Aircraft Propulsion & Energy

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DARPA Program Sets Distance Record for Power Beaming

Posted by Dronerator
In a series of recent tests in New Mexico, the Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program achieved several new records for transmitting power over distance. The team recorded more than 800 watts of power delivered during a 30-second transmission from a laser 8.6 kilometers (5.3 miles) away. Over the course of the test campaign, […]

Mitsubishi and Yamaha to Research Hybrid-Powered UAVs

Posted by Dronerator
– Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Yamaha Motor) are conducting joint research to develop a medium-sized multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle capable of carrying a payload of 200 kilograms. The two companies have conducted a flight test of a hybrid-type medium-sized UAV equipped with a compact, lightweight power generating unit developed […]

ATD-150 – Brazil’s First Fully Indigenous Jet-Powered Drone

Posted by Dronerator
Brazilian company Nest Design Aerospace presented the ATD-150, described as the country’s first 100% indigenously designed jet-powered unmanned aircraft. The system has been developed specifically to serve as an aerial target for the Brazilian Armed Forces and is also being considered for export to international users. According to the manufacturer, the ATD-150 is intended to […]

ZeroAvia’s Hydrogen-Electric Cessna Caravan to Fly World First Zero-Emission Cargo Services in the UK

Posted by Dronerator
— ZeroAvia announced that it has signed an agreement with RVL Aviation which will see RVL operate Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft retrofitted with ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric, zero-emission ZA600 powertrain. Flights within the British Isles will commence once certification for the engine, airframe integration and planned services are obtained and all retrofit and training work is complete. […]

AFRL Awards URSA MAJOR $28.6M Contract for Responsive Space, Hypersonic, and On-Orbit Propulsion

Posted by Dronerator
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division at Edwards AFB, Calif., has awarded URSA Major Technologies Inc., Berthoud, Colorado, a $28,565,857 firm-fixed price contract for responsive space, hypersonic, and on-orbit propulsion. This new contract will follow-on work completed to mature advanced liquid rocket engines and will culminate in a flight demonstration. “Under this […]

Ukraine’s Skyeton Conducts First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Flight with Raybird UAV

Posted by Dronerator
A hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of Ukraine’s Raybird unmanned aerial vehicle has completed a successful in-country test flight, marking a critical milestone in the push for cleaner, longer-range UAV operations. Developed by Ukrainian aerospace firm Skyeton, the Raybird was modified with a hydrogen fuel cell system that generates electricity from hydrogen, replacing conventional fuel-based propulsion […]

US Air Force Piloting Hydrogen Energy Tech for Agile Combat Logistics

Posted by Dronerator
Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii is testing novel energy technology to provide electrical power and hydrogen fuel in the kind of isolated and austere outposts the Air Force will need in the Pacific theater for its new Agile Combat Employment way of warfare. The technology, developed by a majority veteran-founded startup based in Houston, […]

Chinese Hydrogen Drone Sets 30-Hour Non-Stop Domestic Flight Record

Posted by Dronerator
A 50-kilogram hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicle developed by China recently completed a 30-hour continuous flight, setting a new domestic record for similar types of aircraft and reaching an internationally leading level in terms of endurance. The drone, jointly developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group Co (CAIG) under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), […]

Aerix Systems Debuts AXS µ1 Drone that can Engage Targets from any Angle without Repositioning.

Posted by Dronerator
At the 2025 edition of the SOFINS exhibition dedicated to special forces, Aerix Systems presented a drone system based on omnidirectional propulsion technology, designed to operate in both complex civilian environments and demanding military contexts. This system, named AXS-µ1, builds on technologies developed for the Aerix T-6 platform. It combines high maneuverability with the ability […]

No Way Out for Ions: Continental Introduces Solution for One of the Greatest Hydrogen Challenges

Posted by Dronerator
– Continental has developed a line for cooling in the hydrogen powertrain of commercial vehicles, which considerably reduces the penetration of ions into the media circuit. The synthetic rubber line has a mixture of materials whose special properties make them less susceptible to the leaching of ions from the line material. This reduces the transfer […]