takeoff

the trick is in the takeoff angle

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When we talk about drones we automatically think of flying vehicles, but There are also underwater drones. What is not so common is that the same drone is capable of doing both. It’s fair what MIT just achieved: a small robot with wings able to fly and dive into wateras if it were a seabird when it hunts. The robot, which they have baptized with the not at all suggestive name “flipping-wing air-water vehicle” (FAAV), has been developed by a team of engineers from MIT and EPFL and lays the foundations for the creation of a new type of drones capable of moving in various environments. Inspired by nature The design is nothing like that of a typical flying drone since it does not have propellers, but to fly it uses two wings like those of a bird. The wings are attached to a small central fuselage where the battery and motor that move them are located. The wings are made of a thin membrane with a water-repellent coating that repels water, so that it does not add weight or slow down your movements when leaving the water. It also has an adjustable tail that allows you to make turns and adjust the inclination both when entering and leaving the water. In total it weighs only 300 grams. For its creation, engineers analyzed the characteristics of more than 100 species of diving birds, such as puffins, petrels and kingfishers. What they have observed is that smaller birds are capable of flapping their wings about ten times in the air and four times in the water, while the frequency is lower in the case of larger birds such as seagulls. To simulate different types of flight, they created several types of wings of different sizes that can be interchanged. There is a curious nuance and that is that the majority of diving birds use their legs to gain momentum and take off from the water. The robot does not have them and still achieves the same effect, The trick is in the takeoff angle. After several tests they saw that it needs to leave the water at 70 degrees, if it goes too far, instead of taking off, it falls backwards. Remote research and exploration The logical question is what is this for, and there are two answers. The first is that they wanted to study in more depth the flight mechanics of these birds and how they modify it when going from air to water and vice versa. The second is to use this robot as exploration vehicle for remote areas. The idea of ​​Raphael Zufferey, lead author of the study, is that these robots can be launched from a ship or the coast to fly to areas of interest (such as an iceberg, a port, a group of whales), submerge to take a sample or measurement, and fly again to deliver the data. Everything a lot cheaper than with traditional oceanographic meansand with the possibility of repeating the process every hour instead of every week. The team’s next steps include give the wings turning capacity (in addition to flapping) and test the robot in more adverse conditions, such as rough water or wind. Images | M.I.T. In Xataka | China has been perfecting robots that stick to walls for years with one goal: so that no one else dies hanging from a scaffold

convert trucks and containers into a take-off runway for drones

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China is exploring an unusual idea even for a time when Drones have become protagonists of almost any military conversation: take some of the logic of an aviation catapult from the aircraft carrier and bring it to trucks and containers. We are not talking, at least with the information available, of a fully demonstrated operational capacity or a substitute for a conventional naval deck. What we have seen in open sources points rather to a modular concept: a removable take-off runway for drones where there is no runway. The last push to the issue has been given by a video spread on Chinese networks. The original post has been deleted, but can be traced back to uan archived post from the WeChat account associated with the School of Mechanical Engineering at the Beijing Institute of Technology. Additionally, the video comes after other tracks: previous photos of the systemits appearance in the vicinity of the Zhong Da 79 ship and a family of military modules in containers that point in the same direction. A catapult outside the aircraft carrier In the most recent images, the system appears to be made up of three trucks that can move separately and then join together to create a single launch line. The sequence shows the takeoff of a propeller drone, with a high wing, V-tail and tricycle landing gear, an aircraft much lighter than the possible models, with which this concept had been visually associated in previous images. There are also upper covers and four-wheel steering, which would allow the assembly to be oriented with more room for maneuver. Capture of the recently released video, which shows the launch of a drone from the mobile electromagnetic catapult made up of several trucks The catapult, in any case, is just one part of a broader family of containerized military systems. Material attributed to the School of Mechanical Engineering at the Beijing Institute of Technology includes modules with anti-ship missile launchers, land attack missiles, surface-to-air missiles, close-in defense, radars, electronic warfare, and command and control. Containers designed to transport a catapult truck and a disassembled drone also appear. According to that publication, the goal would be to produce 2,000 containerized systems per year. Capture of the recently released video It is no coincidence that the concept revolves around an electromagnetic catapult. China has already taken important steps in that technology with the Fujianthe aircraft carrier that marks its leap toward catapult operations and detained deck recovery. This context helps to understand why this mobile system is interesting: it was not born as an isolated technical oddity, but within a stronger commitment to expand ways to put aircraft in the air. Type 076 Sichuanan amphibious assault ship associated in open sources with drone operations, points in a similar direction. Capture of the recently released video The entire photo goes beyond visual weirdness. China is not only expanding its naval aviation, it has also been pushing advanced aviation programs for years such as the J-20, its fifth-generation stealth fighter, and the J-35, a design associated with the leap towards more modern ship-borne operations. The mobile catapult doesn’t play in the same league as those planes, but it fits the same question: how to deploy more air capacity from more places. One of the first known images of the complex, in which the catapult trucks can be seen together with possible models of unmanned aircraft If the system worked as the published material suggests, its usefulness would be in bringing assisted launches to places where a conventional runway is not available or is too vulnerable. We are talking about islands, remote areas, prepared roads, temporary bases or ships with sufficient deck space. It would not serve to deploy any aircraft or to replace a complete aerial infrastructure, but it could bring light drones closer to specific areas of operation. In scenarios like this, every kilometer that the drone does not have to travel from a distant base counts. The list of unknowns remains long. We do not know what electrical power the system needs, what logistical footprint it requires, how the drones are charged before each launch or what actual cadence it could sustain outside of a controlled demonstration. There are also doubts about their use at sea: one thing is to place the modules on the deck of a ship with enough space and another is to launch drones with stability while the ship moves. The difference between teaching a demonstrator and having a useful military capability is still enormous. Images | Beijing Institute of Technology/WeChat In Xataka | Every year a veterinarian, a jurist, a psychoanalyst and a gardener meet. They are the secret owners of rearmament in Europe

