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United Airlines grounds Airbus A321neo fleet over antiquated no smoking sign law
United Airlines has grounded a fleet of planes due to a 1990 that requires all no smoking signs to be operated by the crew. These aircraft have software that automatically turn the sign on during flights.
The European Space Agency will test 3D printing metal on the ISS
A metal 3D printer will soon be used on the International Space Station. All going well, 3D-printed metal parts could eventually help with the construction of a base on the Moon.
Airbus tests pilot assist that can automatically divert flights
Airbus is testing autonomous tech that can divert a flight when pilots are in trouble.
Airbus is building a hydrogen fuel-cell engine for aircraft
As part of its goal to have zero-emission aircraft enter service by 2035, Airbus has announced the development of a hydrogen fuel-cell engine designed to for airplanes.
FedEx wants to equip cargo aircraft with anti-missile lasers
FedEx has asked US officials for approval to install anti-missile laser systems to protect its aircraft from attacks.
Luminar will bring its LiDAR tech to Airbus planes and helicopters
The companies hope to 'ultimately enable safe, autonomous flight.'
COVID-19 killed the era of 'big' flying
The A380 and Dreamliner were large luxury liners built for an era of mass travel. COVID-19 has put an end to that.
Thrustmaster unveils official Airbus gear ahead of ‘Flight Simulator’ release
In anticipation of Microsoft’s new Flight Simulator, Thrustmaster has unveiled “licensed by Airbus” gear that’s perfect for proper plane geeks.
Airbus to deploy 'game-changing' bomb-sniffing sensors at airports
Airbus plans to test an “electronic nose” device that uses biological cells to mimic what bomb-sniffing dogs can do, reports the Financial Times. The company will deploy jellyfish-shaped sensors, developed by Silicon Valley startup Koniku, in several airport screening tunnels later in 2020.
Alphabet's Loon, telecoms unite to boost high-altitude internet
Alphabet's Loon just got a big boost from telecoms in its bid to provide high-altitude internet to the world. The company has partnered with several industry giants to form the HAPS Alliance, a group devoted to promoting the use of stratospheric vehicles for internet access. Most of the allies are telecoms like Deutsche Telekom, SoftBank, Bharti Airtel, China Telecom and Telefonica, although the group also includes a diverse range of equipment makers like Airbus, AeroVironment, Ericsson, Intelsat and Nokia.
Air racing tournament unveils an all-electric sports aircraft
The electric aircraft seen to date have focused more on raw utility than thrill-seeking, but that's about to change very shortly. Air Race E, an air racing tournament backed by Airbus, has formally unveiled what it bills as the first electric race aircraft. The Condor Aviation-made White Lightning looks like a typical competitive single-seater, but packs an electric motor that can propel it to 300MPH while handling tight turns on a 3.1-mile circuit at just 33 feet off the ground.
The ISS' spherical robot helper has returned to Earth
Humans are one step closer to having robot assistants in space. The IBM- and Airbus-made CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion) robot returned to Earth on August 27th after successful testing aboard the International Space Station. The spherical machine demonstrated both its AI skills (such as recognizing astronauts and offering instructions) as well as its ability to float through the ISS. Don't think this is the end to the experiments, though -- this is really just the start.
Paris may offer flying taxis to 2024 Olympics guests
You can be sure that transportation will be a nightmare for many people attending the 2024 Paris Olympics, but technology could make it slightly more bearable. Airbus, Aeroports de Paris and the Paris Transport Authority are exploring the feasibility of using autonomous flying taxis to carry visitors from Charles de Gaulle Airport into the city. When it takes roughly an hour to get into Paris using a bus or train, this could save valuable time that would be better spent finding your hotel and, you know, enjoying the Olympics.
Airbus shares a glimpse of its flying taxi interior
Airbus has been working on its Vahana project for years. It's an attempt to create an autonomous passenger drone network that could operate like a flying version of the Waymo's self-driving cars. In January 2018, the company's flying taxi took to the skies for the first time. Now we're getting a glimpse of what the interior might look like. In a blog post, the Airbus Vahana team shared photos of Alpha Two -- its first demonstrator with a finished interior.
Airbus startup aims to make satellite imagery easier to use
Airbus might just make it easier to use the growing treasure trove of high-res satellite imagery. The aerospace giant has launched a space tech startup, UP42, that promises to make satellite (and drone) image data accessible to individuals and small shops. In addition to providing the imagery itself, the fledgling firm offers "ready-to-use" algorithms that can do everything from detecting clouds to revealing changes like new buildings and shrinking forests. You wouldn't have to bend over backward to use overhead photography in an app, even you're on a relatively tiny budget.
Airbus ends production of its A380 superjumbo
Airbus will soon end production of the A380 superjumbo, the largest passenger plane to ever fly. It's capable of hauling up to 850 people and flyers love it, especially those who can afford the amazing first class seats and private cabins. However, airlines were less enthralled, and orders have been tapering off for years. The final straw came when the A380's best cutomer, Emirates, cut an order for the planes, forcing Airbus to admit in a statement that there was "no basis to sustain production."
Flying taxi startup Lilium hires former Audi and Airbus executives
Flying taxi startup Lilium has announced some key new hires in the form of a trio of Audi and Airbus employees. Mirko Reuter, who was the head of automated driving at Audi, has been appointed Lilium's new head of autonomous flight, where he'll "further develop all necessary and critical key competencies in regards to the...challenges of autonomous aircraft systems," according to a press release. Reuter's education and background in mechatronics, robotics and automation engineering should make him well-equipped to handle Lilium's technical minuta.
FAA clears DJI and other drone companies to fly near airports
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given nine companies permission to fly in controlled airspace, such as airports, as part of its Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) initiative. One of those nine companies is DJI, along with Aeronyde, Airbus, AiRXOS, Altitude Angel, Converge, KittyHawk, UASidekick and Unifly. It doesn't mean operators can fly those brands' drones over airports anytime they want, though -- it only means that professional drone pilots can now get authorization to enter controlled airspace in near-real time instead of waiting for months.
Japan teams up with Uber, Airbus and 19 others on flying taxi plan
Japan wants to bring flying taxis into the mainstream over the next decade and it's putting together a government-led group in order to do so, Bloomberg reports. The country's trade ministry said to today that the group will bring together at least 21 businesses including Uber, Boeing, Airbus, Japan Airlines and Toyota-backed Cartivator, which will meet next week to discuss plans going forward. For its part, the government will work on ways to regulate these sorts of vehicles. "The Japanese government will provide appropriate support to help realize the concept of flying cars, such as creation of acceptable rules," the ministry said.
Solar-powered aircraft stays aloft for record-breaking 25 days
While Facebook and Google recently pulled the plug on their solar-powered internet drones, another company with a lot more experience is having success with the idea. Airbus announced that its solar-powered Zephyr S HAPS (high altitude pseudo-satellite) flew for 25 straight days, setting a time aloft record for any airplane, ever. It shattered the previous record of 14 days, marked by a previous prototype Zephyr aircraft.
