Aviation – Page 15

Aviation, Engineering, Record Breaker, Science & Technology News, Weapons

This video of a rocket sled doing 6,599mph at Hollman AFB is absolute insanity

September 7, 2019

The sound alone of something ripping by at hypersonic speed just feet above the desert floor is worth the click!

The internet is full of many wondrous things, most of which you have likely already seen. But something you probably have never seen before is an object rocketing along a set of tracks at 6,599 miles per hour, or right around Mach 8.6. No, I did not screw those metrics up, the video below shows a test being conducted on an object that is moving far beyond the threshold of hypersonic speed (Mach 5) just a few feet over the desert floor near Alamagordo, New Mexico.

Continue reading… “This video of a rocket sled doing 6,599mph at Hollman AFB is absolute insanity”

Aviation, Crazy Stuff, Science & Technology News

Watch two ‘Jetmen’ fly alongside an A380 superjumbo

September 7, 2019

We’ve seen Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy (aka Jetman) fly his carbon fiber jet wing over Rio, and above Dubai with his protege Jetman Vince Reffet. The latest video from the fearless aviators sees Rossy and Reffet share the skies with something a little bigger — an Emirates A380 airliner. Once again, the flight takes place over the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai skylines. We can only imagine the duo gives the A380 pilot constant heart palpitations as they deftly maneuver around the plane (y’know, with its jet intakes and all that).

Continue reading… “Watch two ‘Jetmen’ fly alongside an A380 superjumbo”

Alternative Transportation, Aviation, Science & Technology News, Transportation

The dream of flying taxis may not be too far off

September 5, 2019

Then again, Henry Ford said the same thing in 1940.

“Mark my words. A combination of airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile. But it will come,” Henry Ford quipped in 1940. Our dreams of cars capable of taking flight at the whim of their driver have been around nearly as long as we’ve had cars themselves, or at least as long as we’ve endured heavy commute traffic. Yet the prospect of actual, commercially available flying automobiles has always seemed to remain just out of reach, only a few years from viability. But even as drones become commonplace, are we really any closer to an age of aeronautical automobiles than we were in Ford’s day?

What even is a flying car? Designs have run the gamut from the AVE Mizar (basically a Ford Pinto with wings, to VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) designs like the Piasecki VZ-8 Airgeep. Even today, you’ve got roadable aircraft like the Terrafugia Transition, though these are quickly being pushed into the periphery in favor of VTOLs like the Bell Nexus being developed for Uber Elevate. That is, modern designs generally focus on serving as personal aircraft, rather than automobiles that can also fly.

Continue reading… “The dream of flying taxis may not be too far off”

Alternative Transportation, Automobiles, Aviation, Science & Technology News

After drones & self-driving vehicles, Japan shows flying cars are no longer a distant dream

August 29, 2019

While drones and self-driving cars have been making the headlines, Japan has reportedly have cracked the code of making flying cars. Though the car was caged and only hovered for about a minute in the air, it was a successful attempt to make the vehicle fly. In an experiment right out of the sci-fi movies, this has been accomplished by Japan’s NEC Corp. While it is a small development directing towards bigger accomplishments, there is also a debate on whether it really is a flying “car” or just a bigger version of a drone.

What Can The Flying Car Accomplish?

The prototype which was unveiled by Japan’s NEC Corp had four propellers that could smoothly hover for about a minute. It was powered by a battery and could rise to about the height of 3 meters or 10 feet above the ground before setting down again. While the prototype that Japanese electronics maker demonstrated was flown without passengers in it, the company claims that it is capable of doing so in the future.

Continue reading… “After drones & self-driving vehicles, Japan shows flying cars are no longer a distant dream”

Alternative Transportation, Aviation, Science & Technology News, Transportation

Autonomous air mobility company EHang to deploy air shuttle service in Guangzhou

August 24, 2019

China’s EHang, a company focused on developing and deploying autonomous passenger and freight low-altitude vehicles, will build out its first operational network of air taxis and transports in Guangzhou. The company announced that the Chinese city would play host to its pilot location for a citywide deployment.

The pilot will focus on not only showing that a low-altitude, rotor-powered aircraft makes sense for use in cities, but that a whole network of them can operate autonomously in concert, controlled and monitored by a central traffic management hub that EHang will develop together with the local Guangzhou government.

Continue reading… “Autonomous air mobility company EHang to deploy air shuttle service in Guangzhou”

Aviation, Crazy Stuff, Record Breaker, Science & Technology News

French inventor successfully soars over English Channel on hoverboard

August 20, 2019

How a French inventor crossed the English Channel with one short refuel and in 22 minutes on a hoverboard.

The French inventor of the jet-powered hoverboard soared over the English Channel despite wind gusts Sunday, becoming the first to cross the channel in such a futuristic way after failing in his first attempt last month.

Franky Zapata reached speeds of 110 mph to complete the 22-mile journey on his flyboard that began in Sangatte – in France’s Pas de Calais region – and ended in St. Margaret’s Bay, beyond the white cliffs of Dover, in southeast England.

