From drones to smart pills, 2018 saw significant tech advances in medicine
Robots, A.I. algorithms, and drone deliveries are increasingly found in just about every industry and profession, Why not the medical world, too? Here are 2018's most significant landmark events where cutting-edge technology met medicine -- for better or, in one case, for worse.
Drones force one of the world’s busiest airports to suspend all flights
There was major disruption at Gatwick Airport in the U.K. on Wednesday night, and going into Thursday morning, as two drones forced it to suspend and divert all flights for at least 11 hours. The incident began at 9 p.m. local time following "multiple sightings" of at least two drones near the airfield.
Researchers create a flying wireless platform using bumblebees
Researchers at the University of Washington have come up with a novel way to create a wireless platform: using bumblebees. Using mechanical drones, the batteries ran out too fast. Instead, they decided to make use of a biology-based solution, using living insects to create a mobile IoT platform.
Light, speed: Lighting kit for DJI Mavic 2 lets you fly and film in the dark
Lume Cube, makers of small battery-powered LED lights for mobile photography, has announced a new lighting kit built specifically for the DJI Mavic 2 -- the first of its kind. Already our favorite drone, this makes the Mavic 2 even better, improving visibility and letting you film from the skies at night.
Intel wants its fleet of drones to monitor America’s aging, unsafe bridges
Intel has signed a deal with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to use its Falcon 8+ drones to carry out bridge inspections. The hope is that these drones will be useful in spotting potential problems before they become serious.
Full-fledged drone delivery service set to land in remote Canadian community
Some drone delivery operations seem rather crude in their execution, but Drone Delivery Canada is building a comprehensive platform that's aiming to take drone delivery to the next level. Part of its work includes the imminent launch of a service between two remote communities in northern Canada.
NYPD has added a bunch of quadcopters to its crime-fighting kit
The New York Police Department is to start using quadcopters in its crime-fighting work. Trained cops will have access to various models — all made by DJI — for use in particular situations such as search-and-rescue missions, hostage situations, and hazardous material incidents.
Dangle no more: Window-washing drone for towers could replace human cleaners
The maker of a window-washing drone for tall buildings claims it can do the job 20 times faster than humans and is much safer than using workers in cradles. The 12-rotor flying machine draws power and water from sources on the ground, and is tethered to the top of the building for safety.
Drones can safely fly a human kidney without damaging it, study shows
Drone deliveries are well on their way. Could they also be used for safely delivering transplant organs to hospitals without damage? A recent test flight involving a human kidney, DJI M600 Pro drone, and specially developed smart sensor set out to find conclusive evidence.
Hikers missing on Mount Fuji could soon find a drone buzzing above their heads
Mount Fuji attracts thousands of hikers every summer, with many of them making it all the way to the 3,776-meter summit of Japan's highest mountain. But with some hikers going missing while on the mountain, drones are going to be deployed to help find them as part of future search-and-rescue missions.
This fully autonomous $400 drone folds like a book, follows you like a paparrazzo
Until recently, having a drone that could follow you everywhere, while taking high-quality photos and videos without crashing into trees or other obstacles, was a flight of fantasy. Now, with ZeroZero's Hover 2, not only can you have a fully autonomous selfie drone, you can have it for $400.
Car parts maker ZF is using drones to deliver components to its factories
ZF is a car parts manufacturer, but it's trying to keep the roads clear with its latest initiative. The company recently became the first in Germany to receive approval to use drones to deliver spare parts its central warehouses to its workshops. The six-motor drones can carry up to 6.5 pounds of goods.
Aussie teen bags $24,000 top prize at World Drone Racing Championships
A 15-year-old Australian lad has been crowned the world's best drone racer after finishing top among 127 other competitors from 34 countries. Rudi Browning also picked up a $24,000 cash prize for his victory at last weekend's FAI World Drone Racing Championships in Shenzhen, China.
Autonomous drones perform search and rescue without the need for GPS
Researchers at MIT have developed an autonomous drone that can explore densely forested areas and produce collaborative maps without the need for GPS. The drones could be used to find lost hikers who cannot be seen by helicopters or traditional drones because they fly above the forest canopy.
‘LarvalBot’ underwater drone will reseed coral reefs damaged by climate change
Scientists from Queensland University of Technology have announced that they will repurpose autonomous underwater drones to rebuild areas of coral reefs that have been damaged by rising sea temperatures. The drones will deliver coral larvae to damaged reefs to encourage them to take root and grow.
Cloudy with a chance of drones: Power loss causing some DJI quadcopters to fall
DJI is scrambling to solve a problem with its Matrice 200 drone after reports that a "small number" of the quadcopters had fallen from the sky following sudden power loss. The company said its "thoroughly reviewing each case," and so far no injuries have been reported.
DJI adds a bunch of extras to Mavic 2 for a new search-and-rescue drone
DJI has added extra kit to its compact Mavic 2 drone to create a new flying machine that's ideal for search-and-rescue missions, as well as industrial inspections. The Mavic 2 Enterprise offers spotlights, speakers, a powerful camera, and a self-heating battery, together with enhanced security and safety software.
