Autonomous electric aircraft startup Pyka has been diligently working to expand its fleet of crop-dusting and cargo planes, and recently, the company has attracted the attention of a prominent new client: the Pentagon. With the promise of an eco-friendly, dual-purpose autonomous aircraft, Pyka has managed to secure $40 million in funding, propelling its plans forward and generating significant excitement among investors.
26
Sep
Sep
The battery for Sora Aviation’s electric aircraft is already undergoing extensive development, showcasing the company’s commitment to ensuring that the vehicle will be not only efficient but also reliable when it enters commercial service. This advanced battery system, critical to the aircraft’s performance, is being designed to meet the unique demands of electric aviation, where both weight and energy density play pivotal roles in determining range and efficiency.
20
Sep
Sep
And what about self-driving modern electric aviation? This is where the concept of autonomy meets the skies, bringing together cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, and advanced avionics systems. Self-driving electric aircraft and eVTOLs are designed to operate without a human pilot, relying on sophisticated algorithms and real-time data to make split-second decisions about navigation, obstacle avoidance, and landing. The idea is not just to improve efficiency but also to reduce human error, which remains a leading cause of accidents in traditional aviation.
16
Sep
Sep
The safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries could be significantly improved thanks to a new process that allows the production of large graphene current collectors. The breakthrough has been achieved by a team of Welsh-Chinese researchers.
15
Sep
Sep
After a long wait, the world’s first zero-emission aircraft are finally a reality. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified a two-seater aircraft made in Slovenia for flight. Within a few years, it would be certified in the UK, the US, and other regions. The Pipistrel Velis Electro became the first fully certified electric aircraft in the world and remains the only one with full certification. However, the uptake of electric aircraft is still a long way off. Despite the growing number of cleaner aircraft being developed, significant questions remain about the alternative fuels needed to power them, and the political will to implement these technologies is still uncertain.
10
Sep
Sep
Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) in China have made significant progress in the development of the Organic Flow Battery (OAAB): the new device retains 99.95% of its capacity after 850 charging cycles. This breakthrough was achieved with naphthalene-based organic redox-active molecules (ORAMs), marking a major milestone in battery technology.