer scouting. And finally, a drone assists in a 900-foot tower rescue. Let's get to it.

First up, the Oregon Department of Aviation has released a white paper exposing the real-world cost of the federal DJI ban. They surveyed 25 state transportation departments, and the numbers are staggering. Across those states, at least 467 drones are currently grounded or restricted. The total national exposure is estimated to be anywhere from $50 million to $2 billion! Wisconsin reported that 100% of its fleet is grounded. Colorado lost 90% of its capacity, and Oregon itself has exactly ONE compliant drone still operational out of 22. The white paper is recommending a waiver until September 2027 to give our drone industry time to catch up.New FAA-funded research puts a hard number on DJI's market dominance. The ASSURE A83 2025 Annual Report analyzed Remote ID telemetry data from 64 monitoring locations. DJI platforms make up more than 96% of detected drones in US airspace. Skydio accounted for just over 1%, and all other manufacturers combined made up less than 2.4%. Looking at the specific models, the DJI Mini 4 Pro alone accounts for 19% of all detected platforms. The Air 3 sits at 13%, and the Mavic 3 Pro holds 8%. More than 93.7% of the top 22 detected platforms weigh 3 pounds or less. Heavy-lift models like the Matrice 400, Agras T50, and FlyCart 30 remain a tiny fraction of overall flights. The US Commerce Department is streamlining drone export controls. The Bureau of Industry and Security published an interim final rule that makes two big changes. It removes the license requirement for commercial drones with a maximum endurance under one hour when exported to allied nations. Second, it opens a faster pathway for certain longer-range systems, like heavy-lift 25-liter agricultural sprayers and cargo delivery drones. Previously, these drones were caught up in the Missile Technology Control Regime, which was designed to restrict systems capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometers. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is bringing its first-ever prosecution for illegal drone deer scouting. Under Indiana law, you can legally use a drone to recover an animal that has already been harvested, but using it to scout or locate game during the season or 14 days prior is strictly illegal. Conservation officers seized a drone and pulled the forensic data. The GPS logs, timestamps, flight paths, and other data reportedly showed hundreds of images systematically tracking a specific trophy buck to a baited area. The suspects are allegedly facing charges for drone scouting.In Texas, two people were trapped in a hot air balloon basket that collided and became snagged on a communications tower 925 feet in the air. Longview Fire and first responders had to execute a highly complex high-angle rescue, assisted by drone. The passengers were safely rescued after a four-hour operation, but the crew still had to remove the tangled balloon using a cage and cable system. That’s all we’ve got this week, we’ll see you in the community for Post Flight where we share our opinions that aren’t suitable for YouTube. Have a great weekend! https://dronexl.co/2026/03/03/oregon-exposes-real-cost-dji-ban/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/02/indiana-drone-deer-scouting-prosecution/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/02/925-feet-down-one-drone-call/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/01/us-commerce-department-drone-export-controls/https://dronexl.co/2026/03/03/faa-research-dji-us-drone-platforms/