Drone Research
WPI Develops Bat-Inspired Drones That Navigate in Darkness
Led by Professor Nitin Sanket, the team is developing tiny, autonomous drones that can navigate in total darkness using ultrasound, just like bats
Robotics
News, deep dives, and analysis — every Robotics story, newest first.
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Aug 18
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Skydio
Apium Swarm Robotics Joins Red Cat Futures Initiative After Successful Army Demonstration Of Distributed Drone Autonomy
Apium Swarm Robotics has joined Red Cat Holdings’ Futures Initiative following successful U.S. Army testing of autonomous drone swarm technology that enables single operators to control multiple drones without centralized ground control. The partnership, announced November 4, 2025, comes as the Pentagon accelerates procurement of autonomous systems for contested battlefield environments. The colla
Pix4D
DroneDeploy Unveils AI Agents and Ground Robots as Construction Tech Pivots From Aerial to Embodied Intelligence
DroneDeploy rolled out three operational AI agents and revealed plans for autonomous ground robots at its Horizons 2025 user conference in Newport Beach, signaling the reality capture company’s transformation from drone-focused mapping platform to comprehensive construction AI and robotics provider. The announcements position DroneDeploy to compete directly with established construction tech playe
Zipline
1X’s $20,000 NEO Humanoid Robot Launches With A Catch: It Needs Humans To Do Your Chores
California-based 1X Technologies opened pre-orders this week for NEO, the first consumer-ready humanoid robot designed to handle household tasks—but Wall Street Journal testing revealed a surprising reality. The $20,000 robot that promises to fold your laundry and load your dishwasher can’t actually do any of that autonomously yet. Every task requires a remote human operator…
Search & Rescue
Wake‑Up Call: How China’s Colleges Are Powering the Next Drone Arms Race
More than 200 university teams competed in military drone scenarios organized by China’s top defense leadership, revealing Beijing’s systematic campaign to recruit young talent for autonomous warfare development. The final round of China’s National Youth Intelligent Unmanned Systems Application Competition drew over 200 teams from 106 universities to Shanghai last week, according to a China…
DJI
FDNY Drone Saves Life In East River Rescue, Dropping Buoys To Mark Drowning Victim
An FDNY drone successfully rescued a person from the East River on Saturday, using cutting-edge technology to drop flotation markers that guided emergency crews to a drowning victim near the Queensboro Bridge. The life-saving operation demonstrates the tangible value of New York’s massive investment in emergency response technology. The rescue showcases how drones have evolved…
Autel Robotics
Florida Senator Pushes Emergency DJI Ban, New Drone Payload Restrains Suspects, and Georgia Prison Smuggling Arrests
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. In my latest video, we have three stories for you this week. A Florida senator is pushing for an emergency retroactive ban on certain DJI and Autel drones. Not good. And then we also have a new drone payload that can physically restrain suspects from the air. And…
Drone Research
UC Researchers Build Moth-Like Drone That Hovers Without AI or GPS
University of Cincinnati researchers have developed a moth-inspired flapping-wing drone that navigates autonomously using simple light sensors and feedback algorithms—without requiring artificial intelligence, GPS, or complex computing power. The breakthrough could revolutionize miniature drone design for covert surveillance applications. Instead of relying on heavy processors and advanced AI syst
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