Drones

In most delivery-by-drone systems, cargo has to be packed into system-specific containers, or must fit inside a designated onboard compartment. The new RDS2 setup, however, can transport almost any shape or size of parcel, weighing as much as 10 kg (22 lb).

As any viewer of the Discovery Channel will know, the search for sunken treasure typically involves sifting through the sand, just hoping to find gold or silver. The SeaSearcher underwater drone, however, may soon point clients right to the booty.

There are now a number of systems in which "good" drones are used to disable "enemy" drones, such as those conducting spying missions. A new system takes a safer approach to the task, in that the captured drones don't simply plummet to the ground.

VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft are a popular choice for passenger-carrying "air taxis," but it's easy to forget that they also make for quite versatile consumer drones. One such beast, the Swan Voyageur, could be yours for US$1,299.

Counter-drone systems typically attack a UAV's radio control or GPS systems, disabling pilot control as well as pre-programmed missions. But British defense tech company QinetiQ has now demonstrated a laser-controlled drone these systems can't stop.

A stretch of airspace spanning 165 miles (265 km) across England is set to become the world's longest dedicated drone corridor, with the UK government approving plans for the initiative as part of a wider push into next-generation aviation.

In an effort to get chemotherapy treatment to patients in a more timely manner, the UK's National Health Service is embarking on a new drone delivery trial for the Isle of Wight, billed as the first of its kind.

German company Wingcopter has signed a deal to roll out 12,000 of its long-range, triple-drop delivery drones across Africa over the next five years, in what promises to be the largest commercial drone deployment ever attempted.

Aerial drones are much more useful if they can grasp and carry objects, plus they use much less power if they can perch on stationary objects instead of hovering. A new attachment allows drones to do both, without using any electricity.

Although aerial drones can travel much faster than their underwater counterparts, they certainly aren't as good at gathering water-related data. The MEDUSA multi-rotor drone addresses this conundrum, by landing on the water and deploying an underwater pod.

Amazon has been planning to deliver packages by drone for almost a decade, with the company reckoning that the service was just months away in 2019. But now it actually looks like it's happening – at least for Prime members in Lockeford, California.

Zipline has developed and patented an AI-driven safety system it says allows autonomous drones to detect and avoid other aircraft and drones up to 2 km away in all directions, using a light, cheap and robust microphone array. Will it satisfy the FAA?

When remotely controlling an underwater drone in flowing water, it can be difficult to keep the vehicle's camera trained on a specific target. A new AI-based vision platform, however, allows Qysea's existing FiFish drones to do so automatically.

Most drones need to tilt to move and correct against gusts of wind. Pitch Aero's Astria, however, can keep itself preternaturally level and stable, thanks to a novel use of cyclorotors that opens up a range of use cases other drones can't handle.

It's a sad fact that mass shootings have become a common occurrence in the US. Defense tech company Axon has announced what it says will be a new means of resolving such incidents quickly and relatively safely, using a drone equipped with a Taser.