Aviation Week reports, “High-speed aircraft maker Hermeus flew the Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 demonstrator aircraft above supersonic speed for the first time, marking a first for a privately funded, uncrewed aircraft in the U.S.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Tag: Aeronautics
AIAA Receives Award Recognizing the Impact of Student Outreach Programs
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Challenger Center has awarded AIAA with the Challenger-7 Recognition, a national honor that recognizes work with K-12 students that inspires and supports the next generation of STEM leaders.
From Student Competitions to Corporate Membership: How AIAA Fueled One Engineer’s Journey
FROM THE INSTITUTE
For Rut Lineswala, the path from freshman engineering at Rutgers University to founding a cutting-edge aerospace simulation company wasn’t paved solely by textbooks or classroom lectures. Rather, it was forged in the crucible of real-world challenges, collaborative competitions, and the continuing support offered by AIAA through every stage of his career.
Congressional Leaders Laud NASA Moon Plans, But Fight Intensifies over Science Funding
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Congressional leaders with oversight of NASA were bullish on the progress of the Artemis program and plans to return astronauts to the surface of the moon and beyond, but also reinforced the clashes ahead on Capitol Hill over steep proposed cuts to the agency’s budget.
YFQ-42A Returns to Flight After Safety and Software Upgrades
Breaking Defense reports, “A drone wingman built by General Atomics has resumed flying roughly one month after crashing in the California desert shortly after takeoff. In a press release Thursday, the company said its YFQ-44A aircraft ‘returned to flight testing following a round of safety reviews and software enhancements.’”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Video
YFQ-42A drone by General Atomics
(Techno Thunder; YouTube)
GA-ASI and Saab Complete First Flight of MQ-9B With Early Warning Radar
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has conducted the first validation flight of its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft using Airborne Early Warning radar pods. The AEW capability is being provided through a partnership with Saab. Once the AEW sensor, named LoyalEye, is made available to MQ-9B operators and new customers, it will deliver persistent and cost-effective air surveillance capabilities in regions where it is currently unavailable.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Eve Advances eVTOL Program After 59 Successful Test Flights
Aviation International News reports, “Eve Air Mobility has closed out a key phase of its eVTOL flight test campaign, accumulating 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 33 seconds of flight time across 59 uncrewed flights at Embraer’s test facility in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
New Silicon Battery Partnership Targets Longer-Range Drone Delivery
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Amprius Technologies and Matternet have entered a strategic collaboration to integrate high-energy density silicon anode lithium-ion batteries into autonomous aerial delivery platforms. The partnership has already deployed Amprius cells into Matternet’s M2 aircraft, a platform operating within urban drone delivery networks.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Navy Clears MQ-25 Stingray for Initial Production Phase
Defense One reports, “The Navy’s drone tanker, the MQ-25A Stingray, is cleared for low-rate initial production—just weeks after a production-ready model took its first flight. “MQ-25 reached Milestone C, which is huge because now we have inflight refueling that is unmanned…it’s a great capability,” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said at the end of an hourslong Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday.”
Full Story (Defense One)
NASA Administrator Calls on Space Industry to Move with Urgency
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Jared Isaacman took the stage at ASCEND 2026’s opening plenary with a singular message: NASA is a fundamentally different agency – one that will act with urgency to return to the moon, build a permanent base there, and realize the economic potential of operating on the lunar surface.