shows if there will be turbulence and how intense it will be before takeoff

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It doesn’t matter that you travel very occasionally that airports are almost your second home due to the number of planes you take each year that when the signal lights up and the plane begins to lurch, the tense silence flies over the cabin of the plane. Turbulence is part of the flight experience to a greater or lesser extent, but the less there is, the better for calm. There is an armrest from a Vueling plane that still has marks from my nails from a certain return flight from London to Bilbao a few years ago. There are airports and airports: from the smallest in the world to this other with short runway, mountains and lack of ILS going through the drama of landing on one full of solar panelsbut leaving aside the orography and characteristics of the terrain and facilities, logically time has a lot to say. Or rather, bad weather. Of climate change We don’t even talk. Thus, we can predict that if The next Three Kings night is going to be busy On the peninsula, climatologically speaking, taking a flight from Valencia to Madrid is probably not going to be as difficult as a mild June day can be. There are those who prefer to live in ignorance and deal with these situations when they arise, but you can also get ahead and glimpse the turbulence with this map. The map of the (possible) turbulence of your flight Turbli offers an intuitive interactive map using turbulence graphic guide forecastsan aviation forecasting system that displays atmospheric turbulence in real time and in the future. The data comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Serviceboth official entities of the United States, and the Met Office of the United Kingdom. However, the map is global and is updated every six hours. The different options allow you to enter when you want to know what the weather will be like (from now to the next 24 hours) in the air, at what height (both meters and feet) and the origin and destination of your flight. For example, if you want to take a plane Madrid – Malaga it will probably be an Airbus A320 that reaches a maximum cruising altitude from approximately 11,900 to 12,100 meters. Although that is the flight ceiling, logically it rises and falls along the journey. Finally, just tap on ‘Get Forecast’ to clear up any doubts. Turbulence forecast for the Madrid – Malaga flight today The interactive map allows you to view the areas of turbulence that your flight could pass through. Thus, the graph shows the route and a chromatic legend that indicates how intense the turbulence will be depending on the height and what type of event according to SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Information), that is, the aeronautical weather alert message that warns of dangerous phenomena en route such as severe storms, strong turbulence, among others. Although the original resolution of the data is 0.25°, it is presented at 0.5° for faster page loading. However, you can always speed it up by tapping ‘Increase resolution’. The route provided is the one indicated in the pilot’s flight plan or, if not available, the one followed by the previous flight. However, since pilots can modify the route on the fly, it is possible to add waypoints for alternative routes. Although it is a visual and intuitive way to anticipate possible turbulence in general terms, it is simplified in terms of metrics and times, in addition, turbulence affects differently depending on the type of aircraft. In Xataka | The triangles on the plane window are not for decoration: they are a quick way to check that the flight is going well In Xataka | Whenever you wanted to find a cheap flight you opened Skyscanner. Now Google has something to offer you

