Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News

VW's all-new California Beach camper van adds inflatable flexibility

August 11, 2026 | C.C. Weiss
Volkswagen often surprises with its annual Caravan Salon debuts, and this year it's revealing multiple world-first concepts that explore the future of van life. It starts off with a California Beach concept that packs a cabin full of inflatables.

Drone review: Vcopter Falcon Mini is unique, but can be frustrating

August 10, 2026 | Ben Coxworth
I like oddball inventions, so when I first heard about the Falcon Mini bicopter drone, I knew I had to try it out. Well, I can now say that it is indeed a quirky li'l aircraft … but you should probably just go with the HOVERAir line of quadcopters.

X-62A completes first fully autonomous air intercepts via live sensors

August 11, 2026 | David Szondy
Autonomous air combat reached a major milestone in the skies over Edwards Air Force Base, California, as the X-62A VISTA test aircraft carried out full AI air intercept missions using live sensor data rather than simulated feeds.

Top Stories

If you're in the market for a V-twin cruiser with AMT, you’d barely get any options. The closest mainstream offering is Honda's Rebel 1100 DCT, which starts at around US$10,400 – but even that doesn't come with a V-twin. Enter the Rieju Coaster 407.
We wouldn't call the all-new Invento Geo multitool "revolutionary" in the sense of changing the market forever, but it does blend physical revolution into the multitool formula. The result is what could prove a quicker of switching between tools.
Tiny houses have been trending larger in recent years, but this model proves you don't need a massive trailer to create a practical home. With a length of just 22 ft, but an increased width, it manages to fit a livable interior.
At the 2025 Caravan Salon, Bürstner revealed two small motorhomes with shape-shifting interiors. This year, it's adding a new camper van that incorporates transforming features from both those series to create a new sense of space and versatility.
The MegCell Pulse is a 3D-printable robotic system that can fit on any acoustic guitar and play music you feed it in a digital tablature format. With this, you can hear compositions rendered right in front of you, no speakers necessary.
Why walk when you can ride? That seems to be the question of the day as British Army paratroopers exchange Shanks' pony for electric bikes during a combat exercise in Canada, testing the zero-emission conveyances alongside tactical drones and electronic warfare systems.

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Health and Science news from our sister site: Refractor
Longevity has become a bit of a buzz word, and has become increasingly aligned with the tech industry. But a timely report from Harvard Medical School reminds us that we have a lot of power when it comes to how we age – and it's backed by science.
In somewhat of a surprise announcement, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first US influenza vaccine engineered from the mRNA technology that gave us one of the most administered COVID-19 shots during the pandemic.
“Remove the plank from your eye before pointing out the speck in another’s,” says a popular proverb. For millions with geographic atrophy, the speck is literal. Relief may now be coming, after a sight-restoring implant received approval for sale in Europe.
An AI present in your consultation promises better notes, less admin and more time for patients, but what exactly is being recorded, where does the data go, and did anyone really ask for your consent?
Hookworms are freeloaders that live at the host’s expense inside their gut, drinking about two drops of blood per day. This parasite could soon pay its way with engineered hookworms serving as living medicine factories.
Sixteen different PFAS compounds have been discovered in the feathers of Antarctic penguins, demonstrating that the insidious spread of "forever chemicals" now reaches the most remote wildlife on Earth.

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Editor's Picks

The word "flying car" immediately puts visions of "The World of Tomorrow" in my head; retro-looking flashy contraptions. If you were to ask Dezső Molnár what his vision of a flying car looked like, he'd simply show you the one he's building now.
An epidemic that's been sustained for 44 years might finally be quelled, with the milestone approval of the first HIV drug that offers 100% protection with its twice-yearly injections. It's a landmark achievement set to save millions of lives.
Electric flight seems to be all the rage, but its place in the aviation market has yet to be worked out. We talked to Ralph Müller, CEO of H2Fly, to discuss the state of play of electric aircraft, hybrid hydrogen fuel, and the future of the industry.
The US Navy's secretive F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter plane is a bit less secret after program competitor Northrop Grumman unveiled a new concept image of its version of the carrier-based warplane, giving us a few design clues.
The Kimbo camper has always felt to us less an RV and more a stylish backcountry hut secured to a pickup bed. Now, Kimbo makes that hut a little larger by launching an 8-foot model for full-size trucks.
The LEO Solo just went up for preorder, pitched as an FAA Part 103-friendly (no pilot license required), single-seat personal eVTOL. It's supposedly landing in late 2025.
The Capucine, by Quadrapol, is a compact tiny house for up to two people. Thanks to its open design, which is arranged on one floor, the home is well-suited to retirees and anyone else who doesn't want to deal with the hassle of stairs.
The Bürstner Signature teased such a compelling mix of sleek fiberglass construction, cutting-edge transforming spaces, and luxe trim, we expected it to price in well over €100K. Instead, it starts well under.