Videos
Planes of the Future: The End of the Jet Age? | FD Engineering
The way we fly is about to change, driven by a new breed of aviators unafraid to challenge the status quo. From clean, green electric aircraft to autonomous sky taxis, these innovators are reshaping the future of aviation. As advancements in technology accelerate, the traditional jet age may soon give way to a new era of sustainable and efficient air travel. Could this shift signal the end of an era, or the beginning of a transformative leap in how we soar through the skies?
From the Westland-Hill Pterodactyl to the Northrop Flying Wing
DroneScapes
This article, updated and revised after having originally been published in Aeromilitaria, is understood to be one of the fullest accounts of these aircraft written so far and includes material accessed in the British National Archives, plus images that have never previously been published. Beginning with the lightweight Pterodactyl I of 1924, Geoffrey T. R. Hill took his concept forward through several stages to the test flying of a full-scale fighter prototype, the Pterodactyl V of 1934, and proposals were also made for a flying boat and other versions.
How BYD, Nio And Other Chinese EVs Compare To Tesla
Low-cost, high-tech Chinese EVs have stirred fears of a government subsidized existential threat to automakers around the world. So what do these vehicles have to offer? How do they compare to the Tesla Model Y, which in 2024 was the best-selling car in the world? CNBC’s Beijing bureau chief Eunice Yoon tested four of them from large and high-profile Chinese brands to see how they stack up, and how their rivals might compete.
The Evolution of Flying Fish with Ben G Thomas
PigeonBot Uses Real Feathers to Explore How Birds Fly
Evan Ackerman, Robotics Editor • IEEE Spectrum
“With the real feathers elastically connected to a pair of robotic bird wings with wrist and finger joints that can be actuated individually, PigeonBot relies on its biohybrid systems for maneuvering, while thrust and a bit of additional stabilizing control comes from a propeller and a conventional tail. The researchers found that PigeonBot’s roll could be controlled with just the movement of the finger joint on the wing, and that this technique is inherently much more stable than the aileron roll used by conventional aircraft.”
Link to full IEEE Spectrum article.
Link to YouTube video seminar on PigeonBot research presented by Laura Matloff, representing her collaborative team Eric Chang, Amanda Stowers, Teresa Feo, Lindsie Jeffries, Sage Manier at the Standford Bio-Inspired Research & Design (BIRD) Lab headed by Professor David Lentink.
The magniX powered Harbour Air eBeaver
AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)
Harbour Air VP of Maintenance and Manufacturing Shawn Braiden discusses the eBeaver, a partnership between Harbour Air and magniX. They hope the eBeaver will be STC’d to be the first electric aircraft to carry passengers.
Quantum Navigation Could Revolutionize Aviation Safety
Mentour Now!
GPS navigation systems can be inaccessible or hacked via jamming and spoofing techniques, resulting in loss of life and property.
Inside the Wright “B” Flyer Look-alike
AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)
A not-for-profit organization in Dayton, Ohio operates a Wright “B” Flyer look-alike called the “White Bird”. Listen in as chief pilot Richard Stepler talks about the airplane, and it’s similarities to the original design by Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Wright “B” Flyer, Inc.
A not-for-profit corporation that seeks to increase awareness of Dayton, Ohio, and the surrounding region as the Birthplace of Aviation.
Battery powered flights from Washington DC to LA. No longer a pipe dream?
Just Have a Think with Dave Borlace
Battery technology is developing at breathtaking speed all over the world, but China still leads the way. Now they’ve created batteries with such high energy density that they’re using them to develop a commercial aircraft with a range of 2,000 miles – enough for most commuter flights in the US or Europe. So, has battery chemistry reached yet another previously impossible milestone?