Emerging Technologies

From “left-of-launch” early warning to terminal defense, Pitch Black is targeted at an integrated kill web hypersonic defense system.

While commercial passenger services have yet to materialize, the defense sector is shaping up to be a more immediate market for advanced air mobility companies.

NASA is poised to begin flight tests of a representative stub wing section that is aimed at dramatically enhancing the drag-reducing benefits of natural laminar flow (NLF) in next-generation, swept wing airliners.

Hybrid regional propulsion advances, Windracers pushes scheduled cargo drones, and Luminary speeds uncrewed combat designs.

Discussions are underway within Europe’s Clean Aviation program as to the scope and content of the next public-private research initiative.

Europe’s drive to revitalize the regional aviation industry with ultra-efficient electrified aircraft is moving into high gear.

Editors are joined by Russ Matijevich, space industry veteran and a judge in the Space Tech Challenge Awards. Nominations are now open—could your solution be a winner?

The UK government is to provide up to £43 million ($58 million) in funding to support green aviation projects including the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft and research into avoiding contrails.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability is testing a vibration-based system to deice the wing and other surfaces in flight.

Lockheed Martin has unveiled initial details of a comprehensive hypersonic missile defense system developed under a secretive initiative dubbed Pitch Black.

Finnish electric powertrain company says it has the first solid-state battery for production vehicles, including aerospace and defense.

Rather than flying early and often with numerous prototypes, Eve aimed to converge on a stable design before committing to flight.

A new research paper on global aviation emissions says efficiency-focused policy could swiftly reduce fuel use without limiting air transport capacity.

Following a banner year of satellite launches and two reusable launch attempts, China appears poised to demonstrate more cutting-edge tech on orbit in 2026.

Boeing and startup Salient Motion plan to attempt to certify modular actuators for commercial airliners.

Chinese academics are calling the government to take a more proactive role in SAF adoption, including embedding mandates in China’s next Five-Year Plan.

Startup sees space-based radar as cheaper than aircraft-based AWACs.

Astro Mechanica’s hybrid-electric powerplant operates as a turbofan, turbojet and ramjet.

Personal eVTOLs showcased; nuclear power for SAF; 3D-printed turbojet; and a large cargo UAS.

Wars in Iran and Ukraine have convinced Singapore that airpower is no longer business as usual.

China conducted the first flight of a domestically developed 3D-printed turbojet engine in November 2025.

Dassault Aviation says it has invested $200 million in the Series B funding round of French artificial intelligence startup Harmattan AI.

Quantum sensing is ready to transition from the laboratory to operations, led by ultrasensitive magnetometers for magnetic navigation.

Now backed by orders from AI companies for its Superpower industrial derivative, Boom Supersonic’s Symphony development gains momentum as core tests approach.

XCF Global has signed an MOU to evaluate the use of small modular nuclear reactors for the power-to-liquid production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).