DJI's Software No Longer Blocks Drones From Flying Over Military Posts and Airports
The drone maker is removing software restraints that prevented its products from flying over restricted areas, ceding control to drone pilots.
Drone manufacturer DJI is updating its software in the US to remove restrictions, as it previously did in Europe.
China-based drone manufacturer DJI has changed geofencing restrictions on its drones in the US, removing no-fly zones from its software after having them in place for about 10 years. The company says this follows a similar software update a year ago in Europe and aligns with US Federal Aviation Administration rules for drone pilots in the United States.
The company said in its blog post about the update that the changes took place on Jan. 13 and that going forward, users of its Fly and Pilot apps will see FAA data instead of DJI's geofencing data in regard to what are now called "enhanced warning zones," where operators can see locations the FAA designates as controlled airspace.
Read more: Best Drones for 2025
Instead of flights being disabled in what DJI previously called restricted or no-fly zones, pilots will get a safety warning, which they can bypass.
In its post, DJI said rules about flight area were sparse when the company introduced the feature in 2013.
"The geofencing system was created as a voluntary built-in safety feature to help foster responsible flight practices and prevent DJI drone operators from unintentionally flying in restricted airspace, such as around government buildings, airports, or prisons," the post said.
The timing of the update comes as California grapples with a wildfire catastrophe that's put drones back in the spotlight. Arrests related to drones flying in wildfire areas and a situation in which a drone disrupted a firefighting plane aren't helping the reputation of drones during the crisis, but drones have proved useful during past wildfire incidents in helping track property damage and in capturing footage of the destruction.
The geofencing update applies throughout the United States, DJI told The Verge, adding that it's complying with FAA rules and a new system that has made geofencing redundant.
Read more: DJI's Tiny Neo Drone Is Lighter Than an iPhone
Since geofencing was introduced, the company said in a statement, "The FAA has introduced Remote ID requirements, which means that drones flown in the US must broadcast the equivalent of a 'license plate' for drones. This requirement went into effect in early 2024, providing authorities with the tools needed to enforce existing rules."
The Verge pointed out that DJI's former head of global policy, Brendan Schulman, has been critical of the decision in a series of posts on X, writing, "There was substantial evidence over the years that automatic drone geofencing, implemented using a risk-based approach, contributed significantly to aviation safety."
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May Mobility Is Developing a Self-Driving Minibus, Arriving in 2026
The autonomous vehicle company says the buses, which are also electric and wheelchair-accessible, can help ease urban congestion.
- Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
Self-driving company May Mobility is teaming up with electric minibus manufacturer Tecnobus.
Your future autonomous ride could be aboard a bus -- step inside and you won't find a driver in sight. May Mobility, which develops self-driving technology, is partnering with European electric minibus manufacturer Tecnobus to build an autonomous vehicle that'll seat up to 30 passengers, the companies announced at CES on Tuesday. The planned minibus will also be wheelchair-accessible and can go up to 45 mph.
May Mobility says this collaboration will allow it to scale and diversify its fleets for everything from urban and airport transit to corporate campus transportation. It'll also allow the company to expand the reach of its self-driving technology into Europe and Canada, where the buses are currently approved for use.
The move toward developing autonomous buses could help address rising concerns about congestion in cities, especially as robotaxis increasingly join the throngs of vehicles already on roads. Critics have noted that autonomous vehicles will likely worsen traffic by roaming downtown areas as they wait for their next pickup. The way May Mobility sees it, having a set of smaller public transit vehicles will enable cities to deploy more buses they can actually fill — without shelling out more money for additional drivers, which would otherwise make the endeavor cost-prohibitive.
"A larger number of smaller vehicles provides lower wait times, more direct routes to your destination, a more customizable experience," Edwin Olson, May Mobility's CEO and founder, told me during an interview. "But to the transit planner, there's not budget to hire all these drivers. This is what autonomous vehicles do: They allow us to create this service for public transit that will help out-compete personal car ownership."