Continue reading… “French inventor successfully soars over English Channel on hoverboard”

Automobiles, Aviation, Driverless cars, Science & Technology News

Driverless cars are coming for the airlines

July 9, 2019

Our research has revealed just how much people’s travel preferences could shift with the advent of driverless cars.

As driverless cars become more capable and more common, they will change people’s travel habits not only around their own communities but across much larger distances. Our research has revealed just how much people’s travel preferences could shift and found a new potential challenge to the airline industry.

Imagine someone who lives in Atlanta and needs to travel to Washington, D.C., for business. This is about a 10-hour drive. A flight takes about two hours, assuming no delays. Add to that the drive to the airport, checking in, the security line, and waiting at the gate. Upon arrival in D.C., it may take another 30 minutes to pick up any checked bags and find a rental car–and even more time to drive to the specific destination. The average person would estimate a total travel time of four to five fours. Most people would choose to fly instead of driving themselves.

Continue reading… “Driverless cars are coming for the airlines”

Amazon.com, Aviation, Science & Technology News, Shopping

Amazon is leasing more planes so it can deliver packages on its own

July 8, 2019

(CNN)Amazon’s fleet of cargo jets is getting larger, as it expands plans to deliver more of its packages itself.

The online retailer announced it will lease an additional 15 cargo planes from GE Capital Aviation Services. The deal was announced Tuesday at the Paris Air Show.

Amazon has been stepping up efforts to handle more packages fully on its own. The company is buying vans so more deliveries to customers’ doors can be made by independent contractors rather than providers such as the US Postal Service, United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx (FDX). Earlier this month FedEx announced it wouldn’t renew its US contract with Amazon to transport packages on FedEx Express.

Continue reading… “Amazon is leasing more planes so it can deliver packages on its own”

Alternative Transportation, Aviation, Science & Technology News, Uber

Uber will test its flying taxis in Melbourne

June 24, 2019

The company has chosen Melbourne as its third test city.

Uber has chosen the third test city to join Dallas and Los Angeles for its flying taxi trials: Melbourne, Australia. The third location was supposed to be Dubai, but negotiations fell through and prompted the company to look for another site for trials outside the US. Uber considered Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paris, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Tokyo and Sydney. In the end, Melbourne won.

Susan Anderson, Uber’s Regional General Manager for Australia, New Zealand and North Asia, told Reuters that it’s because the Australian government “adopted a forward-looking approach to ridesharing and future transport technology.” Melbourne, in particular, has a “unique demographic and geospatial factors, and culture of innovation and technology” that make it perfect for the trials.

Continue reading… “Uber will test its flying taxis in Melbourne”

Alternative Transportation, Aviation, Science & Technology News, Transportation, Uber

Uber begins talks with Indian government to push for flying taxis

June 24, 2019

Ride-hailing firm Uber has begun talks with the government to usher in a regulatory framework for flying taxis in the country, a top company executive told ET.

Uber has begun talks with the Indian government to push for flying taxis. Ride-hailing firm Uber has begun talks with the government to usher in a regulatory framework for flying taxis in the country.

Over the last one year, the San Francisco-based company has held conversations with regulators in India and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Nikhil Goel, head of product, aviation at Uber, in an interaction with ET on the sidelines of an Uber Elevate event here.

Continue reading… “Uber begins talks with Indian government to push for flying taxis”

Aviation, drones, Science & Technology News, Weapons

Flying aircraft carriers could be here sooner than you think

June 7, 2019

Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie combat drone.

Kratos and AeroVironment are teaming up to make it happen.

For nearly half a decade, DARPA — the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — has been hard at work on a (not so) secret project: to build a flying aircraft carrier, a flying piloted “mother ship” capable of launching and recovering drone aircraft.

Little did DARPA know that two of its favorite contractors, defense companies AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) and Kratos Defense & Security (NASDAQ:KTOS), were about to go one better.

Continue reading… “Flying aircraft carriers could be here sooner than you think”

Aviation, Electric Vehicles, Science & Technology News, Transportation

This startup is planning a flying taxi service that costs about the same as normal taxis

May 30, 2019

Munich-based startup Lilium unveiled its five-seater electric air taxi prototype on Thursday. The Lilium Jet, which conducted its first flight earlier this month, is part of an app-based flying taxi service that the company expects will be “fully-operational in various cities around the world by 2025.”

The battery-powered jet is capable of traveling 300 kilometers (186 miles) in 60 minutes on a single charge, and will connect cities through a network of landing pads. Commuters will be able to book rides from their nearest landing pad through a smartphone app.

Lilium did not reveal how much its service will cost, but claims that it will be “comparable in price” with regular taxis. Remo Gerber, the company’s chief commercial officer, told CNN Business that it is aimed at ordinary people and not just well-heeled business travelers.

Continue reading… “This startup is planning a flying taxi service that costs about the same as normal taxis”