Drones

From small quadcopters to delivery drones to big robotic military aircraft, this is the latest on the uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) buzzing through our skies today—or arriving tomorrow.

Latest in Drones

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

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

a rendering of an electric jet in flight
Technology

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

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

a drone flies over the water
Technology

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

By Harry Guinness

The Chaparral drone could help the Air Force carry supplies, with less risk
Technology

The Chaparral drone could help the Air Force carry supplies, with less risk

By Kelsey D. Atherton

glider drops from navy helicopter
Technology

Watch the US Navy launch an ocean glider from a helicopter

By Kelsey D. Atherton

angry kitten weapon
Technology

The Air Force’s ‘Angry Kitten’ has been jamming with drones and jets

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Air Force used microwave energy to take down a drone swarm
Technology

The Air Force used microwave energy to take down a drone swarm

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Wing's drone flying in the stadium
Technology

Watch a Google drone deliver beer and snacks to Denver’s Coors Field

By Harry Guinness

Watch a giant military drone land on a Wyoming highway
Technology

Watch a giant military drone land on a Wyoming highway

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Stunt or sinister: The Kremlin drone incident, unpacked
Technology

Stunt or sinister: The Kremlin drone incident, unpacked

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The best FPV drones composited
Gear

The best FPV drones

By Terry Sullivan

The Marines are getting supersized drones for battlefield resupply
Technology

The Marines are getting supersized drones for battlefield resupply

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Giving drones inflatable suits could help them survive crash landings
Technology

Giving drones inflatable suits could help them survive crash landings

By Sara Kiley Watson

a dji drone in flight
Technology

Drones can fly themselves with worm-inspired AI software

By Jamie Dickman

an f-16 fighter jet in flight
Technology

With VENOM, the Air Force aims to test autonomy on combat F-16s

By Rob Verger

Colombia is deploying a new solar-powered electric boat
Technology

Colombia is deploying a new solar-powered electric boat

By Kelsey D. Atherton

This ATV-mounted, drone-killing laser burns with the power of one dishwasher
Technology

This ATV-mounted, drone-killing laser burns with the power of one dishwasher

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Watch this Navy drone take off and land on its tail like a rocket
Technology

Watch this Navy drone take off and land on its tail like a rocket

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Ikea blue and yellow drone
Technology

Ikea says 100 drones are now buzzing around its warehouses

By Andrew Paul

Why the Air Force wants 1,000 new combat drones
Technology

Why the Air Force wants 1,000 new combat drones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

This drone company plans to make deliveries by lowering a small droid into your yard
Technology

This drone company plans to make deliveries by lowering a small droid into your yard

By Rob Verger

MQ-9 Reaper in flight
Technology

What to know about the MQ-9 Reaper, the drone the US just lost over the Black Sea

By Kelsey D. Atherton

wing drones
Technology

Save a parking spot for Wing’s slick new ‘AutoLoader’ for drones

By Harry Guinness

a modified F-16 in flight
Technology

Why DARPA put AI at the controls of a fighter jet

By Rob Verger

Hand holding up drone disguised within taxidermy bird body
Technology

Researchers are stuffing drones into taxidermy birds to make them seem more ‘natural’

By Andrew Paul

Quadcopter drone propelling itself underwater in swimming pool
Technology

This amphibious robot can fly like a bird and swim like a fish

By Andrew Paul

Is the truth out there? Decoding the Pentagon’s latest UFO report.
Technology

Is the truth out there? Decoding the Pentagon’s latest UFO report.

By Kelsey D. Atherton

drone on branch
Technology

It’s not a UFO—this drone is scooping animal DNA from the tops of trees

By Charlotte Hu

Australia’s stealthy military drone sub will be called Ghost Shark
Technology

Australia’s stealthy military drone sub will be called Ghost Shark

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Two hummingbirds hovering above a pink flower
Technology

Reverse-engineered hummingbird wings could inspire new drone designs

By Andrew Paul

Drones can help keep swimmers and sharks safe at the same time
Environment

Drones can help keep swimmers and sharks safe at the same time

By Larry Pynn / Hakai Magazine

The Mayhem drone will aim to collect intelligence at hypersonic speeds
Technology