Further down the road, Olson added, "If we get enough personal car owners to start using public transit, or vehicles that are integrated into public transit like May, then you can start to transform the way cities are built," noting the proliferation of roads, parking structures, street noise and congestion. "Where we're headed is we can carry more people with fewer vehicles, do it at a much higher level of safety and give people their cities back."
The first May Mobility-Tecnobus autonomous minibuses are slated to be road-ready in the first half of 2026, the companies say, with the goal of being deployed later that year.
The autonomous vehicle (AV) space is nascent but slowly expanding, as companies like Alphabet-owned Waymo and Amazon-owned Zoox scale in more cities. Startups like Avride and Nuro are also developing robotaxi and autonomous delivery services, and traditional ride hailing companies Uber and Lyft are pining for a piece of the potentially lucrative pie by teaming up with AV companies. (Lyft, for instance, has a partnership with May Mobility.)
Still, the road ahead is long and filled with regulatory hurdles, high costs and a skeptical general public. Self-driving vehicles have been in their fair share of headline-making incidents, from collisions with bikers and pedestrians, to incidents in which they drive the wrong way. Still, these companies have touted the safety of their respective vehicles and technology – especially in comparison to human drivers. In fact, companies like Waymo and Zoox (and previously, Cruise) have suggested that driverless tech could actually curb deaths and injuries on the road by ensuring vehicles are doing exactly what they need to, without distraction.
For its part, May Mobility says its Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology uses AI to run real-time simulations and analyze thousands of scenarios per second, before choosing the best course of action. This allows the vehicles to handle unpredictable situations and drive safely, according to the company. And like other self-driving vehicles from Waymo and Zoox, May Mobility uses lidar, radar and cameras to navigate roads without a driver.
May Mobility has also deployed its robotaxis, which operate using autonomous Toyota Sienna minivans, in cities including Ann Arbor, Michigan; Arlington, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; and Miami, Florida.
One of the key features that makes May Mobility stand apart from competitors is that its vehicles are designed to be wheelchair-accessible. (Cruise, before being shuttered by owner General Motors in December, had also unveiled a wheelchair-accessible self-driving vehicle in 2023 called Wav, but that never saw the light of day.)
"It's always been part of what we've invested in, to make sure that that's available to our customers," Olson said. "It's also good business, because if you want to provide transportation as part of a public transit infrastructure, you need to be able to support everybody."
It'll be some time before the autonomous minibuses hit roads in 2026. Until then, robotaxis, whether in the form of May Mobility's Toyota Siennas or Zoox's pod-like vehicles, are sure to keep observers intrigued, until the next big thing rolls into town.
AT&T Is Stopping Its 5G Internet Air Service in NY Because of New Broadband Law
A new affordable broadband law in the Empire State has led to AT&T dropping its 5G home internet product entirely.
AT&T Internet Air is no longer going to be available in New York following a new broadband law.
A new broadband law is going into effect this week in New York state requiring internet provider to offer low-income residents access to monthly broadband rates of $15 for 25Mbps or $20 for 200Mbps. As a response, AT&T has decided that it no longer plans to offer its 5G home internet in the Empire State and will begin notifying users about the decision on Wednesday.
"While we are committed to providing reliable and affordable internet service to customers across the country, New York's broadband law imposes harmful rate regulations that make it uneconomical for AT&T to invest in and expand our broadband infrastructure in the state," the company said in a statement provided to CNET.
"As a result, effective Jan. 15, 2025, we will no longer be able to offer AT&T Internet Air, our fixed-wireless internet service, to New York customers."
AT&T says that it will let existing users to keep the service for 45 more days and will not charge them for that time so that they can "find other options for broadband." The telecom giant says it will continue to operate its wireless service in the state and that no changes are happening on that front.
"We will work closely with our customers throughout this transition. AT&T's nationwide wireless service will not change in New York," the company says, adding that it "will continue to support policies that promote capital investment, innovation and a competitive market."
AT&T does not offer its other home internet services, like fiber or DSL, in New York state and has only offered home broadband over its wireless airwaves.
