Although we're still a long way from commercial airplanes powered by a combination of fossil fuel and batteries, a recent feasibility study explored fuel/battery configurations and the energy lifecycle to learn the trade-offs needed to yield the greatest reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.

Scientists have developed a process for converting plant waste from agriculture and timber harvesting into high-density aviation fuel. Their research may help reduce CO2 emissions from airplanes and rockets.

With an estimated daily fuel demand of more than 5 million barrels per day, the global aviation sector is incredibly energy-intensive and almost entirely reliant on petroleum-based fuels. However, a new analysis shows that sustainable plant-based bio-jet fuels could provide a competitive alternative to conventional fuels if current development and scale-up initiatives continue to push ahead successfully.

Engineers have captured the full complexity of bat flight in a three-dimensional computer model for the first time, potentially inspiring the future design of better drones and other aerial vehicles.

Aerospace engineers extend classical kinetic theory into high-speed aerodynamics, including hypersonic speed, which begins at 3,836 mph or roughly five times the speed of sound. The new study attempt to solve long-standing problems associated with high-speed aerodynamics.

Modern coal-fired power stations produce more ultrafine dust particles than road traffic and can even modify and redistribute rainfall patterns, a new 15-year international study shows. The study indicates filtration systems on modern coal-fired power stations are the biggest source of ultrafine particles and can have considerable impacts on climate in several ways.

To investigate how shortfin mako sharks achieve their impressive speeds, researchers tested real sharkskin samples, using digital particle image velocimetry. They discovered that a 'passive bristling' capability of the microscopic surface geometry of the shark's scales controlled flow separation, which causes pressure drag -- the most influential cause of drag on aircraft. The work could lead to new designs to reduce drag on aircraft.

Engineers have developed a high-powered fuel cell that operates at double the voltage of today's commercial fuel cells. It could power underwater vehicles, drones and eventually electric aircraft at a significantly lower cost.

A group of researchers has recently developed a new software aimed at the analysis of energy generation systems based on kites and drones. They used the software to study the behavior of these systems while transforming the kinetic energy of the wind into useful electrical energy.

By successfully suppressing spectral cross-talk in dual-band photodetectors, a researchers has opened the door to a new generation of infrared imaging devices with applications in medicine as well as defense and security.