Quadcopter

In a major jump into the era of eVTOL air taxis and multicopter cargo drones, the US FAA has issued new regulations that introduce the first new aircraft category, called "power-lift" aircraft, since modern helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.

Quadcopters may be agile but they're also relatively wide and delicate, limiting their potential uses. The Morphy drone addresses these drawbacks with flexible propeller arms which allow it to basically just "squish" its way through narrow spaces.

The Scottish company behind a novel heavy-lift utility UAV that uses an internal combustion engine and hydraulic motors has now frozen design plans and is preparing for production following successful flight tests in Denmark.

Last year, a mechanical engineer set a Guinness World Record for the fastest battery-powered RC quadcopter, which was clocked at 224 mph. Now that record has been smashed by a custom-made drone that clocked nearly 300 mph.

University of Manchester engineers set themselves the task of building and flying the biggest quadcopter drone in history, and to keep things legal with aviation authorities, they made some interesting materials choices.

In recent years, we've seen a few folding-wing drones that can be quickly and easily launched from a tube. The WASP M4-TL tactical UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) takes that same concept and applies it to a military-spec quadcopter.

Firefighters have a dangerous job at the best of times, but especially so when they're first entering burning buildings. A new flame-resistant drone could help, by scouting structures to let firefighters know what they'll be up against.

Most folks aren't big-time aerial cinematographers, so they don't need a $1,000-plus drone – what they do need is something small, inexpensive and easy to use, that still shoots great video. As I discovered, the Hover Camera X1 fits that bill to a T.

Perhaps you like the idea of using a drone to take selfies, but you don't want a big, expensive quadcopter. That's where ZeroZero Robotics' Hover Camera drone comes in, and the latest version – the X1 – is claimed to be easier than ever to use.

Multicopter and fixed-wing drones use up a lot of power fighting the wind. The Morpho VTOL drone addresses this problem with morphing wings that adapt to lessen its wind resistance. In fact, they can even use the wind to the aircraft's advantage.

If you've ever tried piloting a drone, you'll know that they end up running into walls, trees or whatnot … often getting damaged in the process. An experimental inflatable-body drone, however, just bounces off obstacles – plus it can grasp onto them.

While aerial drones can travel long distances quickly, aquatic drones can explore underwater environments. The TJ-FlyingFish offers the best of both worlds, as it's a flying quadcopter that is also able to make its way through the inky depths.