Autonomous flight

Bell Textron's APT 70 cargo drone has completed its first autonomous test flight

Drones

Bell's eVTOL cargo drone makes first autonomous flight

Bell has joined the cargo drone space with its APT 70, which has just nailed its first autonomous test flight.

Aircraft

Volocopter introduces its most powerful flying taxi yet

The Volocopter has been given another makeover, resulting in a rounder, cleaner design the company says is the most powerful Volocopter yet.

The autonomous racing drone developed at TU Delft weighs just 72 g

Drones

World's smallest autonomous racing drone created by Dutch scientists

Scientists at TU Delft have developed what is claimed to be the smallest autonomous racing drone on the planet, a feat that involved some serious innovations in the algorithms that control its flight path.

The PAV utilizes four sets of rotors for vertical takeoffs and landings, along with a rear propeller for forward flight

Aircraft

Boeing VTOL air vehicle prototype makes first flight

Given how many groups are now developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, it shouldn't come as a surprise that aerospace giant Boeing has been working on some of its own. This Tuesday, one of the prototypes made its first flight.

Drones

Hovermap drones dive underground to autonomously map mines and tunnels

The potential of drones flying through the sky is well documented, but they also hold great potential for environments deep beneath the Earth's surface. Australian-based startup Emesant is developing drone software focused on the autonomous mapping of mines and tunnels.

DARPA and Sikorsky have been testing out the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System over the past couple of years

Aircraft

Autonomous Sikorsky helicopter makes piloting optional

Describing a helicopter as "optionally piloted" might not do much to comfort those onboard, but this is the future DARPA is aiming for with its Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS).

Voloctoper’s plans for Singapore include tests flights for the second half of 2019

Aircraft

Volocopter flying taxi sets down in Singapore

German aviation startup Volocopter is one of the more active players in the nascent flying taxi scene. It is continuing to spread its wings, today announcing plans to set up shop in Singapore and kick off test flights next year.

$This version of the ApusDuo is just a fraction of the planned final craft, which will have a 91.9 ft wingspan and be able to stay aloft for up to a year$

Aircraft

Autonomous high-altitude aircraft nails new flight tests

We’re a step closer to having high-altitude, long-endurance, autonomous aircraft soaring through the skies. UAVOS has now announced that a prototype of the company’s High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) ApusDuo aircraft has completed the first stage of flight tests.

One of the gliders used in the University of California San Diego research

Aircraft

Robotic gliders train themselves to soar on thermals

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have created robotic gliders that literally fly like an eagle. They use reinforcement learning to determine how to exploit updrafts of warm air, soaring to altitudes of up to 2,300 ft.

SkyRyse goes into service in January 2019

Aircraft

SkyRyse builds a bridge to fully autonomous flight

Air mobility company SkyRyse has developed an assisted-flight technology for first-responders that will be used to speed up air emergency systems in the town of Tracy, California beginning in January of next year.

Boeing’s MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueler, known as T1, is currently being tested at Boeing’s St. Louis site

Aircraft

Boeing wins contract to build robotic tanker planes for the US Navy

With a contract of US$805 million, Boeing has been tapped to build the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial refueling tanker for the US Navy to extend the range of its fleet of F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C Lightning II operating at sea.

Tracking mask used by the refueling system

Aircraft

Airbus achieves first large-aircraft autonomous aerial refueling

Automated in-flight refueling has come to large aircraft after Airbus Defence and Space and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) conducted the first Automatic Air-to-Air (A3R) refueling between an Airbus 310 development tanker and a RAAF KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport off the coast of Spain.