This new silent drone flies using ionic propulsion and nothing but ionised air
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF If you think planes need fuel to fly then ionic propulsion will make you think again … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. A while...
A new ultra lightweight hydrogen fuel tank could make jet fuel obsolete
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Hydrogen fuels tanks aren’t sexy but if you want to replace jet fuel with greener energy alternatives then making them light is crucial, so this is a milestone. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read...
China plays catch up as AI trounces PLA’s best fighter pilots in simulated combat
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Every country says they will never engage in fully autonomous war or develop fully autonomous military AI, but frankly that’s . Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and...
Rolls Royce’s electric plane smashes multiple world records
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Future aircraft will be powered by “greener” fuels, from ammonia and electricity to hydrogen, and their rate of development is accelerating – literally. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, ...
Designer Bonikowski’s electric jet concept uses air friction to generate its energy
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF As we see breakthroughs in materials and control systems this concept might just be possible … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. So far we’ve seen all kinds of new aircraft propulsion...
United bets on a supersonic future with $3 Billion Boom order
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Supersonic travel is coming back after companies found ways to make it commercially viable after the death of Concorde … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. United Airlines is jumping into the potential...
Worlds first oblique detention engine could unlock Mach 17 aircraft
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF In the future everything is fast, really really fast … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. The future seems full of planes, trains, and even submarines, that can travel at supersonic or...
The world’s first active duty military AI co-pilot just got its next mission
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF First AI helped control aircraft avionics, then it took on missions, and it won’t be soon before it replaces military pilots altogether. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Recently Artificial Intelligence (AI)...
World first as AI officially joins the crew onboard a US military jet
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Humans will increasingly be working with and alongside AI’s – and the military is no exception. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. In a major technological leap forward for national defense in...
Boom supersonic unveil their first prototype commercial aircraft
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF We used to be able to travel supersonic, before the Concorde program was scrapped, but now those days are returning. Interested in the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from our XPotential Academy, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. The days of supersonic travel...
Airbus just unveiled three new radical zero-emission concept aircraft
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The airline industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters, and as society demands action some of them are re-doubling their efforts to clean up their industries for the better. Interested in the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from...
Flying high Airbus shows off its 2030 and 2050 concept cabins
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The future of aviation will be electric, and involve hypersonic aircraft and rockets. But there’ll be room for more conventional aircraft too and they’ll be able to take advantage of new technologies to create amazing new experiences. Interested in the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential...
Reaction Engines tests carbon free Ammonia as future hypersonic jet fuel
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The aviation industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters, so Reaction Engines is developing green fuel for its first line of hypersonic aircraft. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. The next generation...
AI fighter pilot obliterates human USAF pilot in simulated dogfights
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF AI’s learn in fundamentally different ways to humans, and increasingly that seems to be their advantage in human-machine competitions. Interested in the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from our XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Who’s better in a dog fight...
Prototype zero emission jet engine generates thrust using nothing but air and electricity
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Aircraft today burn huge amounts of fossil fuels that pollute the world, this latest breakthrough would make them zero emissions. Interested in the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from our XPotential Academy, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Today’s planes fly by burning...
Virgin Galactic unveils the interior cabin of it’s tourist space plane
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF If you’re jetting off on your holidays today to some foreign land, then tomorrow you could be travelling to hotels in space … Interested in the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from our XPotential Academy, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. A while...
USAF topguns will fight against AI drones in 2021 as era of autonomous warfare nears
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The future of air combat will increasingly fought by autonomous systems, not human pilots, and the race to create those systems has already begun. Interested in the Exponential Future? Connect, download a free E-Book, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. I’ve been talking about the rise of fully...
US Navy’s biofuel powered Tomahawk missiles open door to sustainable rocket travel
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Rocket fuel is in now way sustainable or green, but this innovation could change that narrative. Interested in the Exponential Future? Connect, download a free E-Book, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Rockets aren’t green in any sense of the word, especially when it comes to rocket fuel...
Emission free flying a step closer after Chinese plasma jet breakthrough
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF When it comes to the future of flight there are all kinds of new propulsion systems under development, and plasma jets show alot of promise. Interested in the Exponential Future? Connect, download a free E-Book, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Todays aircraft fly by consuming huge amounts...