Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Welcome to Drone Stuff This Week (Feb 24th, 2026)! Join the panel as we dive into the latest controversies, tech breakthroughs, and regulatory news in the drone industry.
In this episode, we cover:
Donut Labs Battery Tech: Are their promises of a 100,000-cycle life, 5-minute charging, and 400 W/kg density a technological miracle or a startup exit strategy? We break down the thermal realities of dissipating 115 kW of heat during a 5-minute charge and why we are skeptical of their piecemeal testing drops.
DJI & Anzu Robotics Legal Battles: We touch on the Texas AG suing Anzu Robotics over DJI rebranding allegations, and DJI's latest lawsuit against the US government over its ban.
Drones in Defense & Border Security: Finland is actively using Parrot Anafi drones to monitor their long border with Russia, highlighting Parrot's increasing focus on the defense sector.
UK Police Drones vs. Helicopters: A heated debate over the recent "Policing Tomorrow" report, which claims police drones have made 54,000 deployments and 70,000 flights, outstripping helicopters by a factor of seven. We question the accuracy of these figures, the lack of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) oversight for state aircraft, and the ethical implications of using drones for facial recognition and public surveillance.
Freedom of Information (FOI) Updates: We share new developments on FOI requests regarding Gatwick and the dubious reports of drone sightings around Lakenheath and Mildenhall. Evidence suggests some of these malicious drone reports may have just been misidentified navigation lights or Starlink satellites.
UK Airspace Map Changes: The Altitude Angel map API has been abandoned, leaving UK drone pilots without a reliable free service to navigate the new, complicated National Defense Area shapes.
Urban GPS Jamming: We investigate the controversial use of GNSS/GPS jammers by police at Aston Villa and Wolves football matches. We question the legality and safety of deploying battlefield electronic warfare technology in urban environments, which could potentially interfere with pacemakers, ICU equipment, and civil broadcasting feeds.
Welcome to Drone Stuff This Week (Feb 24th, 2026)! Join the panel as we dive into the latest controversies, tech breakthroughs, and regulatory news in the drone industry.
In this episode, we cover:
Donut Labs Battery Tech: Are their promises of a 100,000-cycle life, 5-minute charging, and 400 W/kg density a technological miracle or a startup exit strategy? We break down the thermal realities of dissipating 115 kW of heat during a 5-minute charge and why we are skeptical of their piecemeal testing drops.
DJI & Anzu Robotics Legal Battles: We touch on the Texas AG suing Anzu Robotics over DJI rebranding allegations, and DJI's latest lawsuit against the US government over its ban.
Drones in Defense & Border Security: Finland is actively using Parrot Anafi drones to monitor their long border with Russia, highlighting Parrot's increasing focus on the defense sector.
UK Police Drones vs. Helicopters: A heated debate over the recent "Policing Tomorrow" report, which claims police drones have made 54,000 deployments and 70,000 flights, outstripping helicopters by a factor of seven. We question the accuracy of these figures, the lack of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) oversight for state aircraft, and the ethical implications of using drones for facial recognition and public surveillance.
Freedom of Information (FOI) Updates: We share new developments on FOI requests regarding Gatwick and the dubious reports of drone sightings around Lakenheath and Mildenhall. Evidence suggests some of these malicious drone reports may have just been misidentified navigation lights or Starlink satellites.
UK Airspace Map Changes: The Altitude Angel map API has been abandoned, leaving UK drone pilots without a reliable free service to navigate the new, complicated National Defense Area shapes.
Urban GPS Jamming: We investigate the controversial use of GNSS/GPS jammers by police at Aston Villa and Wolves football matches. We question the legality and safety of deploying battlefield electronic warfare technology in urban environments, which could potentially interfere with pacemakers, ICU equipment, and civil broadcasting feeds.