The Mayhem drone will aim to collect intelligence at hypersonic speeds

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Army wants to modernize battlefield medicine with blood delivery by drone
Technology

The Army wants to modernize battlefield medicine with blood delivery by drone

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The UK’s DragonFire laser is designed to burn drones out of the sky
Technology

The UK’s DragonFire laser is designed to burn drones out of the sky

By Kelsey D. Atherton

How drones are helping monitor Kyrgyzstan’s radioactive legacy
Technology

How drones are helping monitor Kyrgyzstan’s radioactive legacy

By Kelsey D. Atherton

pile of sticks
Technology

A drone made out of sticks? In the UAV space, anything flies.

By Kelsey D. Atherton

What it’s like to fire Raytheon’s powerful anti-drone laser
Technology

What it’s like to fire Raytheon’s powerful anti-drone laser

By Kelsey D. Atherton

It’s time to stop using ‘kamikaze’ to describe the exploding drones in Ukraine
Technology

It’s time to stop using ‘kamikaze’ to describe the exploding drones in Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

These military vehicles are designed to deploy drone-like missiles
Technology

These military vehicles are designed to deploy drone-like missiles

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Navy’s robot pilots could one day outnumber its human ones
Technology

The Navy’s robot pilots could one day outnumber its human ones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A guide to the Gambit family of military drones and their unique jobs
Technology

A guide to the Gambit family of military drones and their unique jobs

By Kelsey D. Atherton

What DARPA wants in a new recon and delivery drone
Technology

What DARPA wants in a new recon and delivery drone

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A Boeing drone flying in Australia.
Technology

Ghost Bat drones could fly alongside the next generation of Air Force fighter jets

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The US is sending ‘Vampire’ weapons to hunt drones in Ukraine
Technology

The US is sending ‘Vampire’ weapons to hunt drones in Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Are drones the future of sustainable deliveries?
Environment

Are drones the future of sustainable deliveries?

By Carla Delgado

After a two-month flight, the Army’s Zephyr drone fell from the sky
Technology

After a two-month flight, the Army’s Zephyr drone fell from the sky

By Rob Verger

a drone operator
Technology

Why controlling a drone with a laser has its perks—and pitfalls

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Move over, autopilot: This AI can avoid other planes
Technology

Move over, autopilot: This AI can avoid other planes

By Rob Verger

The US Navy floats its wishlist: 350 ships and 150 uncrewed vessels
Technology

The US Navy floats its wishlist: 350 ships and 150 uncrewed vessels

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A solar-powered Army drone has been flying for 40 days straight
Technology

A solar-powered Army drone has been flying for 40 days straight

By Rob Verger

The B-21 bomber won’t need a drone escort, thank you very much
Technology

The B-21 bomber won’t need a drone escort, thank you very much

By Kelsey D. Atherton

drone parts
Technology

Why drones are critical for Russia’s war in Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Check out Wing’s new delivery drone prototypes
Technology

Check out Wing’s new delivery drone prototypes

By Rob Verger

DJI Mini 2 fly more combo prime day deal
Gear

Best drone deals for Amazon Prime Day 2022

By Stan Horaczek

Why the US Army wants an ‘aerial tier network’ for better communications
Technology

Why the US Army wants an ‘aerial tier network’ for better communications

By Kelsey D. Atherton

These drones can avoid midair collisions by listening for other aircraft
Technology

These drones can avoid midair collisions by listening for other aircraft

By Rob Verger

The UK’s wee military recon drones will double as cartographers
Technology

The UK’s wee military recon drones will double as cartographers

By Kelsey D. Atherton

This laser-armed Stryker vehicle can shoot down drones and mortar rounds
Technology

This laser-armed Stryker vehicle can shoot down drones and mortar rounds

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Inside the Pentagon’s quest to help create cheap drones for soldiers
Technology

Inside the Pentagon’s quest to help create cheap drones for soldiers

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A collage of images from “Ozone Drone” by Steven Ashley in the July 1992 issue of Popular Science.
Technology

From the archives: NASA dispatches drone to help rescue the ozone layer

By Bill Gourgey