Drones

Autel Robotics has revealed what's claimed to be "the most powerful and advanced foldable drone on the planet" at CES 2020. The Evo II flies for over half an hour, can reach speeds of 45 mph, and comes with a 6K or 8K camera.

After catching our eye with the peculiarly shaped PowerEgg drone in 2016, PowerVision has returned to drop another nicely rounded aircraft into the mix with the PowerEgg X, which also functions as a portable AI-powered camera.

Having made a splash with smaller drones built for simple selfie-snapping flights in the immediate vicinity, Zero Zero Robotics is back and this time it's thinking big, with a V-shaped "bicopter" that can fly for 50 minutes at a time.

A new student-led research program has been launched at the UK's University of Southampton with the aim of finding ways to improve the efficiency and extend the battery life of unmanned aviation vehicles used to monitor remote locations.

Turkey is preparing to receive its first shipment of armed multicopter drones this month. Made by the country's own Asisguard, the Songar drone can carry 200 rounds of ammo, and can fire with precision from 200 yards thanks to its anti-recoil system.

Drone racing with human pilots at the controls has quickly evolved from an underground hobby to a fully fledged professional sport. But for its 2019 season, the Drone Racing League introduced a new kind of competition.

In 2017, we heard how artist Katsu was using a modified DJI quadcopter to spray-paint graffiti on high surfaces. In a move that likely won't be welcomed by everyone, he's now developed a consumer graffiti drone, that's available to the public.

While propeller planes certainly do have their place, sometimes the extra speed and thrust of a jet engine is what's really needed. Dallas-based FusionFlight has applied that sort of thinking to quadcopter-style drones, resulting in the AB5 JetQuad.

Although multicopter drones now are being used to transport medical samples and supplies, their 30-minute (or so) battery life limits their range. This week, however, a hydrogen-powered delivery drone managed a one-hour, 43-minute ocean crossing.

DroneShield's latest offering takes the mobility factor up a notch with a system that can be mounted to the top of almost any vehicle, equipping it with the tools to dismantle suspicious drones coming from all directions.

Glass-clad skyscrapers need to be inspected on a regular basis, in order to ensure that the glass panes are securely attached and undamaged. Doing so might soon become much quicker and safer, with a little help from a special drone.

Although there are many possible uses for multicopter drones, one thing that's holding the tech back is battery life – the aircraft can't fly for more than half an hour. According to TerraView, however, its new RangePro X8 runs for over 70 minutes.