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Hanwha Systems gearing up to enter air taxi market

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Hanwha Systems is making a $25 million investment in US air taxi startup Overair, and has received approval from the relevant authorities for the move.

Hanwha Systems and Overair research and development are planning to co-develop and bring the “Butterfly” to the US air-taxi market by the year 2025.

In early December of 2019, Youn-Chul Kim, CEO of Hanwha Systems, said that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved Hanwha Systems’ $25 million investment in Overair (previously K4 Aeronautics), a leading US air-taxi startup. [Read more…] about Hanwha Systems gearing up to enter air taxi market

OnRobot launches ‘compact, highly customizable’ electric vacuum gripper

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OnRobot, a provider of robotic end-of-arm tooling, has launched the VGC10 compact electric vacuum gripper that addresses customer demand for a small but powerful and highly configurable gripper for nearly any application.

Based on the design of the award-winning OnRobot VG10 electric vacuum gripper, the compact VGC10 is smaller and lighter than its larger cousin, so is ideal for constrained environments and smaller robot arms, but offers the same impressive payload of 15 kg (35 lb).

The VGC10 provides fast out-of-the-box deployment but also offers unlimited customization, with easily changeable suction cup options and the ability to add or replace arms to fit highly specific application needs. [Read more…] about OnRobot launches ‘compact, highly customizable’ electric vacuum gripper

Festo presents BionicSoftHand and BionicSoftArm

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Festo has presented the latest innovations in its BionicSoftHand and BionicSoftArm technologies.

Combined with the BionicSoftArm, a pneumatic lightweight robot, the Future Concepts are “suitable for human-robot collaboration”, says Festo.

Whether its grabbing, holding or turning, touching, typing or pressing – in everyday life, we use our hands as a matter of course for the most diverse tasks. [Read more…] about Festo presents BionicSoftHand and BionicSoftArm

OnRobot launches ‘small but powerful’ new gripper

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OnRobot, a manufacturer of robotic end-of-arm tooling, has launched a new gripper which it describes as “small but powerful”.

OnRobot says the VGC10 compact electric vacuum gripper addresses customer demand for a small, powerful and highly configurable gripper for nearly any application.

The new gripper has no compressor and requires no air supply, which eliminates the cost, noise, space, and maintenance of producing compressed air, says OnRobot, adding that the compact electrical gripper is “easy to implement and move”. [Read more…] about OnRobot launches ‘small but powerful’ new gripper

ISO unveils ‘world’s first’ drone safety standards

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The International Organisation for Standardisation has launched what are described as the “world’s first” drone standards.

The regulations are the result of a 12-month period of consultation with drone professionals, academics, businesses and the general public.

The final publication of these new international safety and quality Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems is set to have a massive impact on the future growth of the drone industry throughout the world, and, are the product of several years of cooperation and rigorous interrogation from all sectors of society. [Read more…] about ISO unveils ‘world’s first’ drone safety standards

FedEx to test Wing Aviation drone for Walgreens deliveries

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Wing Aviation, an Alphabet company, is collaborating with FedEx and pharmaceuticals retailer Walgreens to launch a first-of-its-kind drone delivery service in Christiansburg, Virginia next month.

The pilot program will demonstrate the many benefits of drone delivery to communities by exploring methods to enhance last-mile delivery service, improve access to health care products, and create a new avenue of growth for local businesses.

Drone delivery in the United States has historically been limited to small-scale demonstrations on designated test sites, or extremely short flights along pre-planned, fixed routes – all within the visual line of sight of the drone operator. [Read more…] about FedEx to test Wing Aviation drone for Walgreens deliveries

Stäubli charging system installed for electric vehicles at Long Beach port

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Stäubli’s Quick Charging Connector (QCC), a rapid charging system for the automatic charging of electric vehicles, have been incorporated in high powers chargers installed by Tritium at the Port of Long Beach, California, USA.

SSA Marine, which manages the terminal at the Port of Long Beach, is transforming 33 diesel-powered tractors by retrofitting them with all-electric drivetrain systems.

Tritium, an Australian company that designs and manufactures fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles, will install its Veefil High Power Chargers (HPCs), type PK 175kW DC to power SSA Marine’s fleet of terminal tractors.

[Read more…] about Stäubli charging system installed for electric vehicles at Long Beach port

ThyssenKrupp to provide 155 lifts and 22 escalators to Beijing airport base

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As the sole lift supplier to China Southern Airlines’ new Beijing airport base, Thyssenkrupp Elevator is to deliver 155 elevators and 22 escalators to Beijing Daxing Airport, which is currently under construction.

China Southern Airlines has moved to the new mega airport in the south of Beijing as part of its ‘two-hub’ strategy, alongside its current Guangzhou base.

The plans for the airport facilities were designed by architect Sir Norman Foster, while the hexagonal main terminal was designed by Zara Hadid Architects. At approximately 7.5 million sq. feet, it will be the largest terminal in the world.

[Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp to provide 155 lifts and 22 escalators to Beijing airport base

Flying taxis set to take off

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With traffic jams a common occurrence in the world’s cities, frustrated drivers sometimes find themselves looking to the heavens for a little help from above. A few years from now, the skies could in fact offer a tangible solution.

The Boston Consulting Group predicts that people around the world will take 1 billion flights in air taxis in 2030, once sharing services have also established a presence on fixed routes above the ground.

What is more, most of those air taxis will be capable of operating without a pilot.

[Read more…] about Flying taxis set to take off

Lilium launches air taxi. Flying cars could take to the skies next

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Flying cars have been around a long time, but only as test vehicles, often engineered and built by tinkerers who may have been seen as somewhat eccentric for even dreaming up such a machine.

But in the past couple of years, these “eccentric tinkerers” have been usurped by corporate bigwigs who maybe see a big market for the technology.

In the most recent development, a German company called Lilium has completed a successful test flight with its all-electric flying car.

[Read more…] about Lilium launches air taxi. Flying cars could take to the skies next