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Last week in Russia, we caught a rather terrifying glimpse of what the future of drone warfare could look like. Russsian defense contractor, Almaz-Antey, was recently awarded a patent for their shotgun-wielding drone

In 2017, Facebook imagined a scheme that used fixed-wing, bird-sized drones to provide high-speed internet to people living in remote areas. The aim of the project was to make it easier for people living in isolated places to stream videos or undertake other data-intensive tasks on their mobile devices. The drones were not intended to be a replacement for mobile phone networks but were rather a way of getting more people in developing countries or other zones with internet access difficulties onto their platform. Aquila started in 2015 and envisioned giant solar-powered drones flying at altitudes of between 58,000 – 85,000 feet, completing three-miles circuits for months on end while broadcasting free internet to billions of people in developing countries who do not have ready access to the internet.

In a recent trial, a SETI team used LIDAR technology equipped to a NASA-backed, Astrorobotic drone and mapped the Lofthellir Lava Tube Ice Cave in Iceland. The lava tube in Iceland was chosen because of the uniquely challenging environment it offers as well as its similarity to caves that drones may one day explore on the Moon or Mars. Small free-flying spacecraft might be the ideal robotic platform for the exploration of lava tubes on Earth, the Moon, and Mars for the simple reason that they would not need to come in direct contact with any of the rough and potentially unstable surfaces found inside caves and lava tubes. The Astrorobotic drones are designed to be nimble and would ideally enter caves, rapidly map zones before exiting and transmitting data back to Earth.

YouTube channel FliteTest has released a new video in which they design, build and test a real-life version of Thor’s famous hammer, Mjölnir. Those familiar with his character will know that he’s seldom without his trusty and extremely heavy weapon, Mjölnir, pronounced Myoll-neer. Mjölnir, according to Norse mythology is one of the most powerful weapons in existence. The aim of the crew at FliteTest was to make a drone that would look just like the Mjölnir we see in the movies and have it move in a smooth manner upright through the air. What it’s like being a drone owner, illustrated through memes Catch all the latest videos and stories from WeTalk by following us on social media: