Emerging Technologies

U.S. drone start-up Volansi announced on Oct. 20 that it is testing the delivery of temperature-controlled medicines in North Carolina with pharmaceutical company Merck.

Aviation’s electric propulsion pioneers are reliving the passion of the formative years of aviation as the push to develop electric and hybrid

British start-up Stratospheric Platforms is developing a hydrogen fuel cell-powered, high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air system (UAS) that could provide cellular connectivity to remote areas.

Kawasaki’s compound; Rolls’ eVTOL rig; ADAC OKs multicopters; Aerion’s eSTOL linkup; Eve for UAM; and Compact rotary power.

Data link and ADS-B will be instrumental for improved European air traffic management, but key countries are late in implementation.

Here is a look at some of the commercially developed and operated hardware on the International Space Station.

Certification standards we use for human pilots could also be applied to artificial intelligence.

Upgrades are underway for carrier aircraft as Stratolaunch prepares to offer hypersonic test capability from 2022 onward.

Urban air mobility and drone traffic management share the same technology pillars but will occupy different layers of airspace.

University research parks help startups learn business and develop innovative technologies as well as the next generation of leaders.

Electric-powered multi-copters could supplement traditional helicopters in the emergency medical service role, a study by Germany’s ADAC motoring association has detailed.

Fifteen-nation program marks 20 years of continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.

Development of compact, efficient rotary internal-combustion engines able to run on jet fuel has been boosted by U.S. Army contracts to advance the technology for unmanned-aircraft propulsion and rotorcraft auxiliary-power applications.

With the second largest helicopter fleet in the world, Canada has launched a program to develop the technologies, supply chain and regulations for advanced air mobility, including urban and regional cargo and passenger transportation.

Prismatic’s PHASA-35 high-altitude pseudo-satellite has been fitted with a sensor payload and been taken through simulated cold soak testing to prepare it for stratospheric flight.

The startup describes the flight from Camarillo to Hayward in California as “the longest flight to date for any commercially relevant aircraft employing electric propulsion.”

HAPSMobile flies high; Islander automated; multifuel UAV engines; NASA’s X-59 slips; Russia targets quiet supersonics; fresh fruit by autonomous aircraft.

Ask the Editors: U.S. Air Force and NATO officials have discussed replacing E-3s using a distributed systems approach, but options are not fully developed.

France to replace Rafales; SDA awards tracking layer contracts; Russian airlifter delayed; and Boeing WGS clears PDR.

Startup Boom looks ahead to flying its XB-1 scaled demonstrator in 2021 and going supersonic by year-end.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

HAPSMobile has announced the first stratospheric flight of its AeroVironment-developed Sunglider high-altitude pseudo-satellite, the fifth test flight of the solar-powered long-endurance unmanned aircraft.

As it moves to offset losses caused by the pandemic, the UK air navigation services provider makes upgrades to its radar infrastructure.

Automotive fuel cells are taking to the air, but more development is needed to make them suitable for aircraft use.

The Army’s next scout aircraft will be an air-launched effect that could enter service six years before the FARA.