What does early 2026 mean for the American drone industry?

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, we sit down with WISPR Systems to talk about their journey from a Mississippi startup to a nationally recognized U.S. drone manufacturer — and how recent regulatory changes are impacting the entire UAS landscape.

John McArthur shares how WISPR Systems evolved from building drones for professors at Mississippi State University to becoming a major player in the surveying and mapping space. You’ll hear how the company made a strategic decision to “plant their flag” in one vertical, master complex technologies like RTK, PPK, LiDAR, and photogrammetry, and build partnerships with key industry leaders.

We also break down:

• The December 2025 Federal Highway and FCC announcements
• What NDAA compliance actually means (and why it’s often misunderstood)
• The difference between American-made, NDA compliant, Green List, and Blue List drones
• How supply chain realities — especially batteries and payload components — are shaping U.S. manufacturing
• What this all means for contractors, DOT projects, and commercial operators
• Whether waivers may provide clarity for allied-country payloads like Sony cameras

If you’ve been confused about compliance language, worried about what you can legally fly, or wondering how U.S. drone manufacturing is evolving under new federal priorities — this conversation brings clarity.

You’ll also learn about WISPR Ranger Pro and the SkyScout series — including how they positioned their platform as a compact, open-payload alternative for professional surveying and mapping teams transitioning from DJI ecosystems.

For more information or to connect with the Whisper team, visit:
👉 https://wisprsystems.com/

https://wisprsystems.com/wispru/

Want your drone question answered in a future episode?
Submit it here: https://ydqa.io

Are UAS test ranges and FAA test sites the same thing… or totally different?

In this episode of Your Drone Questions Answered, we sit down with Jesse Steele, Range Manager at the Pendleton UAS Range, to break down the real difference between FAA-designated UAS test sites and the ranges that operate under them.

You’ll learn:

• The difference between a UAS test site and a test range
• How COAs (Certificates of Authorization) are created and managed
• Why Pendleton offers 14,000 square miles of test airspace
• What makes this location ideal for advanced testing
• The types of companies and platforms testing there (from commercial to defense)
• Whether the public can visit or even fly at a range like this

From EVTOL projects like Airbus’ Vahana to large-scale testing operations and cross-country drone flights, the Pendleton range has hosted 175+ unique companies and more than 67,000 test flights.

If you’ve ever wondered how high-level UAS testing actually works in the United States—and who makes it possible—this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look.

To learn more about the range or schedule a tour, visit pendletonuasrange.com

Have a drone question you’d like answered on a future episode? Visit ydqa.io and submit it.

#Drones #UAS #DroneTesting #Aviation #FAA #DroneIndustry #UAV #EVTOL #CommercialDrones #DroneTechnology

Surveying fundamentals can quietly make or break a drone mapping project—and grid vs. ground coordinates are one of those topics that trip people up more often than they expect.
In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered the conversation zooms in on the essentials every drone pilot working with mapping, surveying, or lidar data needs to understand.

The discussion is joined by Mark White from Duncan-Parnell, a licensed land surveyor with decades of experience in geospatial training and support. Together, they break down what grid and ground coordinates actually mean, why GPS measurements don’t live on the same “surface” we work on in the real world, and how scale factors quietly affect distances, areas, and deliverables.

You’ll hear clear explanations of state plane systems, ellipsoids, and why mapping on a flat grid is convenient—but not always representative of true ground distances. The episode also tackles site calibration (sometimes called localization), how it works behind the scenes, and why it’s often the key to making drone data line up correctly with survey control.

Useful links:
-TBC Power Hour Defining and Working with Grid and Ground Coordinates (16:09 mark is where the graphic referenced in the podcast is discussed): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3SzLtNWa7E

-GNSS Site Calibrations in Trimble Access – Everything You Need to Know | Survey Matters (first 2.5 minutes in particular): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5fwa2tGgVA

https://www.youtube.com/@duncanparnellgeospatial

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhkUv995xbiWXc9Vz2oGD7jdBD2O1wunK

https://www.duncan-parnell.com/

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered by Drone Launch Academy, host Chris Breedlove welcomes Eric Richard from Drone Sports Inc. back to the show to unpack the latest FCC developments affecting the drone industry.

Following the FCC’s announcements on December 22 and the follow-up clarification released on January 7, there’s been a lot of confusion, speculation, and concern across the industry. Eric shares firsthand insights from CES 2026, including what he heard directly from FCC representatives, what those updates actually mean in practice, and why the real-world impact may be less immediate than many feared.

