The Innovation Report
Enabling Drones To De-Ice Their Wings Automatically
In Nordic countries, ice can form on the wings almost year round, even in mid-July. The NTNU researchers behind the drone company Aviant will soon be flying blood samples from remote hospitals in places like Røros to St. Olav's Hospital in Trondheim. Two such routes...
DARPA Wants to Recharge Drones Mid-Flight with a ‘Whisper Beam’ of Energy
Have you ever needed to recharge your phone but you’re sitting just a little bit too far from a power outlet? The Department of Defense feels your pain, which is why it put $225,000 into researching how to recharge electric aircraft while they are still in flight....
U.S. Airlines Warn 5G Wireless Could Cause Havoc with Flights
Major U.S. air carriers warned on Wednesday that plans by AT&T and Verizon Communications to use spectrum for 5G wireless services could be highly disruptive to air travel and cost air passengers $1.6 billion annually in delays. Trade group Airlines for America...
In the Midst of COVID, Cyber Security Is More Important than Ever
Cyber attacks can have crippling effects, as seen by the multiple major ransomware attacks and data breaches earlier this year that targeted a mix of industries. In April, the largest fuel pipeline in the United States was shut down, leading to major gas shortages...
Cruise to Start Autonomous Taxi Service Next Year
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle subsidiary plans to start running a fully autonomous taxi service in San Francisco next year. Doug Parks, GM’s product development and purchasing chief, told analysts Thursday that he has ridden in a Cruise vehicle with no...
Can High-Tech Methane Detectors Help Reach U.S. Climate Goals?
Methane is worse for climate change than carbon emissions. But to stop it, we first need to find it. To explain how high-tech aerial photography can help save the planet, research scientist Riley Duren refers to a map of Los Angeles, where a pixelated blue and green...
Without Access to Charging Stations, Black and Hispanic Communities Left Behind in Era of EVs
Standing on the rear third-floor deck of the Blacks in Green building on South Cottage Grove Avenue, Naomi Davis and Stacey McIlvaine looked out over the desert that is West Woodlawn. Davis, an environmental activist, and McIlvaine, an electrician, had come together...
Volkswagen Cranks Up Electric Car Investment
German auto giant Volkswagen said on Thursday that it would bulk up its investment in electric vehicles and digitalisation to 89 billion euros ($101 billion) over the next five years. The 12-brand group will dedicate 56 percent of its 159 billion euros of investment...
Federal Regulations Hinder Farming with Drones
In the sky above one of the largest Christmas tree farms in North America, visitors are more likely to hear the whirring blades of a drone helicopter than the jingle of Santa’s sleigh. “We fly over a field and, using drones, we collect imagery and create 3-D models...
To Learn About Climate Quality, Scientists Turn to Drones
Three ocean drones were launched from Rhode Island Thursday and will travel along the Gulf Stream, collecting data in tough winter conditions that would be challenging for traditional ships with crews. Saildrone, headquartered in Alameda, California, makes autonomous...
