- Interesting Engineering Originals
- Posts
- 💥 Forget jets and propellers. Rotary detonations power China’s new drone
💥 Forget jets and propellers. Rotary detonations power China’s new drone
💥 Forget jets and propellers. Rotary detonations power China’s new drone
Forget conventional propulsion technologies, China is pioneering detonation-powered flight. In a secretive test, they allegedly flew and landed a drone powered by a rotating detonation engine (RDE). While details are scant, this rumored achievement could blaze a new path to hypersonic drones and aircraft.
If the reports are true, China has made a bold stride into the vanguard of detonation propulsion, further underscoring its aviation ambitions. However, formidable technical barriers remain before this novel approach becomes viable.
Find out what we know so far in today’s Must Read.
Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE.
This is the Blueprint. Let's get into it!
VIDEO OF THE DAY
The small robot that can reforest the whole planet
Amid multiple challenges, the “Erodium Copy” robot offers hope for our beleaguered ecosystems.
HOT TOPICS
How much water is there on the Moon? Maybe not enough In an interview with IE, the scientist behind the confirmation of lunar water ice discusses lunar water formation and future Moon colonies.
✨ China plans giant particle accelerator-powered chip factory Chinese researchers are working on ways to develop their own semiconductor lithography process to compete with ASML.
🪦 NFTs RIP: Less than one percent are worth more than $6,000 For every NFT sold, there are four more that weren't giving buyers ample choice on what they wanted to pick and at what price.
đź•· 16-million-year-old giant spider fossil found in Australia It's around 5 times larger than modern species, and estimated to be between 11 and 16 million years old.
❌ New evidence of monkey torture at Elon Musk's Neuralink Elon Musk had denied claims that Neuralink’s monkey test subjects died as a result of their brain implants.
Must Read
China has allegedly achieved a major breakthrough in drone technology by successfully test-flying an unmanned aerial vehicle powered by a rotating detonation engine (RDE). RDEs use continuous detonations in a circular channel to generate hypersonic speeds from zero velocity.
Details remain scarce, but reports claim the 5-meter drone flew with a kerosene-fueled RDE that can rapidly accelerate to multiples of the speed of sound. RDEs could overcome limitations of traditional jet engines and ramjets at high speeds. However, stability issues and intense shockwaves pose hurdles to viability.
If the reports are true, RDE-powered drones could have applications in space rockets, military aircraft, and high-speed drones. Click below to learn about what we know so far.
Read More
On an extended mission named OSIRIS-APEX, the spacecraft will visit asteroid Apophis in 2029 to study and map without collecting more samples. Apophis was once feared to pose a danger to Earth, but observations have since eliminated collision concerns for over a century. Still, studying it will reveal insights on hazardous asteroids and solar system origins.
Read More
Researchers at NC State University have developed a revolutionary new material called tungsten oxide hydrate that can enable smart windows with dynamic light and heat control. The inclusion of water in the crystalline structure allows the material to switch between transparent, infrared-blocking, and light-blocking modes when electrically stimulated. This breakthrough provides windows that can adapt to varying conditions for energy efficiency, unlike previous dynamic windows limited to clear or dark states.
Read More
The deal involves an initial $1.25 billion investment and access to up to $2.75 billion more, making Amazon a minority stakeholder. Anthropic will use AWS for computing needs and collaborate on integrating its Claude assistant into Amazon's services. The alliance aims to help developers build innovative AI apps across industries.
Read More
job alert
In this section you’ll find the latest jobs as featured on: jobs.interestingengineering.com
QUESTION OF THE DAY
In the race for AI supremacy, is Amazon’s $4 billion investment in Anthropic a good move?
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
We asked you about robots outnumbering human workers, but only 13 percent believe that people's jobs should be protected.
43%
It appears to be inevitable
25%
Only on dangerous jobs
19%
Yes, we need help from robots
13%
Human jobs must be protected
“It uses kerosene fuel and features rapid ignition, and could power an aircraft from zero-speed to several times the speed of sound.”
Chongqing Morning News report
AMAZON AMAZERS
AND ANOTHER THING
Need help with advertising? Reach 150,000 engineering and tech professionals. Contact us
what else?
For the week’s top engineering stories, subscribe to Vital Component
For expert advice on engineering careers, subscribe to Engineer Pros
© Copyright 2023 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 530 Fifth Ave, 9th floor New York, NY 10036, USA All Rights Reserved
You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage your e-mail preferences here. Unsubscribe from our emails here. See our full privacy policy or terms of conditions.
You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter.
Manage you e-mail preferences or unsubscribe