A project known as StratoBus has emerged from Thales in France. StratoBus totes the potential of precise, autonomous observation and communications assistance, and the first prototype from Thales is expected in the next five years. See: Engineering Newswire: Half-drone, half-satellite StratoBus prototype The autonomous airship, operating at an altitude of about 20 km (the lower…

NASA’s Z-2 Suit is the newest prototype in its next-generation spacesuit platform, the Z-series. As a follow-up to the previous Z-1 suit, which was named one of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2012, the Z-2 takes the next step in fidelity approaching a final flight-capable design. The public will get a unique chance to vote…

The Navy, in conjunction with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), plans to deploy the Hydra underwater drone, an underwater “truck”. See: Engineering Update #50: Deploying maritime drones Hydra will be used to deploy mini drones like Raytheon’s 6 lb. Switchblade drone, for example.  

A UK design firm recently unveiled the Airlander, a football field-sized airship that they hope will become the new standard for transportation for supplies.   See: Airships are making a comback   Each Airlander costs around $40 million to construct. Weighing in at 44,000 pounds, this airship uses 80 percent less fuel than airplanes and…

UK Ministry of Defence recently announced a Release to Service for their own UAV, the WatchKeeper WK450, meaning that it’s been cleared for flight training. See: Engineering Update Episode 49: The UK’s newest UAV Based on the Elbit Hermes 450 UAV, the Watchkeeper WK450 is an Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) unmanned aerial…

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, aka Ada Lovelace, is credited as the world’s first computer programmer. The English mathematician and writer worked extensively with Charles Baggage’s mechanical “computer”, the Analytical Engine, and Ada’s notes on the engine earned her a place in the history books. Read: Influential women in engineering Jocelyn Goldfein is the…

Proving that looks aren’t everything, the AirMule UAV, developed by Israel’s Urban Aeronautics, is designed for cargo transport, medical evac, and troop supply missions. See: Engineering Newswire 79: AirMule UAV is a flying donkey The vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV was unveiled in 2008, completed its maiden flight in 2010, and is scheduled for…

The Armatix GmbH .22 iP1 smart gun system works in conjunction with a wristwatch. Both the gun and watch contain RFID chips which communicate with each other and unlock the pistol. Without the watch, the gun won’t operate. Read: We don’t need “smart” gun control In 2002, New Jersey passed a controversial gun-control that required…

While the U.S. struggles to adopt rules and regulations for domestic drone usage — putting Amazon’s planned 30-minute drone delivery service on the backburner for years, possibly decades — the United Arab Emirates plans to introduce their own fleet of drone couriers. See: Engineering Update 46: The United Arab Emirates’ drone delivery service According to Dr…

The Navy’s Laser Weapon System (LaWS) uses the Phalanx Close in Weapon System’s (CIWS) radar track to obtain a target and combines six high-energy laser into a focused beam of light. While the laser uses a mere 30 kilowatts per volley — a few dollars a shot — the weapon is hampered by inclement weather and other…

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has awarded a $3.5 million contract to IBM for its Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) project, which aims to create “transient” electronics that can “disappear” remotely. Here you see a chip dissolving into water droplets. Read: For DARPA’s next trick: Things that disappear Large distributed networks of sensors will be…

The BAE Systems Taranis, named after the Celtic god of thunder, is being billed as the most advanced British aircraft ever built. The Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator will be a semi-autonomous stealth vehicle capable of striking intercontinental targets. See: Engineering Update Episode 45: The most advanced British aircraft ever built The UCAV made…

On Monday (2/11), Google announced that a subsidiary of theirs would be taking over management of the Moffett Federal Airfield, which the internet giant frequently uses for flights of its executives. Read: Google subsidiary to run nearby federal airfield Built in 1931, the 1,000-acre Moffett Federal Airfield was used by the U.S. Navy, and NASA’s…