Latest news with #autonomousflight
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Honeywell, Near Earth Autonomy Test Pilot-Free Helicopter For Faster, Safer Marine Supply
Honeywell (NASDAQ:HON) and Near Earth Autonomy announced on Tuesday that they have completed the first autonomous test flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter in support of the U.S. Marine Corps Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program. The flight demonstrates the feasibility of uncrewed, autonomous aircraft operating in contested environments without an onboard pilot or remote operator. The test flight on Honeywell's AW139 took place in Phoenix, Arizona, in May and marks a critical step in efforts to deliver scalable, autonomous logistics support to the United States Marine Corps (USMC), the company said in a press the first time, key autopilot modes of the AW139 were controlled directly by Near Earth's onboard autonomy software, without pilot input, showcasing precise flight control and autonomous decision-making. Bob Buddecke, president of Electronic Solutions at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, emphasized showcasing how existing aircraft can be adapted with trusted avionics to support the next generation of defense logistics. The testing underscores growing geopolitical tensions, exacerbated by conflicts such as those in Russia-Ukraine and India-Pakistan and, most recently, Israel's attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure. The ALC program, managed under a Naval Aviation Systems Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) with Near Earth Autonomy as a prime performer, aims to develop and deploy autonomous aerial logistics systems that reduce personnel risk and increase supply operations' speed and scale. Future testing will expand autonomy capabilities, including automated obstacle avoidance, and integrate them into military logistics workflows. Price Action: HON stock was trading lower by 0.03% to $224.00 in Monday's after-hours session. Read Next:Image via Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? HONEYWELL INTL (HON): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Honeywell, Near Earth Autonomy Test Pilot-Free Helicopter For Faster, Safer Marine Supply originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Chinese algorithm beats veteran human controller in FPV drone race
Chinese team has developed a unique algorithm that gives first-person-view (FPV) drones the ability to perform autonomous aerobatic manoeuvres, unlocking their full potential to outperform humans in intense flight missions. Advertisement The breakthrough was published on April 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Science Robotics. Aerobatic flight, as the name suggests, involves high-risk manoeuvres that require unstable postures – movements rarely executed in conventional flight operations for most aircraft However, in nature, aerial acrobatics are a vital skill for many species. For instance, sparrowhawks and falcons can rapidly adjust speed and direction through vertical or inverted flight to hunt or avoid obstacles. Bats excel at mid-air flips and hanging upside down, while ravens perform complex aerobatics to attract their peers. Advertisement 'This biological wisdom – transforming 'high-risk manoeuvres' into 'high-survival rewards' – holds the key to redefining traditional drone flight paradigms,' said Gao Fei, an associate professor at Zhejiang University.
