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.

DJI, which accounts for an estimated 90% of hobby drone sales in the U.S., announced this week that it will stop geoblocking its drones from flying over airports and military bases. The changes took effect on Monday on both the DJI Fly and DJI Pilot flight apps.

For over a decade, you couldn’t easily fly a DJI drone over restricted areas in the United States. DJI’s software would automatically stop you from flying over runways, power plants, public emergencies like wildfires,

Government proposal comes amid sharp rise in suspicious activity around military facilities and industrial sites

The changed rules agreed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Cabinet still require parliamentary approval. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Germany's cabinet has decided to authorise the army to shoot down suspicious drones seen near military sites or other critical infrastructure. A statement from Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that,

In a first for Ohio, the sheriff's office plans to dispatch drones to 911 calls regularly to survey scenes before officers arrive and provide overwatch from a central hub.

To supplement existing deputy dispatches, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has launched a Drones As First Responders program.

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is leading Ohio with a new program that will use drones as the first responder to select calls for service.