The new broadband law comes into effect after the federal Affordable Connectivity Program ran out of funds last year. That service provided eligible users a discount of up to $30 a month towards internet service (and those on tribal lands a discount of up to $75). The ACP affected 23 million households.
New York first passed its broadband law back in 2021, with an appeals court allowing it to move forward last April after legal challenges looked to thwart it. The US Supreme Court decided in December that it wouldn't hear challenges to the new law.
I Wanted More From These Home Security Companies at CES 2025
Commentary: CES is a time to wow with revolutionary features, but some home safety products left me expecting more.
Reolink's Duo 3 cam wasn't much of an upgrade, and security cams in general at CES disappointed.
I saw incredible home tech showcased at CES this year, from robot vacs that picked up my colleague's socks to a planter that tells you exactly how you killed your latest plant. Home security had its share of standout product reveals, too -- but not from everyone.
CES is a time to show off your most revolutionary technology, but I noticed a few areas where companies missed the mark -- as well as whole home tech fields that disappointed me. Here's what didn't catch my eye at the big event.
Read more: These Home Tech Gadgets at CES 2025 Impressed Us the Most
Ultraloq wasn't the only smart lock brand showing off its UWB technology at CES 2025.
For one, I didn't find the presentation of Matter-supported Bolt Fingerprint technology to be anything new or interesting. Matter compatibility (which ensures support for major platforms like Apple or Google plus better security) is an important feature for any smart lock and should be standard on new products. With many brands including Ultraloq and Schlage touting Matter capabilities at CES 2025, I didn't find this part very exciting.
Smart lock companies also brought ultra-wideband technology to the event. Schlage and Ultraloq both released an ultrawide-band and NFC smart lock at CES 2025 sporting similar features. Ultraloq's model is first out the gate for preorders and sales, while Schlage's model is coming later this year and requires more patience.
Both companies show up on our best smart lock list, Ultraloq for best budget and Schlage for best smart lock handle. Ultraloq's newest lock looks comprehensive, but it's on the pricier end at $400, well beyond a budget model. Schlage hasn't released pricing yet, but I'm curious if it's going to be the cheaper choice -- a factor that could tip the scales between these UWB locks. Either way, I'm eager to get my hands on these new models to test and give further analysis.
UWB sensors can't really compare to the fascinating upgrades Lockly and others brought to CES locks.
But ultimately, neither Schlage nor Ultraloq had me thrilled about features like UWB connectivity, which is a more accurate version of the same hands-free Bluetooth feature that has existed for years. I came away more excited about locks like the innovative Lockly Vision Prestige -- also a contender for our CNET Group's Best of CES Awards. I loved Lockly's full smart home compatibility, snappy front door touchscreen and indoor video screen to watch through (neither of which I had seen before at CES).
Then there was the lack of new home security cam technology. While CES 2025 did see some video doorbell advances, like the SwitchBot model with its own portable display and Swann Security's previously announced conversational doorbell AI, home cams felt absent.
For example, home security company Ring -- which features on many of our best camera lists -- only stood out at CES 2025 for its (admittedly welcome) partnership with smoke detector company Kidde, not any wow-worthy camera technology.
I like the latest Reolink Altas models -- but they don't do much differently than Reolink's previous cams.
In a similar vein, Reolink appeared at CES with upgraded versions of its Duo 3 Wi-Fi cam and Altas cam lines. These models added features like 24/7 recording with extra-long battery life and motion track snapshots of action over time -- but these are features I've seen multiple brands adopt over the past years, including Reolink itself. At CES, it's time for something memorable, and no security cam really stood out.
Other smart home companies at CES dressed to impress, including Govee's ultra-customizable and AI-powered light panels, Aqara's new sensors and home controls and the truly tank-like design of Lymow's mulching robot mower. But fields like cams and home security systems fell short.
Part of that is likely due to all the futuristic advances that security tech made throughout 2024: Brands may not have had much left for a big CES reveal. As the expo wraps up, I'll start watching for announcements in the coming months in case some tech wasn't quite ready yet.
