Field: Drones
Autonomous tech is taking over last-mile delivery
Autonomous robots, drones, and even underground tunnels could be the standard for last-mile delivery in the future.
Amazon’s Prime Air is coming to a new US city
Amazon’s Prime Air drone delivery service is expanding to three new cities and adding a drug-delivery option in an existing one.
Watch a startup drop science experiments from 2,000 feet up
To help scientists conduct microgravity experiments, UK startup Gravitilab has developed a drone that drops them from high above the Earth.
Xwing puts autonomous flight on the runway to approval
Autonomous flight startup Xwing has filed for approval to do crewless cargo flights, a first step towards pilotless commercial aviation.
Drone discovers weird underwater volcano off California
An un-crewed sailing drone has discovered an unusually shaped underwater volcano, called a seamount, off California.
China’s spy balloon: Inflatable eyes in the sky have been used for centuries
Spy balloons remind us that the oldest technologies are still being developed to achieve military effects today.
US Army’s solar-powered drone is setting new records every day
A solar-powered drone being tested by the US Army has set a record for long-endurance flight, remaining aloft for more than 40 days straight.
3 ways autonomous farming is driving a new era of agriculture
Could autonomous tractors, drones, and seed-planters fill the growing labor shortage in the agricultural industry?
UK tries cancer meds by drone
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is using drone deliveries to make it easier for cancer patients to obtain chemotherapy.
Digital technology can cut global emissions by 15%. Here’s how.
The grand challenge for humanity is to ensure that groundbreaking technologies have a clear purpose for our planet.
Walmart drone delivery now covers 4 million households
The Walmart drone delivery program is expanding from one state to six, bringing the service to as many as 4 million households.
From robotic dogs to magnetic slime: 6 ways robots are helping humans
Robots are helping humans in a growing number of places - from archaeological sites to disaster zones to sewers.
The world’s first airport for flying cars and drones has just landed
The UK's development of an urban airport for flying cars and drones could inspire other nations to follow suit.
Drones and driverless cars could help with Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis
We need a universal code of conduct for deploying autonomous vehicles and drones in humanitarian settings.
Giant cyborg cockroach could be the best search-and-rescue bot
The cyborg cockroaches are outfitted with sensors that can identify heat, carbon dioxide, and body movements.
Medical drones to transport blood being rushed to Ukraine
Medical drones are being rushed to Ukraine to help residents get the medical supplies they need in the midst of the war with Russia.
This bird-like drone can perch on branches, catch objects
Inspired by birds' perching abilities, researchers developed a drone with a bird-like structure that can land on a wide array of objects.
MIT’s “Mini Cheetah” teaches itself to run 8.7 mph, breaking speed record
The four-legged robots learn how to move through experience — both in the real world and in simulations.
Elon Musk’s Starlink internet helps destroy Russian tanks
An elite Ukrainian drone unit is using SpaceX’s Starlink internet service to coordinate attacks on high-priority Russian military targets.
Drones and AI recover a meteorite for the first time
Australian researchers have trained an AI to locate fallen space rocks using footage from autonomous drone surveys.
Ukrainian citizens are using personal drones to spy on Russian troops
Ukraine has called on local drone owners to help the military conduct reconnaissance missions in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
Pregnant dolphins identified by drones for the first time
Using drone photography, University of Aberdeen researchers have been able to identify pregnant dolphins for the first time.
Open source intelligence exposes war as never before
In a new era of open source intelligence, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can be studied by anyone with the desire to find, and analyze, data available to all.
New smart mailbox is built for drone deliveries
Indiana-based startup DRONEDEK has developed a smart mailbox that can automatically receive and protect goods from delivery drones.
Delivery drones are now dropping off packages for Walmart
Walmart is now using Zipline delivery drones to get products to customers in Arkansas, previewing the future of on-demand delivery.
This drone footage from inside a hurricane is wild
Saildrone and NOAA have teamed up to collect footage and data inside a category four hurricane. And they shared the stunning footage online.
Drone ambulances race to help cardiac arrest victims (Updated)
Drone ambulances deliver defibrillators to suspected cardiac arrest victims more quickly than traditional ambulances in a Swedish study.
