In a small garage turned workshop, a father and son have built what might be the world’s fastest drone — and it wasn’t made in a lab, but on a 3D printer. The Peregreen 3, a hand-crafted quadcopter designed by Mike Bell and his son Luke Maximo Bell, has reportedly hit 585 km/h (363.5 mph) in a test flight, breaking the previous drone speed record by 27 km/h.

The record-attempt flight, documented with GPS and onboard video, still awaits Guinness certification as of writing. But it continues a streak for the Bells, who have been chasing speed records for years. Their last model, the Peregreen 2, topped out at 480 km/h — already among the fastest in the world.

The Peregreen 3’s secret is brute force and clever engineering. Its electric motors pull 16.2 kW at peak power, almost double the output of its predecessor, with energy supplied by a 16 kW battery pack. The entire drone weighs 2.77 kg, a full kilogram heavier than before, but gains stability from custom APC propellers designed to avoid supersonic tip speeds.

After an early prototype caught fire, the pair introduced a 50 ml water-cooling system to replace air vents and reduce drag. They also reworked the GPS setup, mounting the receiver directly on the camera to eliminate interference. The result: a more aerodynamic, cooler, and faster craft.

Each flight lasts just under two minutes — full-throttle runs are capped at about 23 seconds to prevent total battery drain. But that’s long enough to prove their point: DIY engineering can still move at blistering speed.

With a few printers, CAD tools, and a lot of persistence, two builders managed to outrun billion-dollar research teams — and they’re already planning the next iteration.

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The DJI Mini 5 Pro now sits in top spot of TechRadar's best drones guide. Here's what makes the mini drone so special

The drone market is packed with high-end models from giants like DJI, but a new budget contender, named the AE60 Ultra, could be a more practical option for many. It packs 4K recording, optical zoom, and even a payload drop system — all for under $294.

Weighing 727 grams, the AE60 Ultra exceeds the 250-gram limit for unregistered flights in most regions. Still, its foldable frame (420 mm unfolded, 233 mm folded) strikes a good balance between portability and durability, clearly made for outdoor flying.

It packs two different cameras. A 4K UHD main sensor with a 110-degree field of view pairs with a 5x telephoto camera, both mounted on a 3-axis gimbal for steady, cinematic footage. The gimbal supports wide movement angles, keeping shots smooth even when the wind picks up.

As per the AliExpress listing, it packs a total capacity of 9800mAh, can fly for about 29 minutes on a single charge, and takes 6 hours to recharge. Its while 5G digital transmission allows control and video feed at ranges up to 12 km. GPS and 360° laser obstacle avoidance keep it stable, with extras like follow-me tracking, waypoint navigation, and auto return-to-home.

What really sets it apart is the payload-drop system, capable of carrying and releasing up to 800 grams — handy for hikers or light-duty delivery experiments. However, dropping items mid-flight may require local clearance under aviation rules.

The remote control is a standout too: a 7.2-inch Android-powered touchscreen, offering full camera control and FPV streaming without needing your phone. According to the listing, it takes about 3.5 hours to charge.

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(Source: AliExpress)

The post AE60 Ultra: budget drone brings 4K recording, 5x telephoto, and even a payload drop feature appeared first on Gizmochina.

On November 27, 2024, Unusual Machines announced that Donald Trump Jr. had joined its advisory board—bringing his name and 331,580 shares valued at roughly $4 million in the company. Less than a year later, the once-obscure Florida-based drone company has […]

The post Trump Jr.–backed little-known drone company wins multimillion-dollar Pentagon contract first appeared on Tech Startups.