China's forest-roaming drone swarms 🌲

Plus: Elon Musk won't just own Twitter. He'll act as CEO. May 06, 2022 [View in browser]( Can drones enjoy flying through endlessly flowing rivers and cathedral-like groves of oak and beech? I certainly would. Thanks to a team of researchers in China, drones can now fly through an entire forest, completely autonomously. Though impressive, these machines will never experience the strange unmoored feeling that comes when you step into true wilderness. Before exploring the new bird-inspired drone technology, watch today’s video to see what happened when a tinkerer put a massive propeller on his bike. Everybody wants to fly these days, seems like. Good morning. This is Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let's dig in. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [A DIY enthusiast puts a huge propeller on his bike. And rides it at 20 MPH]( Imagine what a rocket could do. [A DIY enthusiast puts a huge propeller on his bike. And rides it at 20 MPH]( INNOVATION [China developed a drone swarm that can fly effortlessly through an entire forest]( [Drone]( Researchers at Zhejiang University in China [have developed technology]( that enables a drone swarm to fly through uncontrolled environments with complete autonomy. Inspired by birds, built by students. The developers of this technology are part of a research group, which was inspired by bird swarms flying through dense woods, and aims to use the technology for conservation and disaster relief work. - The swarm consists of palm-sized robots equipped with altitude sensors, depth cameras, and an onboard computer. [They don’t rely on GPS]( or external guidance. Collision avoidance, swarm coordination, and flight efficiency are all encoded into this algorithm, which is quite a feat. Apart from the forest, the team has also tested the swarm by asking it to follow a person's lead and avoid other drones in high-traffic zone experiments. The challenge of operating in a city with people and vehicles is undoubtedly a big one on the road ahead. [Read More]( TRANSPORTATION [The world's largest flying aircraft tested its hypersonic capabilities for the fifth time]( [The Roc.]( Stratolaunch [successfully completed the fifth flight test of Roc]( the world's largest flying aircraft. The aircraft flew for a total of 4 hours and 58 minutes over the Mojave Desert, reaching an altitude of 22,500 feet (6,858 m). Size matters. The Roc, with its six Boeing 747 engines and 385 feet (117 meters) wingspan, dwarves the massive Antonov An-225 cargo plane, with its 290 feet (88 meters) wingspan — [which was sadly recently wrecked]( during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. - Stratolaunch added a new pylon to the aircraft's center wing for the latest test flight. The new pylon will be a crucial component for operational launches, as it will enable the Roc to carry and release Talon-A hypersonic vehicles. Next, the team hopes to conduct its first Talon-A flight tests later this year. If all goes to plan, Stratolaunch will start hypersonic flight testing for the Pentagon and other customers in 2023. [Read More]( CULTURE [Elon Musk won't just own Twitter. He'll act as CEO]( [Elon Musk emphasizing things (left), and a Twitter logo on a smartphone (right).]( Elon Musk [will likely serve as Twitter's temporary CEO]( once his colossal $44 billion buyout of the social media juggernaut is complete. - Twitter's present CEO, Parag Agrawal, has held the position for mere months, but speculation was rampant since Musk's big buyout about his thoughts on replacing Agrawal once Musk completed his purchase of the social media firm. Now we know who Musk was thinking of. At least in the short-term, it's himself. What’s next? Much change is expected for Twitter as a company throughout the rest of the year, but the ramifications for Twitter users — and society at large — could last for decades, or longer. Musk has repeatedly touted his beliefs in improving the website’s standing and role as the "de facto town square", but whether that happens, or is possible [amid economic turmoil]( and the looming threat of potentially global conflict remains to be seen. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS In one of the largest and weirdest tech acquisitions in recent memory, Musk fought off initial opposition and bought Twitter. And he has plans. Do you think that Musk will be able to realize his dream for Twitter? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Yes! He’s on the right track.]( [Nope. He’ll get bored soon.]( [Elon has no idea what he is getting himself into. He’ll realize that.]( [It's what Twitter needs either way.]( Yesterday’s Results We asked your opinion on molten salt reactors. For the majority, they are the future, and that's all that matters. They are the future, and such projects are encouraging. 71% It's unlikely that they are going to be successfully deployed anytime soon. 20% Why not just stick to traditional renewables? 6% They’re no good! And a waste of time. 3% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ The essence of science: ask an impertinent question, and you are on the way to a pertinent answer. ” Jacob Bronowski in “The Ascent of Man” (1973) AND ANOTHER THING... - SpaceX's Crew-3 mission [returned to Earth with four astronauts]( after six months on the ISS. - Mathematical magic can seem like mind reading. Your job is to [reveal the secret behind these four tricks](. (Quanta Magazine) - Is NASA's SLS rocket [as far behind SpaceX's Starship as people say]( - Originally thought to be the remnants of gang killings, dozens of skulls found in a cave in southern Mexico are now believed to be from [sacrificial killings more than 1,000 years ago](. (The New York Times $) - A Japanese toymaker built a tiny lunar rover that explores the moon's surface. [Every kid is going to want one](. - A Harvard-trained lawyer was convicted of committing bizarre home invasions. Psychosis may have compelled him to do it. But in a case that became a public sensation, [he wasn’t the only one]( who seemed to lose touch with reality. (Atavist) - Here’s [how light “echoes” help us see]( cosmic repeats from hundreds of years ago. Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? [Subscribe]( [About Us]( | [Advertise]( | [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. 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