Take a look at our CES thoughts, top picks for CES winners and most innovative tech tricks we found out the Vegas expo.
TikTok Ban May Be Likely, as Supreme Court Hears Arguments
An appeal before the US Supreme Court is TikTok's last chance to stop a ban through litigation. Here's why it's not looking good for the social media service.
A TikTok supporter outside the US Supreme Court Building on Jan. 10.
The US Supreme Court on Friday appeared to be leaning toward upholding a law that could see TikTok go dark later this month if the service isn't sold to a buyer deemed fit by US officials.
Lawyers for the popular social media platform argued in front of the nation's highest court that banning TikTok would infringe on the First Amendment rights of a US company and its 170 million active American users. But government lawyers countered that the case isn't about free speech and instead has to do with the dangers posed by foreign adversaries, like China.
In his opening statement to the court, TikTok lawyer Noel Francisco said, "Whether you call [the law] a divesture or a ban, one thing is clear: It's a burden on TikTok's speech, so the First Amendment applies."
But the justices seemed more on board with the government's argument that the case isn't about free speech, because the law doesn't require TikTok to shut down or regulate what can be said on the platform. It just mandates that TikTok be sold.
US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the justices that the law doesn't regulate what's said on the platform or the algorithm used by TikTok to feed American users content, but instead tries to "surgically remove" a foreign adversary.
Friday's oral arguments, which lasted more than two hours, mark the beginning of the end of TikTok's legal battle against the US government. It's unclear when the Supreme Court will issue a ruling, but under the law, TikTok faces a Jan. 19 sale deadline. It's also possible the court could issue a stay, putting the law temporarily on hold until President-elect Donald Trump takes office just a day later on Jan. 20.
Read More: Here's What You Need to Know if TikTok Does Get Banned in the US
During Francisco's arguments, the justices asked many questions about the relationship between TikTok the US company and its China-based parent company ByteDance -- specifically, what the risk of "covert content manipulation" is and what that exactly means. For the purposes of the hearing, the phrase referred to the potential for politically motivated actors to adjust TikTok's algorithms to change the videos users see.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have long worried that the Chinese government could use TikTok to collect massive amounts of data about the American population and also manipulate the beliefs of Americans for its own benefit through the kinds of content TikTok sends them.
In her arguments, Prelogar said nobody disputes that China has long sought to collect massive amounts of data about Americans, pointing to the country's involvement in the breach of the Office of Personnel Management, which exposed the personal information of millions of federal workers. Though teenage TikTok users may seem unimportant now, they could grow up to be top military or government officials, she said. The more the Chinese government can find out about them now, the more at risk they could be years down the road.
"TikTok's immense dataset would give the PRC a powerful tool for harassment, recruitment and espionage," Prelogar said, referring to the People's Republic of China.
One of the more notable moments from the hearing was when Prelogar argued that ByteDance would use the social platform to sow discord among Americans and distract them from Chinese manipulation, to which Chief Justice John Roberts replied, "ByteDance might be, through TikTok, trying to get Americans to argue with each other? If they do, I say they're winning."
What happens next with TikTok?
The next step is for the court to deliberate and then ultimately rule on the case.
If the Supreme Court decides the law does violate the First Amendment, the court could strike it down. If the court finds the law doesn't conflict with the First Amendment and upholds it, TikTok would have only a few days to find a US buyer for the app to comply with the Jan. 19 deadline.
That deadline is also the day before Trump is set to be inaugurated. The president-elect recently signaled that he's no longer opposed to a TikTok ban, a stark reversal from his stance during his first term. Last week, lawyers for Trump filed an amicus brief in the case. They didn't take a side but instead asked the court to delay the ban to give Trump time to come up with a "political resolution," though the brief didn't offer any concrete details on what that would look like. Either way, Trump won't be able to do anything until he's inaugurated as president on the 20th, so there could be a period of service blackout.
