New Atlas

Aircraft Audio available

NASA backs development of cryogenic hydrogen system to power all-electric aircraft

David Szondy May 17, 2019

NASA is funding a project to develop an aircraft that runs on a cryogenic hydrogen fuel cell system. Under a US$6 million contract, the CHEETA program will investigate the technology needed to produce a practical all-electric design to replace conventional fossil fuel propulsion systems.

Artist's rendering of an advanced commercial transport aircraft concept utilizing CHEETA systems

Urban Transport Audio available

Transcend Air and Lily Helipads team up to build eco-friendly "vertipads" for air taxis

Ben Coxworth May 17, 2019

It was a year ago that we first heard about Transcend Air Corporation's Vy 400, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that will ferry passengers in and out of cities. Now, the Boston-based company has announced plans for floating environmentally-friendly landing pads for the aircraft.

Vertipads are initially being planned for Boston, Manhattan, Montreal and San Francisco

Aircraft Audio available

DARPA wants to automate aerial dogfighting with AI wingman

David Szondy May 13, 2019

DARPA has launched an initiative to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) that can engage in dogfighting aerial combat. Despite its Terminator-like description, the goal is to produce an AI wingman that human pilots can trust to watch their backs while they handle command decisions.

ACE aims to increase warfighter trust in autonomous combat technology by using human-machine collaborative dogfighting as ...

Aircraft Audio available

Phoenix ultra-endurance air vehicle is first to fly like a fish

David Szondy April 25, 2019

The University of the Highlands and Islands Perth College has developed and flown what is claimed to be the first aircraft powered by variable-buoyancy propulsion. In March, the unmanned Phoenix prototype made an indoor maiden flight, when it repeatedly flew for a distance of 120 m (395 ft).

Drones Audio available

Rega air rescue drone can autonomously search for missing persons

David Nield April 16, 2019

We've seen autonomous aircraft doing everything from spraying crops to surveying wildlife, and now the Swiss air rescue organization Rega has announced a drone that's capable of searching for and finding missing people all on its own.

The Rega drone can spot signs of missing people and alert rescue teams on the ground

Aircraft Audio available

MIT and NASA develop auto-morphing "metamaterial" wing made of hundreds of tiny parts

David Szondy April 2, 2019

A team of researchers led by NASA and MIT has come up with radical new wing design that is not only much lighter than conventional wings, but also has the potential to automatically reconfigure itself to meet the flight conditions of the moment.

Wing assembly is seen under construction, assembled from hundreds of identical subunits. The wing was tested ...

Aircraft

A tour through the extraordinary Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona

Loz Blain March 21, 2019

Founded in 1966 to preserve America's WW2-era aviation heritage, the Pima Air and Space museum has grown to become one of the biggest in the USA, with more than 350 aircraft. Naturally, there are plenty of war birds on display, but the Pima team has made room for lots of other oddities as well.

The PIMA Air & Space museum is a dream destination for aviation fans

Military

US Marine Corps retires venerable Prowler electronic warfare jet

David Szondy March 11, 2019

Another iconic piece of Cold War hardware is flying into history as the US Marine Corps retires its last Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft. In a ceremony, US Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 stood down the last Prowler squadron after 42 years of service.

The EA-6B Prowler was in service for 42 years

Military Audio available

Low-cost X-60A hypersonic missile passes design review

David Szondy March 11, 2019

The US AFRL has given the green light to start building a new hypersonic rocket capable of flying at eight times the speed of sound. The X-60A vehicle has passed its Critical Design Review and now moves into the fabrication phase in anticipation of its maiden flight sometime in 2020.

Aircraft Feature Audio available

Supersonic: 50 years after its first flight, the Concorde story is still remarkable

David Szondy March 3, 2019

Fifty years ago, the first Concorde SST took to the skies over Toulouse, France. Hailed in its day as a technological achievement to rival the first manned Moon landing. So, get your VIP boarding pass as we look back at the career of the luxury passenger aircraft that flew faster than the Sun.

On March 2, 1969, the first Concorde took to the air from Toulouse, France. Only 20 ...