The conversation dives into topics like:

• What Eric observed on the CES show floor, including trends in drones, robotics, and autonomous tech
• How the FCC is thinking about security, certification, and long-term timelines
• Why many definitions in the current guidance remain unclear—and why that matters
• What this means for education, commercial drones, and U.S. manufacturing
• How companies are adapting, collaborating, and positioning themselves for the next few years

If you’re trying to make sense of the FCC updates, worried about how they could affect drones in education or business, or just want a grounded, industry-level perspective from someone who was in the room, this episode brings much-needed clarity.

Have a question you’d like answered on a future episode? Submit it at ydqa.io and it may be featured on the show.

Is getting your FAA Part 107 certificate all you need to be competitive in today’s drone industry—or is that just the starting line? In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove digs into what actually makes drone pilots employable and future-proof in a fast-changing tech landscape.

Chris is joined by Eric Richard, President of Drone Sports Inc., who brings a deep K–12 and drone education perspective shaped by more than a decade in the industry. Together, they unpack how the role of the drone pilot is evolving, why industry knowledge is becoming just as important as flight skills, and how curiosity—not just certifications—may be the most valuable skill of all.

https://www.dronesports.us/

eric@dronesports.us

In the first episode of 2026, Chris Breedlove is joined by returning guest and legal expert Will Dawson for a deep dive into the FCC’s December 22 public notice and the follow-up amendments that have caused widespread confusion across the drone industry.

This episode breaks down what the FCC actually did, how the Covered List and Blue List work, why DJI and other international manufacturers weren’t impacted the way many expected, and what the January 7 clarification really means for buyers, operators, and businesses moving forward.

They also discuss the bigger picture: where U.S. drone policy is heading, how component bans and import restrictions may evolve, what this means for American drone manufacturing, and how operators should think about making smart equipment investments in 2026 amid ongoing regulatory uncertainty.

If you’ve been trying to make sense of the headlines—or wondering whether now is a safe time to buy drones or drone components—this episode brings much-needed clarity straight from a legal and policy perspective.

Dec 22 FCC Public Notice DA 25-1086: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-1086A1.pdf

Jan 7 FCC Public Notice DA 26-22: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-22A1.pdf

Jan 12 DHS Release: New Office to Advance Drone and Counter-Drone Technologies: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/12/department-homeland-security-launches-new-office-advance-drone-and-counter-drone

https://agdroneinitiative.org/

wpdawson@agdroneinitiative.org

Can drone pilots legally fly over people under Part 107 without a waiver and what does Category 3 approval actually change?

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove welcomes back Benton Szejk from Wingtra to break down the current state of operations over people in 2025. They cover what’s allowed under Part 107 today, how Category 3 works, and why Wingtra’s fully integrated parachute system is a major milestone for professional drone operations.

The conversation also dives into Wingtra’s latest payload announcements, including ultra-high-resolution inspection capabilities, real-world use cases like airport runway inspections, pavement crack detection, and how AI-ready data is transforming surveying and infrastructure workflows.

Topics covered include:

• What Category 3 operations over people really mean
• How Wingtra achieved waiver-free approval under Part 107
• Practical use cases in urban, infrastructure, and public-asset mapping
• New Wingtra payloads and inspection workflows
• Where drone regulations may be heading next

Learn how these advancements impact mapping, surveying, and inspection professionals working in complex, populated environments.

https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/operations_over_people

https://uasdoc.faa.gov/listDocs?docType=oop

https://wingtra.com/

Have a drone question for a future episode? Submit it at ydqa.io.

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Stefan Hrabar of Emesent to unpack one of the most important emerging technologies in the drone world: SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping).

What exactly is SLAM?
How does SLAM LiDAR differ from traditional LiDAR systems?
Can SLAM work without GPS?
And—most importantly—how can drone pilots, mapping professionals, and service providers actually use SLAM-based payloads in real-life missions?

Stefan talks about:

• His robotics and autonomy background—from early USC drone research to global deployments
• How SLAM evolved inside Australia’s CSIRO labs
• The origins of Emesent and the development of the Hovermap system
• The difference between visual SLAM, LiDAR SLAM, and mixed-sensor approaches
• Why SLAM is becoming essential for GPS-denied environments
• Real-world use cases: underground mining, bridge inspections, cell towers, indoor scans, stockpiles, and more
• How modern SLAM payloads integrate with platforms like the Freefly Astro and DJI enterprise drones
• New capabilities such as autonomous exploration, waypoint-based scanning, and constrained SLAM with RTK or control points

🔗 Learn more about Emesent:
https://emesent.com

Search #Hovermap on LinkedIn to see real-world missions & customer workflows.

Have a question you'd like answered on a future episode?
Visit YDQA.io or email chris@dronelaunchacademy.com
.