Technology

Futuristic aircraft flying through an urban cityscape.

X-Team D2D

The EU’s Project to Plan, Design, and Build a Seamless UAM Travel Experience

The EU’s X-TEAM D2D project met in December 2021. The team, organized by the Scandinavian Simulation Society (SIMS), Finnish Simulation Forum (FinSim), Finnish Society of Automation and University of Oulu, during the Federation of European Simulation Societies (Eurosim) Conference, was part of The X-TEAM D2D EXTENDED ATM FOR DOOR2DOOR TRAVEL conference. The project is working…

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A lithium mine dug deep into the Earth's surface.

eVTOLs Need Lithium Batteries

Lithium Batteries Need Advanced Recycling; And, There’s the Rub

Flying cars will likely be powered by lithium batteries. How these batteries will be safely and economically recycled remains to be seen.

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drone flying in nuclear power facility

Drone Alone: Advanced Air Mobility Advances Pilotlessly

During the EnRicH 2021 European Robotics Hackathon, the San Antonio, Texas-based Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) successfully demonstrated an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that fully autonomously explored and mapped the interior of the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant located in Zwentendorf an der Donau, Austria. The Zwentendorf plant is the world’s only nuclear facility that has been fully built but never activated. This makes…

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small drone with moth antennae attached to it

UAVs May Be Unmanned, But They Soon May Not Be Un-Mothed

The Smellicopter Uses Live Moth Antennae to "Pilot" Its Missions

Scientists have created a smellicopter, which pairs live antennae from a moth to an autonomous drone for potential use in navigating hazardous environments where robots cannot be used.

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A model of the Three Graces by Antonio Canova

Charting New Territory with UAV Photogrammetry

There are many emerging uses for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), from firefighting to emergency rescues, military operations, and even cloud-seeding to produce rain. Photogrammetry may be one application that has, until now, flown under the radar of the UAM industry and public awareness. What is photogrammetry? The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASSPRS)…

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flying car in city

Urban Air Mobility: The Legal Challenges on the Horizon

In the 21st century, technology can evolve at breakneck speeds. Legislators and regulators are sometimes challenged to manage those new technologies and keep pace with their advances. With the impending evolution (revolution?) in urban air mobility (UAM), we were curious how the legal and regulatory landscape is evolving – and will need to evolve –…

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