Research
Drones with Claws Perch on Arctic Icebergs
Using its spiny feet, Ice Dart can latch on to glaciers and drifting icebergs, allowing for long-term monitoring
Research
Propulsion
Swiss Researchers Invent Sound Powered Micro-Drones
EPFL engineers have designed acoustic cavities that convert sound waves into thrust, propelling small robots and ultralight aerial vehicles without on-board actuators or electronics.
Military
West Point Cadet Collaborates with Army Engineers to Advance UAS Defeat Algorithms
Alex’s work focuses on intelligently clustering targets and selecting engagement strategies based on the threat’s composition and our system/munitions’ capabilities. The goal is to optimize the time spent engaging a mass of UAS threats to maximize UAS defeat with a single system
Events
DARPA Lift Challenge Results
Aviation records set and new options demonstrated for military, civilian use
Propulsion
Wireless Power Beaming for Perched Drones
This project brings together Reach’s wireless power-beaming expertise with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln NIMBUS Lab research capabilities in autonomous systems, communications, and field robotics.
Propulsion
Embry‑Riddle Students Take on Hydrogen-Powered Drone Tech with Honeywell Aerospace
“The students went above and beyond in response to a difficult, but real-world example of system integration and cross-team collaboration”
Propulsion
High-Powered Lasers can Wirelessly Charge Drones Mid-Flight
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China and Tsinghua University built a receiver that converts green laser light into electricity at 38.49 percent efficiency, enough to spin a drone propeller on a lab bench with nothing but a beam.
Weapons Systems / Lasers
US Army and Auriga Space to Develop Low-Cost Electromagnetic Weapons Against Drone Swarms
This research framework aims to determine if electrically accelerated projectiles can reliably defeat repeated waves of small, low-altitude unmanned aerial systems at a significantly lower cost per target than traditional missile-based air defense networks
Research
How to Make an Invisible Drone
By spinning in flight at between 15 and 25 hertz, Phantom Twist takes advantage of humans’ decidedly mediocre visual system to turn a solid spinning object into an opaque smear.
Technology
MoonFall
MoonFall is part of the initial phase of NASA’s Moon Base initiative: a rapid series of robotic missions to scout, experiment, and prepare for astronaut surface operations.
Swarms
Secure UAV Swarms in Low-Altitude Wireless Networks: Challenges and Solutions
With the deep integration of intelligent unmanned systems and low-altitude wireless networks, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms are rapidly evolving from isolated aerial platforms into complex cyber-physical systems that tightly integrate sensing, communication, decision-making, and execution
Propulsion
China’s 800-Cycle Lithium-Sulfur Battery Could Double Drone Flight Time
A research team led by Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School said it created a new molecular strategy that improves reaction efficiency inside lithium-sulfur batteries while reducing energy loss during operation.