drones

It seems like autonomous aircraft makers are indulging in a bit of oneupsmanship as Shield AI rolls out its X-BAT VTOL Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) that combines the ability to land and take off without a runway with long-range endurance.

Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky is blurring the line between helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft with its new Nomad family of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) that combine the versatility of a helicopter with the speed and endurance of a fixed-wing aircraft.

Like something out of an early Transformers movie, researchers at Caltech have just demonstrated how a humanoid and a drone can team up to accomplish multiple forms of movement. The experiment opens new possibilities in robotic locomotion.

Autonomous fighter planes are popping up all over the place these days as more air forces opt for pilotless loyal wingmen. The latest example is Europe's version, the multi-role Helsing CA-1 Europa, which has just made its public debut.

In a demonstration not so much of marksmanship but more of the advantages of microwaves, an Epirus Leonidas directed energy, high-power microwave (HPM) anti-drone weapon has knocked 49 Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) out of the air with one shot.

A super-secret Lockheed Martin Skunk Works project is no longer a secret after the company revealed its Vectis Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) – an autonomous stealth fighter drone developed entirely in-house with company funds.

The RAAF's MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone has completed public flight trials to demonstrate its operational capabilities. Performed for select journalists, the flight of the Boeing Loyal Wingman took place at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.

A US Army quadcopter engaged and destroyed a winged drone during an exercise at Fort Rucker, Alabama. These days, that's not such a rare occurrence, but this one is different – it's the first that used a Claymore landmine strapped to the quad.

HoverAir Aqua is the world's first water-native drone – fully waterproof, self-flying, and built for watersports. Toss it in, press a button, and it floats, flies, and films. I've seen it in action, and it's going to change the game.

Drones are going full Die Hard as researchers from Inria, CNRS, the University of Lorraine, and Aix-Marseille University work on how to help quadcopters fly through ventilation ducts without getting lost or banging into the walls like a bean in a can.

Tiny, fast, and ridiculously easy to use, the HoverAir X1 Promax is a fully autonomous drone that takes off from your hand, follows you around, and films cinematic footage with no controller required.

In an effort to supercharge the development of military drones, DARPA will this year fast track flight testing of five advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) prototypes as part of the agency's Early VTOL Aircraft Demonstration (EVADE) project.