PteroDynamics shows off a drone that can transform from a quadcopter to a fixed wing aircraft while in flight. State Department begins widespread layoffs, cutting 1,353 staff Julian McMahon Cause ...

Researchers put bird legs on a drone so it can take off by jumping EPFL’s RAVEN is a fixed-wing drone that can take off without a runway using bird-inspired legs.

For autonomous VTOL UAS to achieve transformative status like the jet engine has, they must deliver economic value and a clear path to profitability for operators.

In addition to its greater efficiency, RAVEN is more versatile than other fixed-wing drone designs. It can jump over obstacles as tall as 26 centimeters or as wide as 11 centimeters.

MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) has issued the first airworthiness certificate for a civilian fixed-wing type drone, the agency said.

The team calculated the necessary takeoff speed for two birds with body masses of 490 grams and a hair over 780 grams; these were 1.85 and 3.21 meters per second, respectively.

We're not given all the details surrounding the drone, other than the fact that it is essentially a 10.3-foot (3.1 meters) composite wing, it weighs 115 pounds (52 kg), and is powered by batteries.