DroneXL
U.S. drone-industry trade publication
Background
DroneXL was founded on April 1, 2020, by Haye Kesteloo, who previously covered the drone beat at DroneDJ. The site grew into one of the more prominent English-language outlets focused exclusively on unmanned aerial systems, publishing over 5,000 articles on manufacturers like DJI, Autel Robotics, Skydio, and FreeFly Systems. Kesteloo co-hosts the PiXL Drone Show podcast and his reporting has been cited by The New York Times, the Financial Times, the Brookings Institution, and Politico, giving the outlet some standing in policy circles. DroneXL also operates a sister site, EVXL.co, covering electric vehicles, suggesting a small independent media operation rather than a large corporate publisher. The outlet is a partner of the Drone Advocacy Alliance, an industry lobbying group, which reflects its openly pro-drone-industry perspective. Its coverage of the Trump administration's June 2025 'Unleashing American Drone Dominance' executive orders was broadly favorable, framing them as beneficial to innovation. However, DroneXL was vocally critical of the FCC's December 2025 ban on DJI and other foreign-made drones, calling it counterproductive and arguing it weakened U.S. capabilities without evidence-based security justification — a notable departure from administration policy.
Sources
- About Us – DroneXL.co
- Haye Kesteloo author page – DroneXL.co
- DroneXL: Contact Information, Journalists, and Overview | Muck Rack
- Trump's Executive Orders Boost Drone Innovation And Airspace Security In The U.S. – DroneXL
- FCC Bans All Foreign And DJI Drones: America Just Made Itself Weaker, Not Safer – DroneXL
- NDAA 2026: Local Police To Gain New Powers To Take Down Your Drone – DroneXL
- FAA Research: DJI Accounts For 96% Of Detected US Drone Platforms – DroneXL
Profile compiled 2026-06-30; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.