Skip to main content

Thanks to an ultralight power tether, this surveillance drone can stay aloft forever

Parc Drone - CyPhy Works tethered perpetual flight drone
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Although drone technology has come a long way in the past few years, a common obstacle among the many new designs is the need to land. Currently, drones are more or less required to come down to Earth for a recharge after a certain length of time — but Boston-based UAV upstart CyPhy Works might have a solution. With the help of an innovative microfilament tether, the company’s upcoming Parc drone can supposedly complete aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions indefinitely, without ever needing to land.

The Parc drone was a product of CyPhy Works’s mission to solve the problem of battery charge and data downloads that limit flight duration. Because Parc runs data transmission and a constant power source through a microfilament tether, it solves some of drone flight’s most pressing problems, but also introduces news ones. Tethered flight means the drone’s range of distance is limited, but the constant exchange of data and power through the microfilament extension means that the Parc drone can stay in the air for virtually unlimited flight time.

Recommended Videos

Parc’s name is actually an acronym for the PARC system: Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communications. Parc drones can operate at up to 500 feet above ground level, transmitting all data and power through an Ethernet connection embedded in the microfilament between the Parc drone and the accompanying Ground Control Station. The microfilament itself is thinner than your standard headphone cable, but strong enough to reel the drone back down for landing if necessary.

Aside from the freedom lost in the tethered technology, there are plenty of benefits to the Parc drone. Its streamlined design and long-lasting, no-maintenance effectiveness minimizes the logistical footprint and prior training required to operate it. The direct Ethernet connection in the filament creates an added level of security around the data being transferred, which could theoretically include highly sensitive information. Parc is also equipped with a high-definition, gyro-stabilized video camera and infrared capabilities for night-vision recording.

“It’s basically a robot with unlimited time-of-flight. You send it up and it stays there,” said Cyphy Works founder Helen Greiner at the EmTech 2015 conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts last week. CyPhy envisions the Parc drone playing a role in reconnaissance and surveillance programs, or as a communications relay in any number of industries or uses. Parc’s fundamentally tethered technology may keep it from candidacy as a delivery drone, but that doesn’t mean CyPhy isn’t exploring other drone tech options.

As companies like Google and Amazon move quite publicly towards the future of drone delivery, it’s no surprise that CyPhy Works’s most recent funding round of $22 million was collected from UPS, in addition to a slew of more standard venture capital firms. CyPhy’s hobbyist drones currently under development are untethered models, and they have already announced they are working on proprietary drone delivery technology.

Chloe Olewitz
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chloe is a writer from New York with a passion for technology, travel, and playing devil's advocate. You can find out more…
Juiced Bikes sold at auction for $1.2 million, report says
The Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 adds more power, upgraded tires, and an improved battery to the popular moped style e-bike.

Juiced Bikes, the San Diego-based maker of e-bikes, has been sold on an auction website for $1,225,000, according to a report from Electrek.Digital Trends recently reported how the company was showing signs of being on the brink of bankruptcy. The company and its executives had remained silent, while customer inquiries went unanswered and its website showed all products were out of stock. In addition, there were numerous reports of layoffs at the company.Yet, the most convincing sign was that the company’s assets appeared as listed for sale on an auction website used by companies that go out of business.Now, it appears that Juiced Bikes’ assets, including a dozen patents, multiple URLs, and the company’s inventory in both the U.S. and China, have been sold at auction, according to the report. It is likely that the buyer, who remains unknown, can capitalize on the brand and the overall value of the 15-year old company. Founded in 2009 by Tora Harris, a U.S. high-jump Olympian, Juiced Bikes was one of the early pioneers of the direct-to-consumer e-bike brands in the U.S. market.
The company had quickly built a reputation for the versatility of its e-bikes and the durability of their batteries. Over the years, the popularity of models such as the CrossCurrent, HyperScrambler, and RipCurrent only bolstered the brand’s status.Last year, Digital Trends named the Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 as the best moped-style e-bike for 2023, citing its versatility, rich feature set, and performance.Juiced Bikes’ getting sold quickly might be a sign of what consulting firm Houlihan Lokey says is a recovery in the North American e-bike market.
The industry has had a roller-coaster ride during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A huge spike in demand for e-bikes had combined with disrupted supply chains to create a supply/demand mismatch of “historic proportions," Houlihan Lokey said.

