Drones

Drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have no human pilot onboard, and instead are either controlled by a person on the ground or autonomously via a computer program. These stealth craft are becoming increasingly popular, not just for war and military purposes, but also for everything from wildlife and atmospheric research to disaster relief and sports photography. Drones are becoming the eyes and ears of scientists by surveying the ground for archaeological sites, signs of illegal hunting and crop damage, and even zipping inside hurricanes to study the wild storms. You can even rent a personal drone to soar above the horizon and snap a photo or video. Our news and features will cover developments in drone technologies, innovative uses for drones and how drone use will impact society.

Latest Updates

Scientists at the University of Manchester’s High Voltage Laboratory hit the drone with more than 1 million volts to simulate a lightning strike.

Drone vs. Lightning: Guess Which One Wins?

By Kacey Deamer

The drones were fried with more than 1 million volts.

David Lentink of Stanford University stands next to a bird inside the test section of the wind tunnel.

Wind Tunnel for Birds Could Result in Agile Drones

By Edd Gent

Artist's depiction of the gremlin drones.

US Military's 'Gremlin' Program Lets Pilots Launch and Snag Drones in Midair

By Kacey Deamer

The fairy-tale-inspired "Gremlin" program aims to launch and retrieve drones in midair.

Drone Modeled on Insects Is Built to Crash Like a Champ

By Greg Walters

Swiss researchers looked at bee and wasp wings to design a drone that's stiff during flight, but flexible when it hits something.

Plane, Train and Automobile: This Concept Car Transforms into All Three

By Kacey Deamer

This concept car is straight out of "Transformers."

Viral Video of Drone-Hunting Tigers Hides Dark Reality

By Stephanie Pappas

A fun drone video conceals a darker reality.

Straight Out of Sci-Fi: Hoverbike 'Surfs' Through the Air in Test

By Kacey Deamer

The Scorpion-3 is the first manned quadcopter that has undergone testing.

Heads Up! Drones Will Fly People Around Dubai This Summer

By Kacey Deamer

Commercial drones just got a big upgrade.

'Bat Bot' Can Pull Off Impressive Aerial Acrobatics

By Charles Q. Choi

Two Days Aloft: 'Vanilla' Drone Breaks Endurance Record

By Kacey Deamer

DARPA's 'Vanilla' drone claimed a record with a 56-hour flight.

Amazon's 'Mothership': Retailer Gets Patent for Mega-Drone

By Mindy Weisberger

Amazon recently patented a large and robust flying drone made up of lots of smaller drones, for carrying heavy packages.

8 Ways Animal Flight Inspires Drone Designs

By Mindy Weisberger

How do scientists build better flying robots? They look to the natural world for inspiration.

New Flying Robots Take Cues From Airborne Animals

By Mindy Weisberger

From navigating turbulence, to sleeping midflight, to soaring without a sound, animals' flight adaptations are helping scientists design better flying robots.

Forget Selfie Sticks: This Drone Captures Photos and Videos in Midair

By Charles Q. Choi

How Lasers and a Goggle-Wearing Parrot Could Aid Flying Robot Designs

By Mindy Weisberger

A parrot wears tiny, red-tinted goggles and flaps through laser-lit airborne particles to test computer models that explain how animals fly — and shows that there’s room for improvement.