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đ–Ą‚ New 1,000-mile-range solar-powered spy drone, world-first 10G broadband network, EV with swappable battery tech

Plus: AG600: World’s largest 129.9 ft-long seaplane set to fly in China

To improve its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the US Army has introduced the K1000 Ultra-Long Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

Developed by California-based Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, this solar-powered drone is now operational with the Army’s 1st Multi-Effects Battalion (MDEB) under the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF).​

According to a press release by the US Army, the highlight of the training was the network extension integration and deep sensing capability of High-Altitude Balloons (HABs) and the experimentation with K1000 ultra-long-endurance, solar-powered UAS. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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Before the exercise, the unit spent two years working with Kraus Hamdani Aerospace to test and train on the long-endurance UAS system. This was the first time the soldiers could operate the system independently.

“We’ve got trained pilots and mechanics gaining valuable experience on the platform now,” Lt. Col. Mroszczyk added. “They’re logging hours and providing crucial sensor data, enabling us to serve as the task force’s eyes and ears, and as key contributing Army sensor to the Joint Force.”

During Static Focus 3, 1 MDEB completed over one hundred hours of UAS flights in different setups.

It seems only yesterday companies were advertising the immense speeds of 5G with tech demos and long-distance, latency-free robotic surgeries.

Now, China has reportedly pushed the industry even further forward by launching the first 10G broadband network in its futuristic megacity, Xiong’an. Huawei and China Unicom collaborated to deliver the service using 50G-PON technology.

The new broadband technology will enable incredibly smooth connections, allowing users to download large movie files in seconds and stream games via the cloud with almost zero input lag.

The Nio Firefly is the latest EV creating buzz with its “swappable battery.”

Last December, the Shanghai-based electric vehicle company offered glimpses of its compact electric hatchback, the Firefly, at its Nio Day event in Guangzhou. Well, the wait is over, and it’s officially launched.

The company is positioning Firefly as a “high-end small car.” On April 19, Nio officially released its first Firefly model with a starting price of CNY 119,800 (approximately USD 16,400).

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