Category: Drone

Scientists at the University of Southampton have developed a groundbreaking drone technology that mimics a nervous system, enabling drones to stay operational longer while reducing maintenance needs. This innovative system uses advanced optical fibers that continuously monitor the drone’s structural integrity, effectively reducing the frequency of required inspections and boosting operational efficiency.

One of the key benefits of this optical fiber system is its ability to monitor stresses and strains on the drone in real time, similar to how a nervous system functions in the human body. Dr. Holmes from the university’s Optoelectronics Research Centre explained, “This is a kind of nervous system for drones. It sends back real-time information using light – rather than electricity – avoiding the interference issues common with electronic systems.”

After creating the world’s first self-organizing drone flock, researchers at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary have now demonstrated the first large-scale autonomous drone traffic system. This innovative system surpasses the capabilities of human pilots, showcasing a significant advancement in drone technology. The Department of Biological Physics at ELTE has been dedicated to group robotics and drone swarms since 2009. In 2014, they created the world’s first autonomous quadcopter flock with at least ten units. Now, their research group has achieved another milestone by publishing the dense autonomous traffic of one hundred drones in the journal Swarm Intelligence.

Flocking involves units synchronizing through coordinated joint movement, similar to a bird flock. In contrast, autonomous drone traffic involves drones with individual routes and goals, leading to potential conflicts, especially in open spaces where there are no designated routes. This scenario is akin to pedestrians crossing a square in various directions or drones flying freely in the sky.

Engineers at the University of Southern Denmark have developed an innovative “vampire drone” capable of indefinite flight. This drone can fly for extended periods without landing by pausing to leech power from nearby power lines to recharge its onboard batteries.

The drone’s ability to recharge mid-flight is made possible by a sophisticated docking mechanism, multiple sensors, and an onboard AI system. These technologies enable the drone to recognize and attach to power lines whenever it needs to recharge. “The vampire drone can essentially live on the grid and operate completely autonomously for extended periods, without needing human supervision,” the team explained to Fast Company.

Engineers from the University of Southern Denmark have developed an ingenious technology that enables a drone to fly indefinitely without ever returning to the ground. Utilizing a docking mechanism, advanced sensors, and an artificial intelligence system, the drone can identify power lines whenever it needs to recharge its batteries. It approaches the high-voltage cables, latches on, and draws electricity, effectively functioning like an electric vampire.

“The drones would be able to essentially live on the grid and operate completely autonomously for extended periods with no need for human interaction,” the development team explained via email.

In a remarkable achievement described as a “world first,” BAE Systems and Malloy Aeronautics successfully deployed a T-600 heavy lift Uncrewed Air System (UAS) to launch an inert Sting Ray training torpedo during a recent NATO exercise in the waters off the coast of Portugal. This groundbreaking event has garnered significant attention from military forces worldwide.

A Remarkable Feat

While this achievement is hailed as a “world first,” it’s worth noting that torpedo-carrying unmanned aerial vehicles have existed in the past, with the Gyrodyne DSN-3 “Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter” (DASH) being a notable example. Nonetheless, the T-600’s test flight marked a significant milestone within NATO’s Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Uncrewed Systems (REPMUS) 2023 exercise, featuring fifteen NATO partners and representatives from Ireland and Sweden.

A Swiss aerospace startup has made significant progress in merging eco-friendly and hypersonic technologies with the successful test flight of a prototype drone. Destinus CEO Mikhail Kokorich hailed the event as a demonstration of the potential for high-performance propulsion systems that are both efficient and environmentally friendly.

The unmanned Jungfrau prototype took off from a Munich airport and showcased the functionality and efficiency of hydrogen afterburners in real-world conditions. While it reached speeds of about 155 mph, a far cry from the threshold of hypersonic flight, the experiments validated the effectiveness of hydrogen afterburners. Destinus, a team of aerospace experts from across Europe, developed the afterburners in-house and integrated them with a conventional jet turbine powered by Jet A fuel. By injecting hydrogen into the exhaust stream, the system generated higher speeds and climb rates. This hybrid approach combining hydrogen and jet fuel not only improves efficiency but also reduces carbon emissions, as hydrogen only emits heat and water vapor instead of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

DJI, the renowned drone manufacturer, seems to have developed a web-based drone simulator aimed at enhancing your flying skills, especially when it comes to capturing precise shots. Although DJI has yet to make an official announcement about the simulator’s release, you can still give it a try by visiting start.dji.com and following the on-screen instructions. Please note that the simulator is currently available only in Chinese, so you might need assistance from Google Translate.

The drone simulation takes place in a futuristic cityscape with towering buildings, a setting that requires special permissions to navigate in reality. While the graphics may be slightly basic, the in-game physics closely resemble the experience of flying an actual DJI drone.