Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: drones

A tailsitter is a special kind of fixed-wing aircraft that sits on its tail when it is on the ground and then tilts horizontally for forward flight.

In the ever-evolving world of aerial technology, MIT’s researchers have given wings to the brilliance of aircraft design with their new algorithms for tailsitter drones. This breathtaking technology is enabling these aircraft to execute astounding acrobatics and challenging maneuvers, paving the way for futuristic applications in search-and-rescue, parcel delivery, and more.

MIT

Continue reading “How MIT researchers made tailsitter drones fly like acrobats” | >

Imagine a person on the ground guiding an airborne drone that harnesses its energy from a laser beam, eliminating the need for carrying a bulky onboard battery.

That is the vision of a group of CU Boulder scientists from the Hayward Research Group. In a new study, the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering researchers have developed a novel and resilient photomechanical material that can transform light energy into mechanical work without heat or electricity, offering innovative possibilities for energy-efficient, wireless and remotely controlled systems. Its wide-ranging potential spans across diverse industries, including robotics, aerospace and biomedical devices.

In a new study published in Nature Materials, the Hayward Research Group has developed a novel and resilient photomechanical material that can transform light energy into mechanical work without heat or electricity. The photomechanical materials offer a promising alternative to electrically-wired actuators, with the potential to wirelessly control or power robots or vehicles, such as powering a drone with a laser beam instead of a bulky on-board battery.

Read more | >

Hermeus’ audacious plan to build a passenger plane able to travel at Mach 5 is a longshot, but it’s won Pentagon backing.

Earlier this month, a curved aluminum skeleton 40 feet long sat waiting in Hermeus’ cavernous Atlanta factory. It was the prototype of a drone called Quarterhorse. It will never fly. Instead, it’s scheduled for ground-testing starting in September. Hermeus CEO AJ Piplica and his cofounders believe it’s the first step on a long road to an audacious goal: building a plane capable of carrying 20 passengers at hypersonic speed — five times faster than sound, or 3,850 miles per hour.

Imagine New York to Paris in 90 minutes. Quite an upgrade from the seven-and-a-half hours of a… More.

Read more | >

Imagine a person on the ground guiding an airborne drone that harnesses its energy from a laser beam, eliminating the need for carrying a bulky onboard battery.

That is the vision of a group of University of Colorado at Boulder scientists from the Hayward Research Group.

In a new study, the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering researchers have developed a novel and resilient photomechanical material that can transform into without heat or electricity, offering innovative possibilities for energy-efficient, wireless and remotely controlled systems. Its wide-ranging potential spans across diverse industries, including robotics, aerospace and biomedical devices.

Read more | >

A new drone flyover of Gigafactory Texas shows that Tesla Cybertrucks are now coming out of the factory in numbers.

If Tesla sticks to its latest production timeline for the Cybertruck, we are just weeks away from the start of production and the first deliveries to employees.

We have been following closely to determine if that’s possible and now we get one of the best indications to date.

Read more | >

The device was equipped with infrared technology.

A police drone equipped with infrared capabilities has risen as a hero in the search for a missing person with dementia that disappeared from a Delta hospital on July 29. Delta is a city located in British Columbia, Canada.

This is according to a report by Global News published on Wednesday.

Interesting Engineering is a cutting edge, leading community designed for all lovers of engineering, technology and science.

Continue reading “Police use drone to find missing person with dementia” | >

A three-member team spent four years building the low-latency bot which responds faster than the time it takes for an eye to blink.

Shandong, China-based Qibot Robot Company claims to have built the world’s fastest boxer bot. Standing over six feet (1.9 m) tall, the bot is a single-handed robot that can be teleoperated and has a response delay time of just 12 milliseconds, which according to the company, makes it the world’s fastest, the South China Morning Post.

Just as robots are being built to replace humans in tedious and repetitive tasks, they are also great alternatives facing violence. Militaries worldwide are looking to increase the use of drones to keep humans out of danger zones, and robot wars aren’t an alien concept for most people today.

Read more | >

BEIJING (AP) — China imposed restrictions Monday on exports of long-range civilian drones, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine and concern that drones might be converted to military use.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow but says it is neutral in the 17-month-old war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.

Export controls will take effect Tuesday to prevent use of drones for “non-peaceful purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. It said some drone exports still will be allowed.

Read more | >