Read more
Rivian gets Knight Rider spooky for Halloween
Michael Knight sitting on the hood of his car KITT in a scene from Knight Rider.

Rivian vehicles are known for giving drivers the chance to take the party on the road, whether it’s stowing a travel kitchen onboard or using its elaborate software systems to spice things up.With Halloween just around the corner, the automaker based in Plymouth, Michigan, is pulling out some treats from its bag of tricks: Rivian owners are getting a number of options to turn their vehicles into traditional spooky or full-on sci-fi entertainment hubs.A software update available on the Rivian Mobile App until November 4 provides Car Costumes, which take over the vehicle’s screen, lighting, and sound systems while in park to transform it into three different cars.Nostalgic fans of the Knight Rider TV series will be pleased with the option to turn their Rivians into the famous K.I.T.T. crime-fighting car. After choosing the option on the app, the car’s interior display system features K.I.T.T.’s diagnostics on screen while playing the original show intro music. Here's an extra treat for Rivian Gen 2 owners: The exterior light bar will feature K.I.T.T.’s iconic beaming red light while playing its scanner sound effect.No-less nostalgic fans of Back to the Future movies will also get their treat with a chance to turn their vehicle into the DeLorean Time Machine. With this option, the screen turns into the classic time-traveling interface while the audio system plays the movie’s music and acceleration sound effects. Once again, Rivian Gen 2 owners get an extra treat. Hitting the key 88 mph button will engage the car’s lighting and sound effects in the front and back of the car to whizz you through the sound barrier.For a more traditional spooky time, you can opt for the Haunted Rivian car costume, featuring eight different sound effects and three different color themes. Static and ghosts will take over your interior display.Rivian Gen 1 owners get a green animation on the outside of the vehicle. Gen 2 owners can turn the exterior light bar into whichever color option they find most frightful.

Read more
The Nissan Rogue is joining the plug-in hybrid club in 2025
nissan rogue hybrid 2025 2024

It might have taken a while, and slumping sales of its most popular SUV, but Nissan has finally taken the step to offer hybrid vehicles in the U.S. The Japanese automaker will add a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain to the 2026 Rogue compact SUV, which should be available stateside sometime next year, Nissan Americas chief planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira told Automotive News.A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) typically runs on electric power until its battery is almost depleted, at which point it automatically switches over to using a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine. The battery can be recharged conventionally from the outside or through regenerative braking.
While Nissan has been offering popular fully electric vehicles (EVs) such as the Leaf and the Ariya for years, it has surprised many by not joining the hybrid bandwagon, especially for the Rogue. Competitors such as the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, which do provide the part-fuel, part-electric power capacity, have seen their sales surging. Meanwhile, sales of the Rogue have slumped this year.
That’s why Nissan is partnering with Mitsubishi to start offering its first-ever electrically assisted car in the U.S. next year.
According to the Automotive News report, the Rogue will be outfitted with a similar powertrain found in the Mitsubishi Outlander. In that model, a 2.4-liter gas engine powers the front wheels, while two electric motors create an all-wheel drive system that can either work on its own or in conjunction with the gas engine. As the Outlander is able to deliver 248 horsepower, that would make the Rogue PHEV more powerful than the existing model’s 201 hp. The Outlander is also rated for 38 miles of electric driving by the EPA.
In addition, Nissan is planning to bring its non-plug-in, e-Power series hybrid technology to the U.S. in 2026. This technology, already available outside the U.S., also uses electric motors to power the wheels while using the gas engine to charge the battery.

Read more