The trade war threatens to cut his wings in full takeoff

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The aeronautical sector It is emerging as one of the great victims by the Commercial War between the United States and China. At Growing tariff barriers imposed by both powers now adds Beijing’s alleged attempt to block the delivery of new Boeing aircraft in its territory. The information, Posted by Bloomberg earlier this weekalso points out that Chinese airlines will not be able to acquire equipment or pieces related to aviation to US suppliers. When a scenario like this is raised, it is easy to think that the closure of doors to Boeing and other American manufacturers can translate into an opportunity for firms such as Airbus or Comac. And, in part, it is. However, it is convenient to clarify: while Airbus’s main challenge is to increase its production capacity, in the case of Cabel the difficulties are deeper. The United States, in fact, could dynamite its most ambitious project overnight. As? Let’s look at the details. A plane with too many pieces borrowed In recent years we have seen how China has managed to make a decisive leap in multiple industries. One of the most obvious examples we have in front of our eyes: the automobile sector. For a long time, Chinese cars dragged a questionable reputation and a little competitive offer. Today the situation is very different. Something similar could be happening in commercial aviation. Although Airbus and Boeing continue to lead with slack, Cabe has been trying for years A hole in that historic duopoly. One of the key pieces in this important objective is the Comac C919a plane designed and assembled in China with an eye on competing directly with the Boeing 737 Max and the Airbus A320. With capacity for between 158 and 192 passengers and autonomy that ranges between 4,075 and 5,555 kilometers, its current deployment is still limited. However, if we attend to the growth rate of the Asian giant, everything indicates that it is a matter of time that the C919 is also consolidated outside its origin borders. But the project drags, at least for now, an Achilles heel that often goes unnoticed: a deep dependence on American technology. That’s how it is. The pride of Chinese aviation, the most ambitious development of its entire history in this sector, works thanks to key components manufactured by a rival country. For years, these pieces have crossed the ocean without major obstacles. But a block could hit the very heart of the Chinese dream of having its own regional reference plane. So what pieces are we talking about exactly? To understand it, it is convenient to go to Leeham News and Analysis worka specialized firm that has been closely following the ins and outs of the aerospace sector. Flight data recorders – General Electric (United States). Meteorological radar – Rockwell Collins (United States). Communications and Navigation Systems – Honeywell (United States). Antihielo Ala – Liebherr (Germany) system. Aluminum components for fuselage – Arconic (United States). Motors – CFM International, a joint venture between GE (United States) and Safran (France). Thrust investors – Safran (France). Fuel System – Parker (United States). Fire detection – Kidde (United Kingdom). Wheels and brakes – Honeywell (United States). Tires – Michelin (France). Landing train – Liebherr (Germany). Cola y Alas – Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic) (China). Just check the previous list to measure the blow that would mean the lack of any US component in the C919 assembly chain. Leeham News and Analysis already warns that the trade war threatens the project. In the same line is Ron Epstein, Bank of America analyst, who declared Reuters: “If China stop buying aeronautical components from the United States, the C919 program will stop or die” The current situation and future perspectives In recent days, the commercial war has intensified with rapid and unpredictable movements. And the truth is that half the world – individuals, companies, governments – still tries to understand how far their effects come. If we focus on the order of the Chinese government on aeronautical components, everything indicates that, for now, it affects only airlines. That would leave manufacturers such as Comac with margin to continue buying the pieces that need the United States. At least for the moment. However, The 125% retaliation tariff (that, added to the previous 20 % in the fentanyl case, leaves the invoice at 145 %) governs for imports from the United States. That includes engines, plane or brakes that Comac buys for their C919. The practical result is that each US component would cost me almost twice and a half its original pricea scenario hardly aware of any manufacturer who aspires to maintain the viability of your business. It is time to wait to see what all this flows. If the barriers imposed by both powers will fall and the trade will be reactivated. But there is also another scenario: that the United States imposes export controls on key components for Chinese aviation. He already did it with the Nvidia chips to stop his advance in artificial intelligence. This situation could reinforce China’s bet to develop your own key technology, although it still has a long way ahead. Images | Comac In Xataka | Before panic for US tariffs there are technological ones doing something uncommon: product collection

Spacex aborted the rocket takeoff for the first time from flight 1, two years ago

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Spacex has aborted the eighth launch of Starship when there was half a minute for takeoff. Although it is a rocket in tests, this type of last minute cancellation had only happened once. A two -year run. The last time Spacex aborted the launch of a starship loaded with propelants was in April 2023. A frozen valve in Booster 7 frustrated the first attempt to launch the rocket. Almost two years have passed and now both Booster 15 and Starship 34 have given problems. The company stopped the countdown to take off of flight 8 while checking both stages of the rocket. For a moment, the clock worked again and it seemed that Spacex had solved all the setbacks, but seconds later it ended up aborting the takeoff. “Too many unknowns.” As usual, Elon Musk has been the first to offer details of what was happening between scenes. “Too many question signs around this flight”, wrote. “We were 20 bars below the required pressure level.” Musk mentioned the “Ground Spin Start Pressure”, which is the necessary pressure in the gas that is injected into engines so that the turbine turbine turns quickly enough to generate complete combustion and turn on. The next attempt. “The Starship team is determining the next best opportunity available to fly,” Spacex published After the interruptus launch. It will need to disapprove both stages of the rocket and examine them, Musk said, so the company will take one to two days to try again. In 2023, the company took 48 hours to have its facilities for a second attempt. 4,900 tons of propellants. That is the monstrous amount of methane and liquid oxygen that fits in a starship. Spacex will have to replenish the propellants in their tanks farm for a new launch attempt, which normally implies a truck parade towards the platform. First Starship from Florida in 2025. Although there has been no launch, Spacex has had time to announce a new Starships factory at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Gigabay will have 24 work areas and cranes of 400 tons larger than Starbase. It is expected to be operational in 2026. While building these new facilities, Spacex will transport Texas Starships to Florida and wait for the first launch of the rocket from Florida in 2025, provided that the Government approves its environmental review.

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