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Long-range transport drone, range of 965km and travels at 240km/h
The technology of unmanned vehicles, or drones, is making great strides, and may soon have noteworthy commercial applications. Specifically, the company MightyFly has reportedly received approval to begin the latest phase of testing for its drone, which would be capable of carrying packages over 900 kilometers completely autonomously, without a pilot and without the need for stops.
The technology used for this drone, which continues to be improved, will enable it to revolutionize the world of air deliveries, halving time and especially costs for both the company and end users.
A new era is about to unfold in this industry, and those who are starting before others will be ahead of the curve in the future as well.
The future of delivery with "Cento" of the MightyFly
Delivery using long-range drones is reportedly about to become a reality after the "Cento VTOL" of MightyFly was approved by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aircraft has been given the green light to undergo medium- and long-range delivery evaluation.
A new way to deliver
The drone is a vehicle capable of taking off and landing vertically, with an estimated range of 600 miles (965 km) and a payload capacity, at present, of 45 kg (100 pounds).
What changes with the new MightyFly drone
MightyFly wants to create change in the most cost-complicated segment for businesses. Last-mile delivery from hub to final recipients. The traditional business model consists of ground transportation, which is the most expensive.
Some features of the MightyFly
Although range and lift capacity are impressive as it is, the "Cento" has many other qualities that differentiate it from unmanned aerial transport solutions. The aircraft can reach close to 150 mph (240 km/h), weighs 355 pounds (with maximum load), and has a fairly small footprint.
The size of "Cento" and the battery
MightyFly measures 4 meters in length and 5 meters in wingspan (four meters by five meters), the Cento needs a landing area of about two standard parking spaces. The battery pack of the eight electric motors used for takeoff and landing can recharge mid-flight, thanks to the hybrid propulsion system.
Where the "Cento" gains time
A 30-hp (30.4 PS) heat engine manages to generate electricity that is used to recharge the batteries when the aircraft is in flight. This allows the "Cento" to have much shorter delivery times, removing the need for static charging stops on the ground.
Minimal human contribution
The MF-100's loading platform "Cento" is capable of carrying 96 small mail packages to their destination. Loading/unloading is done by a conveyor belt system, reducing human intervention in delivery and pickup operations by the ground station.
This will not be the final version
Although the testing phase began during December 2022, MightyFly reportedly plans to expand its drone to a more efficient model with a 500-pound (227-kilogram) carrying capacity.
The security system
The drone's redundant safety system, Distributed Electric Propulsion, monitors the operation of the rotors during landing. If one of the propellers malfunctions or fails, the other units compensate for lift to enable a safe landing maneuver.
An expanding project
With this solution, MightyFly aims to solve and avoid common obstacles, such as traffic, the structure of the road system or the ease of reaching the delivery address. The company, founded in 2019, managed to secure $5.1 million in initial funding in April 2021 and is now looking for logistics partners to expand its business model.
Natural Events
24/04/2024
A meteorite crater (also called astroblem, impact crater or basin) is a circular-shaped depression formed by the impact of a meteorite, asteroid, and in general a celestial body, on the surface of a planet.
Evidence of many of these craters, which have impacted our planet over geological eras, can be found on planet Earth. One of the most famous, for example, is the one believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs (called the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction).
Some of these craters can be found underground today, or at least the traces they left behind. Others have become beautiful lakes, others are still desolate and remote places today. But which are the largest in the world by diameter?
Home page
23/04/2024
We are all realising that our way of life, the one our parents, who were born and raised especially after the Second World War, taught us, is no longer sustainable. There are too many of us in this world now, and nature can no longer provide us with everything we need.
Capitalism, or consumerism for short, is forcing us to submit to environmentally worn-out logics that would not be sustainable even in the long run, but are even less so in the short time we have left before everything falls apart. Our way of life must change radically if we are to allow the survival of mankind. For example, the introduction of the law in Europe allowing the sale of insect meal aims at exactly that, at sustainability.
Therefore, it is necessary for all of us, while there is still time, to change certain behaviours to help the world. Here, then, are some tips for leading a greener and more sustainable life.
Natural Events
22/04/2024
Europe is historically a continent where we do not see extreme natural events, such as tornadoes, massive floods and earthquakes. However, events happen every now and then that are so strong and destructive that they go down in history.
Some of these disasters, which occurred even several centuries ago, are still remembered today for the number of victims claimed and the destruction wrought among the population. Weather, it is known, is unpredictable, and even in a relatively calm region like Europe, it can do damage.
The magazine Focus has listed the 10 worst natural disasters in the history of the Old Continent, some of them very recent, others dating back many centuries as well.
From the Road
21/04/2024
According to theMain Streets Across the World 2022report, which analyzes the main shopping areas of 92 cities around the world, New York Fifth Avenue is the most expensive route in the world followed by Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui. Post pandemic, the most expensive street in Hong Kong loses the top of the ranking and records the worst drop ever, -41%.
In detail, with an average annual fee of 14,547 euros per square meter, the Via Montenapoleone in Milan ranks ahead of New Bond Street in London and Avenue des Champs Élysées in Paris, respectively in fourth and fifth place in the global ranking of the most expensive streets in the world.
Via Montenapoleone in Milan, has earned the title of the most expensive shopping street in Europe and the third overall worldwide, with a jump of two positions compared to the last research of 2019.
Home page
19/04/2024
This is a list of the most populous cities in the world, defined based on 2018 United Nations estimates, official census estimates, and the 2021 "Demographia World Urban Areas" report.
"World Urbanization Prospects," a publication by theONU, defines the population of a real city as "the population living within the administrative boundaries of a city." For many of the metropolises, however, the metropolitan area is administratively distinct from the urban agglomeration proper. For this reason, ONU recent estimates distinguish three definitions of cities: cities proper, urban areas and metropolitan areas.
According to the definition of "city proper", based on administrative uniqueness, the Chinese city of Chongqing is the largest in the world.
According to the other two definitions, Tokyo, despite being divided into several administrative units, is the most populous "urban agglomeration" (i.e. the agglomeration without rural areas) in the world, while the Chinese city of Shanghai is the most populous "metropolitan city" (i.e. the area interconnected by common infrastructure and frequent transport).
The data in this gallery include the total population of agglomerations in their highest estimates, thus also including metropolitan areas.