AI Copilot Enhances Human Precision for Safer Aviation

Imagine you're in an airplane with two pilots, one human and one computer. Both have their “hands” on the controllers, but they're always looking out for different things. If...

How Much Do You Know About Radar?

Radar is used in a wide variety of applications from locating nearby aircraft, to navigating unmanned vehicles, to trapping speeding motorists. How much do you really know about this common technology? Take this quiz to find out.

GM Readies Fuel Cells for Commercial Deployment

After decades of concentrated development work, GM’s fuel-cell R&D unit Hydrotec is poised to deploy “the first applications that will be going commercial” of its hydrogen fuel-cell technology.

A Step Toward Safe and Reliable Autopilots

In the film “Top Gun: Maverick,” Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, is charged with training young pilots to complete a seemingly impossible mission — to fly their jets deep into a rocky canyon,...

Megawatt Electrical Motor Could Help Electrify Aviation

Aerospace engineers designed a 1-megawatt electrical motor that is a stepping stone toward electrifying the largest aircraft.

The Natilus Blended-Wing-Body Autonomous Air Cargo Aircraft

Natilus CEO Aleksey Matyushev explains his vision for autonomous air cargo operations.

Model Simulates Variable Flap Stiffness for the Best Lift

There is extensive research on how a fixed-position flap affects lift in the realm of fluid-structure interaction. However, taking the conversation in a new direction, researchers at...

7 Questions with Astronaut Eileen Collins

The first female pilot and first female commander of a space shuttle, Eileen Collins, shares leadership lessons for women in aerospace.

The Future of AI and Machine Learning in Avionics Systems

Luuk van Dijk, co-founder and CEO of Daedalean, joins the podcast.

Shark Skin Inspires Functional Surface Film for Aircraft

Following nature's example, Lufthansa Technik and BASF have jointly developed the functional surface film AeroSHARK for commercial aircraft.

Tailless Jet Flies Free with Novel Control Technique

While conventional aircraft rely on protruding fins to enable steering, a tailless design makes the body as smooth and sleek as possible, making it safer to fly in dangerous areas where...

6 Pioneering Women in Aerospace/Aeronautics

Women have been contributing to the aerospace and aviation industry for decades. Take this quiz to learn more about six such trailblazing women.

How Much Do You Know About GPS and its History?

The chances are very high that you're familiar with GPS. However, do you know how it came to be? Its trials and tribulations? Take this quiz to find out.

Enhancing Fault Isolation and Detection for Electric Powertrains of UAVs

NASA’s System-Wide Safety (SWS) project is developing innovative data solutions to assure safe, rapid, and repeatable access to a transformed National Airspace System.

Laser-Light-Based Accelerometer

The tiny device accurately measures acceleration in smaller navigation systems and other devices.

Top 5 Tech Briefs Quizzes of 2022

See Tech Briefs’ top-performing quizzes of 2022.

The Grainger College of Engineering

The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign was established in 1868.

Fighting Gravity with the World’s First Propulsion Suit

Using jet fuel as a means to power five gas turbines, the suit can propel pilots about 40 mph for up to eight minutes and can generate more than 1,000 horsepower.

Preventing Gridlock on the Ground

NASA technology is enabling airline flight managers to improve managing traffic on the ground and scheduling departures.

How Much Do You Know About Electric Aircraft Advances?

How much do you know about the advances regarding to electric aircraft?

Lignin-Based Jet Fuel Packs More Power

An experimental plant-based jet fuel could increase engine performance and efficiency, while dispensing with aromatics, the pollution-causing compounds found in conventional fuels.

Active Flow Control System for Simple-Hinged Flaps

This simple, elegant invention can control flow separation resulting from the high flap deflections required by simple-hinged flap systems making such flaps a viable option for aircraft designers.

Do You Know Your NASA "Spin-Offs?"

There are many NASA technologies that have become commercial products and services on Earth. Take this quiz to test your knowledge about NASA “Spin-Offs.”

The Commercial Future of Low-Earth Orbit

“Godspeed, fellas. Let’s go have some fun.” These were the words of encouragement from mission control at the Kennedy Space Center — only this time for the first private astronaut mission...

Anti-Phase Noise Suppression Rotor Technologies

Acoustic optimization for anti-phase asymmetric rotor.

Fixed-Wing Angle eVTOL

New design removes the need for mechanisms to perform active tilting of the wings or rotors, reducing system mass.

Analyses Find Cause of Fatal Problem in Rocket Engine Combustors

Advanced analyses shed light on the mechanism of a deadly problem plaguing combustion chambers in rocket engines.