Episodes

A breaking announcement from Archer Aviation and Boeing was big enough to blow up the normal rundown for UAV News Talk #448. Instead of covering seven or eight separate drone and eVTOL stories, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof devote the entire episode to Archer’s agreement to acquire three Boeing businesses: Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid. The transaction could fundamentally change how Archer Aviation should be viewed. Until recently, Archer was known primarily as the developer of Midnight, ...

Max begins with an AirVenture report after his first visit to Oshkosh in nine years. One of his main destinations was the new Vertical Lift Center, where he saw several aircraft that illustrate how quickly the eVTOL industry is developing. Joby occupied a prominent location near the entrance, giving Max his first opportunity to examine the company’s aircraft up close. Video of the Week: NYPD drone captures teen subway surfers on video Buy an AED (automated external defibrillator) for your hom...

EAA AirVenture 2026’s new Vertical Lift Center will feature Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, Wing, Zipline, and other drone and eVTOL innovators. In episode 446, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof preview the aircraft, companies, and flight demonstrations that will bring advanced air mobility, drone delivery, personal flight, agricultural UAS technology, and remotely piloted aircraft into the heart of Oshkosh. The new AirVenture 2026 Vertical Lift Center is designed to unite helicopters, eVTO...

The FAA’s proposed rules for routine beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations are approaching another major regulatory milestone. The proposed framework, titled “Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations,” has reached review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The rules would establish a new Part 108 operating framework for larger and more complex drone operations. Part 107 generally governs small unmanned aircraft weighing l...

In episode 444 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David VanderHoof open with a major programming announcement: the show is returning to a weekly schedule. After originally slowing down to a less frequent cadence, Max and David say there is simply too much happening in the drone, UAV, UAS, and eVTOL worlds to stay away for long. Video of the Week: Max taxiing by the Archer Midnight during testing at Salinas, CA. The first major story focuses on how aerial robotics supported Venezuela after ...

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof begin episode 443 of UAV News Talk with Video of the Week from Sacramento, California. The Sacramento Sheriff’s Office used a quadcopter with a high-powered magnet hanging below it to remove a knife from the hand of an armed suspect inside a house. Max notes that the suspect appeared unconscious and was not moving, but still had a knife gripped in his hand. The drone pilot flew through a cluttered house, attached the magnet to the knife, and then flew the knife ...

Can American drone technology compete with DJI? In this episode of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof talk with Mike Horton, CEO and co-founder of HYFIX Spatial Intelligence, about the chips, sensors, software, and positioning technology that may determine the future of the American drone industry. Mike begins by explaining the basic electronic building blocks inside a modern drone. Even a simple drone needs a flight controller, motors, a battery, and a radio link. Most commerci...

In UAV News Talk #441, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof cover the latest developments in drone delivery, defense drones, counter-drone systems, drone safety, police UAS operations, and eVTOL aircraft. The episode mixes major industry news with public-safety stories and a memorable animal-rescue ending. The show opens with a lighthearted discussion about aviation companies with Chinese ownership, including Cirrus and Diamond, before turning to the week’s drone stories. The show's Video of the...

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof cover a packed week of drone and eVTOL news, starting with Eve Air Mobility’s latest hover and low-speed flight testing. They discuss how Eve’s Embraer connection and fixed-lift-rotor design differ from Archer and Joby, and why eVTOL certification, infrastructure, and public acceptance may be harder than the aircraft technology itself. The episode also looks at Archer and Joby’s plans to begin commercial air taxi operations, including the challenge of moving fr...

David Vanderhoof returns to UAV News Talk after a six-month medical hiatus, joining Max Trescott for a wide-ranging discussion of drones, counter-UAS challenges, and the future of eVTOL air taxis. Max and David begin with David’s kidney transplant story and his return to the American Helicopter Museum, then move into the Air Force’s planned retirement of the MQ-9 Reaper and the military’s shift toward cheaper, attritable drones. They discuss Shahed-style drones reportedly heading to Cuba, their...

Max Trescott talks with David Hall, founder and CEO of Velodyne Space, about a new approach to counter-UAS defense that focuses on capturing drones using LiDAR, nets, and parachutes instead of destroying them. Hall begins by explaining LiDAR—Light Detection and Ranging—and how it measures distance by timing how long it takes for pulses of light to travel out and return. While LiDAR has existed for decades, Hall describes how his work during the DARPA Grand Challenge helped transform LiDAR from ...

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof tackle an unexpected reversal in global drone production and a growing crisis for the hobbyist drone community. The show opens with a headline few would have predicted a decade ago: Ukraine negotiating to produce drones for the U.S. military. David explains that after years of battlefield innovation, Ukrainian engineers have become world leaders in low-cost first-person-view (FPV) and kamikaze drone design. The proposal, reported by The War Zone, envisions a fi...

Episode 436 of UAV News Talk dives into global security, emerging automation, and the effects of Washington’s budget stalemate on the future of flight. Hosts Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof examine how nations, defense contractors, and innovators are redefining drone policy and autonomy at the same moment that the FAA’s own progress is slowed by the ongoing government shutdown. Germany authorizes police to counter rogue drones The show opens with the news that Germany has approved new count...

Max talks with David Vanderhoof in Episode 435 of UAV News Talk about an especially busy week in drone, eVTOL, and military UAV news. The episode covers new FAA certifications, autonomous launch systems, solar-powered endurance flights, Chinese technology in Africa, U.S. counter-drone readiness, and even a domestic security case involving explosives and drones. Together, these stories paint a vivid picture of how fast the unmanned aviation sector is evolving — and where the biggest opportunities...

Max and David reunite for UAV News Talk episode 434, bringing listeners a wide-ranging discussion on the latest UAV, eVTOL, and rotorcraft developments. FAA Advisory Circular on Powered-Lift They start with the FAA’s release of AC 21-17-4, the long-awaited certification guidance for powered-lift aircraft. Max explains how this 64-page document emphasizes performance-based outcomes rather than prescriptive design rules. Much of the content resides in Appendix A, covering equipment from cockpit v...

BVLOS rules, school safety drones, NASA’s Mars helicopters, and Michigan’s 40-mile drone research skyway take center stage in UAV News Talk episode 433, hosted by Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof. The discussion begins with the newly introduced LIFT Act—short for Leading Innovation in Flight Technology Act—proposed by Representative Jen Kiggans of Virginia on July 24, 2025. The bill would compel the Department of Transportation to accelerate FAA rulemaking for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS...

In Episode 432 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof explore the evolving role of drones in public events, law enforcement, and emergency response—highlighting both their growing utility and the risks of poor coordination. Titled "Drone Fireworks, Police UAVs, and a Black Hawk Crash in Texas," this episode covers breaking drone news from California and Texas, trends in UAV policing, and innovations in helicopter autonomy from Sikorsky and Skyryse. The episode opens with Max sharin...

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof dive into the future of drone delivery in Episode 431 of UAV News Talk. Max shares his firsthand experience receiving multiple packages via drone as part of a pilot program from Matternet, a Mountain View, California-based drone logistics company. After visiting Matternet’s headquarters and observing the behind-the-scenes operations, Max witnessed the packaging, pre-flight procedures, and live flight operations, including the dispatch and precise delivery of cho...

In episode 430 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof return from vacation with urgent news and safety concerns in the drone industry. The episode opens with a major headline: the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is not available in the United States. Although the drone boasts high-end specs—including a 6K camera and improved flight performance—it’s currently unavailable in the U.S. due to concerns about data security and alleged ties between DJI and the Chinese government. The ban stems from a lon...

Episode 429 marks a major milestone for the podcast formerly known as The UAV Digest, soon to be relaunched as UAV News Talk. Max Flight and David Vanderhoof return to the mic after a long hiatus to introduce new co-host Max Trescott, known for his work on the Aviation News Talk podcast and expertise in both fixed-wing and helicopter flying. The episode opens with a nostalgic look back to 2013, when Max Flight and David launched the show to cover the then-emerging drone landscape without overwh...

NTSB News Talk is your go-to podcast for in-depth discussions of aircraft accidents, investigations, and the lessons pilots can’t afford to ignore. Hosted by award-winning aviation journalist Rob Mark and Max Trescott, a CFI who has trained as an accident investigator, this show breaks down recent NTSB reports, analyzes accident causes, and explores what every pilot, instructor, and aviation enthusiast can learn from these events. Whether you’re a student pilot, airline captain, or simply fasci...

If you’ve been a longtime listener, you know it’s been a while — actually, a couple of years — since our last episode. But the good news is: The UAV Digest is coming back! Since we last released an episode, the world of drones, UAVs, and advanced air mobility has evolved dramatically. And with so many exciting developments in technology, regulations, and industry trends, we want to make sure that the new version of the show stays in step with what matters most to you. When we return, the show ...

Drone Safety Day, shape-changing drone, jump-start your car, Florida bans DJI, sUAS decision-making, avoiding collisions, adding VTOL to fixed-wing, farmers save water, land a drone in Red Square.

Detecting ADS-B spoofing, racing drone munitions, aerial tanking drones, self-flying F-16s, Condor heavy-lift UAV, light tactical UAS, Archer and United air taxi service in Chicago.