Texas-based Anzu Robotics has announced the launch of its Raptor and Raptor T drones in the U.S. The announced American drones have all the qualities of DJI…because they were designed by DJI to meet the key geopolitical and cybersecurity interests of most corporate and public safety users.

Anzu drones are based on the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise platform. This means that in the Raptor you get a wide-angle 20-megapixel camera with a 4/3 CMOS sensor and 56x hybrid zoom to create 12MP photos. And the Raptor T combines 1/2-inch cameras with 48 and 12 megapixel resolution, as well as a 640×512 LWIR thermal imaging camera with 56x hybrid zoom capability.

Both drones have an autonomy of 45 minutes of flight time, a 9-mile range, and an optional RTK module (for more accurate GPS navigation). The Raptor costs $5,100, and the Raptor T will sell for $7,600.

Anzu has actually entered into a technology transfer agreement with DJI, allowing it to utilize all the hardware specifications and engineering innovations that users love so much. However, the software that controls these drones is developed entirely in the United States in collaboration with Aloft Technologies, a company known for its work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in flight planning and for its B4UFLY airspace restriction information app. Aloft also issues more than two-thirds of all LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) clearances.

To further distance itself from the trade and geopolitical tensions associated with China, almost all components and final assembly of Raptor drones are carried out in Malaysia. The finished drone hardware is then shipped to Anzu’s Austin plant, where firmware is installed and quality control measures are carried out.

Instead of the DJI app, Raptor drones are controlled by the Aloft Air Control app, which meets the requirements of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for use of the national airspace system. Through the partnership with Aloft, pre-flight checklists are already built into the system to ensure safe and legal flights, instant LAANC clearance, and other management capabilities.

All data collected by the drones is stored locally on the drone’s SD card, which minimizes the risk of unauthorized access during transmission. In addition, all flight data stored by Aloft is encrypted during transmission and in standby mode using AES-256 encryption.