Aviation

The high-flying world of airliners, air taxis, fighter jets, tankers, large drones, and whatever else whisks us through the skies.

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Latest in Aviation

Aerial view of Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown
Environment

Drones offer a glimpse inside Fukushima nuclear reactor 13 years after disaster

By Andrew Paul

The FAA conducted an audit of Boeing’s 737 Max production facility after a door plug blew off during a commercial flight in January.
Technology

Dish soap, hotel key cards, and confusion: Boeing FAA audit unearths dozens of issues

By Mack DeGeurin

Google Earth Image of seismic center and truck road
Science

‘Alien’ signal was likely a very big truck

By Andrew Paul

door plug missing from a Boeing airplane with hole visible and empty seats
Technology

What Boeing’s door-plug debacle says about the future of aviation safety

By John Downer / MIT Press

A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, from onboard a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Gulfstream III 25,000 feet above the Oregon coast. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.
Science

Delta’s solar eclipse flight sold out, but your best bet to see it is still down here

By Andrew Paul

Arrow pointing towards potential sonar scan of Amelia Earhart's airplane
Technology

Did sonar finally uncover Amelia Earhart’s missing plane?

By Andrew Paul

Interior of Boeing 737-9 Max with emergency passenger door plug blown off
Technology

Boeing faces FAA audit after its 737 Max 9 plane’s door plug blew off mid-air

By Andrew Paul

NASA plans to unveil experimental X-59 supersonic jet on January 12
Technology

NASA plans to unveil experimental X-59 supersonic jet on January 12

By Andrew Paul

Japan Airlines Airbus on fire at Tokyo airport
Technology

Here’s what to know about the Japan Airlines collision

By Andrew Paul

Black and white aerial shot of Mars Ingenuity helicopter in flight
Science

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter set a new flight distance record on Mars

By Andrew Paul

Trevor Jacob jumping out of plane midair over mountains
Technology

YouTuber sentenced to prison after intentionally crashing his plane

By Andrew Paul

NASA's Super Guppy rocket transport prop plane landing on tarmac in Alabama
Technology

Watch NASA’s bizarre and bulbous Super Guppy cargo plane touch down in Alabama

By Andrew Paul

Test subject tilting in spatial disorientation machine
Technology

These wearables might protect astronauts from space ‘death spirals’

By Andrew Paul

Nightvision camera shot of a UAP
Technology

Want to report a UAP sighting? US government workers can now use this website.

By Andrew Paul

Watch a heavy-lifting drone land a perfect delivery on an offshore wind turbine
Technology

Watch a heavy-lifting drone land a perfect delivery on an offshore wind turbine

By Andrew Paul

an electric aircraft flying
Technology

This electric plane’s 2,000-mile journey is over. Now its Air Force tests begin.

By Rob Verger

Small propeller plane flying in a clear sky
Technology

Small planes are still spewing toxic lead across the US, EPA says

By Andrew Paul

What are carrier strike groups, the ships the US sent near Israel?
Technology

What are carrier strike groups, the ships the US sent near Israel?

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Commercial airplane flying across almost full moon. The question is: Are long flights safe?
Technology

Are long flights safe for your health?

By Kate Baggaley

hot air balloon in the sky
Technology

This hot air balloon pilot learned how to follow the wind from her dad

By Kristin Shaw

Futuristic aircraft and robotic loaders dazzled at a Dallas tech summit
Technology

Futuristic aircraft and robotic loaders dazzled at a Dallas tech summit

By Rob Verger

This compact robotic tank is designed to shoot down drones
Technology

This compact robotic tank is designed to shoot down drones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The F-35 fighter jet is getting a stealthier air-to-surface missile
Technology

The F-35 fighter jet is getting a stealthier air-to-surface missile

By Kelsey D. Atherton

mass-casualty triage occurring via different technologies
Technology

DARPA wants to modernize how first responders do triage during disasters

By Sarah Scoles

the b-21 bomber
Technology

New B-21 stealth bomber photos reveal tantalizing clues about the aircraft

By Kelsey D. Atherton

navy triton drone
Technology

A gigantic Navy drone is ready to surveil the ocean from above

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Skydio X10 drone flying at night
Technology

A new drone might help cops stop high-speed car chases

By Andrew Paul

The Air Force’s big new electric taxi flies at 200 mph
Technology

The Air Force’s big new electric taxi flies at 200 mph

By Rob Verger

airbus h160 helicopter
Technology

In photos: Airbus Helicopters’ fancy flying machine, the H160

By Rob Verger

an F-35B fighter jet
Technology

What’s in the US military’s historic lost and found: nukes, jets, and drones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

