Drone cinematography

With all the furore about drones today, it's easy to forget that blimps once ruled the skies over sporting events. But one company believes that big airships still have plenty to offer in this area, so has developed an aerial platform that carries broadcast gear.

Announced today, DJI's Matrice 600 drone is its most powerful yet, and with the ability to carry 6 kg (13.22 lb) is aimed at serious film makers looking to get professional rigs up into the sky. ​​

Ever a step ahead of the game, DJI today released an impressive new Phantom 4 that features the first true obstacle detection and avoidance system we've seen on a consumer quadcopter.

Drone photography just took a step forward with ProDrone's Ultimate Flying Platform line of mounts, which are reportedly the first ones capable of carrying a DSLR on a consumer drone. They're designed to work exclusively with the Byrd line of quadcopters.

With most consumer models carrying top-notch camera gear and a pretty friendly learning curve, drones made for rookies or experts aren't as different as they once were, but they do still have strengths and weaknesses. Let's put four of the big players side-by-side to see how they stack up.

​The crowdfunded drone explosion continues with the FLYBi, a quadcopter designed to put you in the "cockpit," sort of.

Children of the 1970s may recall Kenner's Smash-Up Derby set, in which two toy cars flew into pieces when they crashed into each other – the neat thing was, they could then just be snapped back together. Well, Vantage Robotics' Snap is sort of like the Smash-Up Derby of drones.

DJI has teamed up with web broadcaster Epic TV to launch the pair's first film festival for drone footage. The competition is geared specifically towards action sports, with the call going out to extreme athletes to get their adrenaline running high and their drones flying even higher.