Can Photonic Chips Help Drones Avoid GPS-Jamming?

Researchers at University of Rochester are developing photonic chips that could replace the gyroscopes currently used in unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, enabling them to fly where GPS...

5Ws of the Wingless Transporter

A two-passenger hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger multicopter aircraft with NASA-proven thrusters for advanced air mobility.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on data connectivity, one on democratizing analytics, one on self-driving cars, and more.

Maneuvering Robot Control Using Machine Learning

Researchers from MIT and Stanford University have devised a new machine-learning approach that could be used to control a robot, such as a drone or autonomous vehicle, more effectively and efficiently in dynamic environments where conditions can change rapidly.

How Much Do You Know About Drones?

Since they arrived on the scene around the turn of the century, drones have enhanced the applications of many different industries. So, how much do you know about drones and their technology? Find out with this quiz.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on Amphenol Sine’s A Series™ family of sealed heavy-duty, multipin plastic and metal connectors; one on RoboSAR – an autonomous search and rescue of victims; and more.

Here's an Idea: This Electric Autonomous Drone Can Enable Networked Military Communications

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace is working with the U.S. military on applications for its electric drone, the K1000ULE.

Drones Navigate Unseen Environments via Liquid Neural Networks

Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have introduced a method for robust flight navigation agents to master vision-based fly-to-target tasks in intricate, unfamiliar environments.

Training a Quadrotor Drone to Cope with Collisions

Advanced technology plays a vital role in search and rescue operations after natural disasters such as earthquakes. Thermal imaging equipment and sensitive listening devices are deployed to seek out signs of life.

Unleashing the Power of Intelligent Drone Swarms

It’s a long-held notion, proven in fact, that robots are the perfect instrument to free humans from jobs that are dull, dirty, and dangerous — the “3 Ds” in industry speak — with...

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...

Here's an Idea: Automating Warehouse Inventory Monitoring with Drones

Gather AI is using drones to automate inventory monitoring processes for warehouse operators to decrease the cost of inventory, improve productivity and boost revenue.

Astronaut Smart Glove for Mars EVA Spacesuits

One of the most demanding needs for dexterous and sustained subtle control inputs during EVA could be the operation of drones as robotic assistants. The Astronaut Smart Glove amplifies the effects of subtle finger, hand, and wrist gestures while wearing existing rigid pressurized spacesuit gloves.

NASA’s New, Resilient Approach to Moon, Mars Exploration

As NASA builds a blueprint for exploration throughout the solar system, the agency is doing it with staying power in mind. The agency's new analysis process is designed to align its Moon to Mars exploration strategy and codify the supporting architecture.

3D-Printed Mars Habitat Simulated on Earth

CHAPEA is a series of analog missions that will simulate year-long stays on the surface of Mars. Insights from these missions will help NASA make informed decisions to design and plan for a successful human mission to Mars.

Here's an Idea: The Natilus Blended-Wing-Body Autonomous Air Cargo Aircraft

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

After the Storm — Rapid Location of Damaged Utility Poles

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a drone that can find and rapidly locate damaged utility poles.

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...

Feathered Robotic Wing Paves Way for Flapping Drones

Birds fly more efficiently by folding their wings during the upstroke, according to a recent study led by Lund University in Sweden. The results could mean that wing-folding is the...

5 Questions with DART's Dr. Cambioni

A Tech Briefs interview with DART team member Dr. Saverio Cambioni.

Using Small Drones to Monitor Volcanoes

A team at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz has recently been assessing the potential for using a small, portable observation drone in remote regions.

Plasma Thrusters Used on Satellites Could be Much More Powerful

It was believed that Hall thrusters, an efficient kind of electric propulsion widely used in orbit, need to be large to produce a lot of thrust. Now, a new study from the...

A Flapping-Wing Robot Able to Perch

A flapping-wing robot that can land autonomously on a horizontal perch using a claw-like mechanism.

Test Your Knowledge About the James Webb Space Telescope

On July 12, 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope began its official science operations. Test your knowledge about Webb with this quiz.

A Drone to Protect Bats from Wind Turbines

A study has perhaps solved the wind-turbine issue of causing harm to bats.