Tiny FlyCroTug drones can open doors and pull objects 40 times their weight
Tiny new drones that can pull objects of up to 40 times their own weight have been developed by scientists working in the U.S. and Switzerland. The drones can perform complex tasks like lassoing a door handle to open it or navigating small spaces to deliver bottles of water in a rescue scenario.
Singapore plans to open its skies to drone taxi test flights in 2019
Think that autonomous flying taxis are decades away? Think again! Volocopter, a German company specializing in electric multirotor helicopters, is gearing up to run inner-city tests of its self-driving air taxis in Singapore. They will take place in the second half of 2019.
DT Daily: Drone-snatching eagles, streamer Disguised Toast, and more
In the second episode of our new-and-improved newscast, DT Daily host Greg Nibler and various guests discuss the latest headlines, an assortment of anti-drone measures, and Sony's latest robotic companion. We all also sit down with streamer Disguised Toast to talk Twitch and the state of streaming.
World’s first drone-equipped motorcycle features a special space for the Spark
If your sidecar is missing a drone or your drone a sidecar, then check out how the two machines have been brought together in this unique design from Ural Motorcycles. Only 40 of the combos have been made, though that may well turn out to be enough. The Ural Air goes on sale in November.
Flying food: Uber has set a target date to use drones for meal delivery
Uber is better known for taking people around town, but it also has a growing meal-delivery business called UberEats. It currently uses cars and bikes to deliver the food, but now has plans to use drones, too. Indeed, a job ad spotted over the weekend reveals the company even has a date in mind to launch the service.
Death from above? How we’re preparing for a future filled with weaponized drones
Drones are everywhere. Shooting videos, finding quake survivors, delivering medicine, and performing safety inspections. They’re also causing mayhem and death. We’re going to need a new set of detection and defense technologies to keep our infrastructure, our institutions, and our children safe. This is how we do it.
Skydio’s self-flying drone now has an Apple Watch app for flight prep
Skydio's clever R1 autonomous drone now has its own Apple Watch app, making flight preparations simpler than ever. The $2,000 flying machine is now also available at Apple Stores in the U.S. and Canada, marking its first availability beyond the company's own online store.
Self-correcting quadcopter can keep itself aloft even if one rotor fails
Quadcopters may have four rotors, but most will fail to fly effectively unless all four are in working order. Researchers from the Netherlands think that's a problem -- and they've come up with a means to allow drones to fly if just three rotors are functioning. Here's what it looks like.
This intelligent parachute system can bail out clumsy drone pilots
Parachutes can save drones from damage — and prevent injuries on the ground — when they unexpectedly fall from the sky. Among a number of such systems, Austrian company Drone Rescue is this week showing off its latest design that automatically deploys when it senses trouble.
This is the result when a quadcopter strikes the wing of an aircraft
Responding to increasing concern over drone flights near airports, researchers in the U.S. have conducted lab tests to see what happens when a quadcopter collides with an aircraft wing at high speed. Launching a DJI Phantom drone at the wing of an airplane, the results of the experiment may surprise you.
Disney takes to the air with an autonomous paint-spraying drone
Look what has just flown out of Disney Research's workshop. It's an autonomous spray-painting drone that can apply colorful designs to 3D objects as well as flat surfaces. The PaintCopter, as Disney is calling it, offers "accurate and fast painting results" and could be useful in industrial settings.
Just like an eagle, this autonomous glider can fly on thermal currents
Using a type of artificial intelligence which learns based on trial and error, researchers have demonstrated how gliders can glide autonomously on thermal currents, much like an eagle does. Here's how they managed it and why this could have big implications for next-generation drones.
Eye-tracking tech lets you control a drone by looking where you want it to move
Put down your smartphones and other drone controllers. Researchers at New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have invented a method to allow drone pilots to fly drones using a pair of eye-tracking glasses. What could be simpler?
7 drone crashes that will make you fly your bird more carefully
Whether you're a rookie drone pilot or experienced pro, sooner or later you're bound to slam your flying machine into a hard surface or get it tangled in a tree. To help you avoid such a calamity, we've pulled together some videos of spectacular drone crashes and tips on how to avoid them.
Lidar-equipped drones could help protect California from future wildfires
Last year saw the most devastating wildfire season on record in California. Could drones help avoid a repeat performance? One drone surveying company, Flight Evolved, is doing its part to help, using the latest cutting-edge Lidar detection technology. Here's what it's doing.
‘Crop-dusting’ drones drop biodegradable sensors instead of pesticides
Next-gen agriculture might involve using drones to airdrop hundreds of tiny sensors, called PlantCopters, which can keep track of crop growth, crop health, and surrounding microclimate. This data could then be transmitted via Bluetooth. Could this be the future of farming?
The history of drones in 10 milestones
Here in 2018, drones are flying high -- both figuratively and literally. Want to know how things got this way? Here are 10 of the most significant milestones that explain how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) became the ultra-hot product category they are today.