A millimeter-wave-radar-equipped drone takes off for a test of the Millisign systemNTTAutonomous drones often depend on visual cues for precise location, but they face challenges in dark, rainy, or foggy conditions when ground-based lights are unavailable.This is where the Millisign system, created by researchers from Japan's NTT Corporation and The University of Tokyo, comes...
The DroneHub project is scheduled to be implemented at the current NEST research and innovation building situated on the Empa campus in Dübendorf, Switzerland. Credit: Empa.Envision a fleet of drone(s) hovering over urban areas, diligently scanning for potential building problems, and autonomously performing repairs before they escalate. It sounds like a science fiction tale,...
The Pterodynamics Transwing design presents a combination of compactness and stability in its VTOL and hover mode, while boasting an impressively wide wingspan during cruise mode, resulting in remarkable efficiency.A recently released video demonstrates the flight of an intriguing eVTOL aircraft design on a larger scale. The Transwing platform utilizes a distinctive wing system...
Credit: AirbusThe US Army has successfully flown a minimalist drone powered by solar energy continuously for over 40 days, surpassing a previous world record and indicating what could be the future of military reconnaissance.The challenge: Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems, such as satellites and drones, play a major role in protection by...
Insects’ remarkable acrobatic traits help them navigate the aerial world, with all of its wind gusts, obstacles, and general uncertainty. Such traits are also hard to build into flying robots — but MIT Assistant Professor Kevin Yufeng Chen has built a system that approaches insects’ agility. Credit: courtesy of Kevin Yufeng ChenThe use of...
Fish are thought to adjust their tail stiffness in order to swim efficiently over a wide range of speeds, but how and when they tune the amount of stiffness has been a mystery. A model created by University of Virginia School of Engineering researchers that combines robotics, fluid dynamics and biomechanics has revealed the...
