Lifeboat Foundation

Perfect for the holiday season.

*Under very specific conditions dictated by Tesla, that is.

Rotor Technologies is now in production on a full-size unmanned helicopter for civilian use. Based on the Robinson R44 Raven II, the R550X flies for more than three hours, at speeds up to 150 mph (241 km/h), carrying up to 1,200 lb (550 kg) of cargo.

According to Torklaw, helicopters have about 9.84 crashes per 100,000 hours of flight time. That’s curiously low, given their reputation and the fact that “general aircraft” have 7.28 crashes per 100,000 hours. But still, they’re notoriously tricky to fly, and there are a growing number of projects attempting to make them much easier, using simple fly-by wire joystick controls, or even simpler one-finger tablet control schemes.

Continue reading “Rotor R550X: A full-size autonomous helicopter anyone can buy” »

Are humans disrupting the Earth’s salt cycle through deicing roads and other salt activities? This is what a recent study published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment hopes to address as a team of researchers led by the University of Maryland examine the environmental impact of salting roads as a safety measure from freezing temperatures, resulting in increased levels of salt throughout the environment, including the air, soil, and water, thus disrupting the Earth’s natural salt cycle. While the Earth’s natural salt cycle is a process that occurs over vast periods of geologic time, human activities are increasing this cycle in alarming ways.

Salts being used as deicing agents are common across the United States during the winter, with more than 44 billion pounds of deicing agent used annually. In fact, between 2013–17, road salts accounted for 44 percent of the salt use in the United States, which accounts for 13.9 percent of total dissolved solids that make their way into streams and waterways across the nation.

“This is a slow-moving train wreck,” said Dr. Megan Rippy, who is an assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and a co-author on the study. “It’s playing out so slowly that it’s easy to overlook that our streams, lakes, and drinking water resources are becoming progressively saltier.”

E-Revolt cuts conversion time from weeks to just a day.

Converting a fuel-run car to a fully electric car in 24 hours sounds unbelievable, but that’s what German startup e-Revolt claims it can do.

Normally this conversion process takes weeks, but e-Revolt’s battery design and workflow are revolutionizing this landscape.

Continue reading “This company can convert your fuel car into an EV — in just a day” »

The powerful jet engine will help reduce travel times between popular global destinations in an environment-friendly manner.

Dassault Aviation’s newest business jet Falcon 6X has entered service powered by Pratt and Whitney’s (PW) 812D engines offering 14,000 pounds (lbs) of thrust. The engines underwent rigorous testing since their selection five years ago and will now help the first extra wide-body business jet zoom around the world at 0.9 Mach.

Dassault’s newest offering aims to redefine the travel experience by offering unparalleled comforts of space and luxury in a business jet. The extra wide body design of the aircraft is further enhanced by the “uninterrupted lines” feature of the cabin that de-clutters in interiors like never before.

E-bikes and self-driving cars both entered the year with momentum. Only one maintained it.

Tesla has introduced new features for the Cybertruck, including the ability to detect speed and red light cameras, a 360° live camera feature, and innovative technology that will shape the future of electric vehicles.

Questions to inspire discussion.

Continue reading “Tesla Unveils $120K Cybertruck Foundation Edition with Advanced Features” »

The Cybertruck’s groundbreaking technology and controversial design are driving significant interest and attention, expanding the market beyond traditional truck lovers and potentially doubling production capacity.

Questions to inspire discussion.

Continue reading “Cybertruck Demand Surges, Attracting New Buyers” »

My first drive with Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta 11.4.8.1Raw 1x speed footage: https://youtu.be/Pdqxm6NDqfE