US Airman, missing in action, located by underwater drones
Project Recover has located the remains of an airman declared missing in action during the Vietnam War using a fleet of underwater drones.
Autonomous boat maps seafloor from San Francisco to Hawaii without a human crew
The Saildrone Surveyor could change how we understand the ocean.
New search and rescue drone listens for human screams
To help first responders find people during disasters, researchers are training a search and rescue drone to listen for human screams.
Series|
Ramen Profitable
This startup is bringing same-day shipping to everyone in the world
In partnership with Million Stories
The tech behind automated drone delivery is still being developed, but with advances like these, next-generation shipping methods are just on the horizon.
Bat-inspired sound location tech could allow drones to fly solo
Inspired by bat’s ears, researchers at Virginia Tech have created a device capable of pinpointing sound location more accurately than other tech — or our ears.
Drone light show creates scannable QR code in the sky
A drone light show staged in celebration of the “Princess Connect! Re:Dive” video game ended with the drones forming a scannable QR code in the sky.
Underwater gliders could soon run off of the ocean’s changing temperatures
California company Seatrec wants to bring their temperature-harnessing generator technology to underwater gliders.
Giant rocket launching drone will take satellites to space
The world's biggest drone is designed to launch satellites into orbit while airborne.
Dropping drones into volcanoes can help us predict eruptions
The ratio of sulphur to carbon dioxide being released can be an indicator of imminent volcanic eruptions. Researchers are using drones to gather that data.
Disinfecting drones to spray stadium after NFL games
Are the disinfecting drones set to fly over Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Atlanta Falcons games useful or just another example of hygiene theater?
Predator drones are using AI to create faster fire maps
The National Guard has used drones to create forest fire maps since 2017. New AI upgrades could make the maps in minutes, not hours.
Delivery drone breaks flight record for transporting an organ
A MissionGO delivery drone carried a human kidney a record-breaking 10 miles, demonstrating how the devices could facilitate organ transplants.
Walmart and Zipline launch a 1-hour drone delivery service that will parachute-drop your purchases
Walmart's drone delivery service will deliver wellness products to customers within a 50-mile radius of their headquarters in Arkansas.
Amazon drone delivery gets approval to launch from FAA
Prime Air, Amazon’s drone delivery service, has secured a key FAA certification, clearing it for the next phase of testing in the U.S.
First autonomous air taxi terminal to open in 2020
Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle company EHang plans to build the world’s first air taxi terminal in Hezhou, China, before the end of 2020.
Ghana uses drones to speed up coronavirus testing
In Ghana, Zipline is helping speed up coronavirus testing by using drones to deliver test samples, and it wants to bring the service to the U.S.
New tech could finally change drone regulations for the better
FAA drone regulations require pilots to have a visual line of sight of their aircraft, but new detect-and-avoid systems could change that.
The fleet of underwater drones probing Earth’s interior
The Earth’s interior may be the last wild frontier, but not for long. These underwater drones are scanning the ocean to create a 3D model of its internal dynamics.
Tree-planting drones restore charred forests
This Seattle startup is bringing new life to charred forests by releasing swarms of smart, tree-planting drones equipped with seeds, mini seedbeds, and cameras.
Series|
Uprising
These search and rescue robots could save your life
These robots can lift heavy objects, crawl through rugged terrain, and climb challenging structures to save lives. But search and rescue robots won’t be rendering human first responders obsolete anytime soon. They’re designed to assist and protect them from unnecessary harm.
This nail gun wielding drone looks terrifying, but could save lives
According to OSHA, one in five workplace deaths in 2017 were in construction. Can nail gun drones help save lives?
In the US, rural hospitals are closing. Can medical drones fill this healthcare gap?
“Whether you live in the developed world or the developing world, the further you travel outside of a major city,...
Drone racers are a thing and they’re amazing
Blistering speed. Big money. 11-year-old world champions. Is drone racing the next big sport?
This week in ideas: Using drones for medicine, fighting Zika, re-imagining passwords
Reimagining how we get medicine to people, using genetically modified mosquitoes to fight Zika, and selfies as...