F-35B stealth jet
Technology

The US military could use your help finding a missing F-35 stealth jet

By Andrew Paul

biggest hot air balloon in us
Technology

The biggest hot air balloon in the US was built to carry skydivers

By Rob Verger

A remote Air Force base in Alaska is getting its own nuclear reactor
Technology

A remote Air Force base in Alaska is getting its own nuclear reactor

By Kelsey D. Atherton

the black hornet drone
Technology

The US military’s tiniest drone feels like it flew straight out of a sci-fi film

By Rob Verger

H2FLY hydrogen fuel plane in flight
Technology

This liquid hydrogen-powered plane successfully completed its first test flights

By Andrew Paul

UPS delivery drone in flight
Technology

FAA will allow UPS delivery drones to travel greater distances

By Andrew Paul

shadowy figure holds spy satellite
Technology

How corporations helped fuel the big business of spying

By Sarah Scoles

tu-22m backfire
Technology

The Cold War backstory of Russia’s supersonic ‘Backfire’ bomber

By Kelsey D. Atherton

a b-2 bomber in flight
Technology

B-2 bomber’s latest tech upgrade brings it into the 21st century

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Wing's drone with a walmart box
Technology

Walmart and Wing join forces for drone deliveries in Texas

By Harry Guinness

Famous, debunked black and white 'Surgeon's Photo' of Loch Ness Monster
Technology

The largest search of Loch Ness in more than 50 years will deploy drones and hydrophones

By Andrew Paul

ukraine troops training exercise
Technology

Ukraine claims it built a battle drone called SkyKnight that can carry a bomb

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Lockheed Martin plans to make its most powerful military laser yet
Technology

Lockheed Martin plans to make its most powerful military laser yet

By Kelsey D. Atherton

a c-17 aircraft at night
Technology

UFO-type sightings happen more often near military airspace

By Kelsey D. Atherton

a mannequin dressed with a U-2 pilot's pressure suit and helmet
Technology

Inside the US military lab making tube food for spy plane pilots

By Rob Verger

Universal Hydrogen propellor plane taking off from runway
Technology

Hydrogen-powered flight is closer to takeoff than ever

By Andrew Paul

A US Marine launching a Switchblade 300 drone during training in desert terrain.
Technology

Everything to know about Switchblades, the attack drones the US gave Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The U.S. Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle 4
Technology

What is DARPA? The rich history of the Pentagon’s secretive tech agency

By Kelsey D. Atherton

space shuttle endeavour blasts off
Technology

What it takes to display a 176,000-pound space shuttle in a launch configuration

By Rob Verger

A new mapping algorithm aims to steer drivers towards the safest route
Technology

A new mapping algorithm aims to steer drivers towards the safest route

By Andrew Paul

Airplane in a clear sky.
Health

Flying with human organs for transplant is tricky—a new law could help

By Colleen DeGuzman/KFF Health News

a rendering of an electric jet in flight
Technology

These tiny electric fans are powerful enough to propel drones and jets

By Rob Verger

a marine fires a stinger missile
Technology

Raytheon asks retirees for help making new Stinger anti-air missiles

By Kelsey D. Atherton

US military aircraft could get jamming-resistant navigation systems
Technology

US military aircraft could get jamming-resistant navigation systems

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Joby air taxi
Technology

Joby’s latest electric air taxi will head to an Air Force base for tests in 2024

By Rob Verger

Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, aka Area 51, at sunset.
Technology

What we know about Area 51

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Boeing plane interior cockpit
Technology

Improved 5G coverage could ground some flights starting July 1

By Andrew Paul

NASA kills its electric plane’s flight plan, citing safety concerns
Technology

NASA kills its electric plane’s flight plan, citing safety concerns

By Rob Verger

aarok drone
Technology

AAROK is France’s bigger, newer take on the US’s Reaper drone

By Kelsey D. Atherton

In photos: Soldiers jam drones with blocky Dronebuster guns
Technology

In photos: Soldiers jam drones with blocky Dronebuster guns

By Kelsey D. Atherton

nasa x-66a sustainable flight demonstrator
Technology

NASA’s ‘airliner of the future’ is now officially an X-plane

By Rob Verger

How pilots end up in a ‘death spiral’
Technology

How pilots end up in a ‘death spiral’

By Julia Craven

inside of large airplane engine
Technology

The metallic guts of GE’s massive jet engines, in photos

By Christopher Payne, Rob Verger

a drone flies over the water
Technology

Watch a ‘flying fish’ drone hover in the air and then swim underwater

By Harry Guinness