Transportation

Many of us take public transportation or fly in airplanes on a regular basis, but have you ever wondered how all of these things work? This collection of transportation articles help explain how people get from place to place.

Topics to Explore

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How an Imaginary Airline Called Poppi Is Pushing Travel Industry Innovation

Will airlines ever change for the better? One marketing concept called Poppi hopes to inspire innovation and push the industry forward.

By Patrick J. Kiger Mar 8, 2016 Flight / Future

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's the Airlander 10!

And did we mention that Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron Maiden, partially funded it?

By Rachel Pendergrass Mar 8, 2016 Flight / Modern

6 Cool Innovations That Could Change Air Travel Forever

Choosing your seatmates through social media? Facial recognition technology to match you and your luggage? The airline industry has the ideas... but will it adopt them?

By Patrick J. Kiger Mar 8, 2016 Flight / Modern

Can Police (Legally) Shoot Down Drones?

If Rep. David E. Lifferth, R-Utah, gets his way, police will soon be able to "neutralize" drones that interfere with emergency response.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Mar 4, 2016 Flight / Modern

Dutch Police Are Training Eagles to Capture Drones Right Out of the Sky

Using low-tech solutions for high-tech problems, falconry may prove beneficial in combating all the wayward drones flying where they ought not to fly.

By Christopher Hassiotis Feb 2, 2016 Flight / Modern

Watch this Flying Spheroid Drone Explore a Glacial Ice Cave

Gyroscopes, carbon rods and flexible joints let the GimBall drone bounce off of and roll against obstacles as it flies on its missions.

By Christopher Hassiotis Feb 1, 2016 Flight / Modern

Clear Plastic Bubble Would Let Aircraft Passengers Enjoy View from Outside

Windspeed Technologies' proposed SkyDeck could offer an external, 360-degree view for airline passengers, and could be a luxury add-on to existing airplanes.

By Patrick J. Kiger Jan 6, 2016 Flight / Modern

The FAA Just Approved a Hybrid Airship, But What Is That, Exactly?

This hybrid airship isn't exactly your great-grandfather's zeppelin.

By Patrick J. Kiger Dec 11, 2015 Flight / Future

The U.S. Military Wants Vampire Drones

The U.S. Department of Defense really wants a drone that can vanish completely after delivering its payload. Got any ideas?

By Jonathan Strickland Nov 18, 2015 Flight / Modern

Airplane Seat Cushions: Stealthy Fart Filters of the Future?

There are so many tweaks we wish airlines would implement, especially if future seat configurations mean stacking passengers with butts suspended above heads.

By Julie Douglas Nov 3, 2015 Flight / Modern

Dirigibles: Bobbing Along Toward a Comeback

We're not quite at floating cruise ship phase, but modern dirigibles could be rising stars for carting cargo.

By Julia Layton Oct 20, 2015 Flight / Future

Here’s Why Drones and Firefighters Can’t Share the Same Sky

Drone hobbyists love the thrill of glimpsing news as it’s happening in real time, but is it safe for them to be at fire scenes?

By Nathan Chandler Oct 14, 2015 Flight / Modern

With More Drones in Our Skies, We're Going to Need Droneports

Mini airports for drones are being built now, and could help medicine reach remote areas. Urban environments could also benefit. Here's what our future may hold.

By Patrick J. Kiger Oct 7, 2015 Flight / Modern

Mile Bleh Club: Why Airline Food Doesn’t Taste Good

Studying the perceptions of passengers at 36,000 feet reveals how noise, vibration and pressurized air affect taste.

By Laurie L. Dove Sep 15, 2015 Flight / Modern

As New Personal Transports Arrive, Let's Acknowledge What the Segway Got Right

Though often chided as goofy, the Segway set the stage for the current generation of skateboards, hoverboards and other people-moving tech.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Sep 15, 2015 Transportation / Engines & Equipment

Do drone pilots train on video games?

Sure, flight-simulation video games and drone piloting both involve computer screens and handheld controllers, but do these similarities make gaming a useful training platform for real-life, high-stakes military operations?

By Kate Kershner Flight / Modern

What's the world's fastest UAV?

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an unmanned aerial vehicle traveling faster than the speed of sound!

By Chris Opfer Flight / Modern

How Drones Work

They're the stuff of headlines, often characterized as evil in the sky. But how do unmanned aerial vehicles actually get off the ground and flying?

By Nathan Chandler Flight / Modern

Why do you have to turn your phone on at airport security?

Going through airport security is the worst part of flying for most people. Now you may be asked to turn your cell phone on in the security line. Why do you have to do that? And does it really keep us safe?

By Beth Brindle Flight / Modern

How Ramjets Work

Imagine whipping through the sky at thousands of miles per hour. This special type of jet engine can do exactly that.

By Nicholas Gerbis Transportation / Engines & Equipment

How Skywriting Works

Writing a legible message on paper requires a steady hand; writing one in the sky requires a steady everything.

By Julia Layton Flight / Modern

Should black box data be stored in the cloud?

Why do we still lock away critical data on a box that can go down with the plane? It may be time to think differently about the black box and its contents.

By Nicholas Gerbis Flight / Modern

10 Unsolved Airplane Mysteries

Since 1948, more than 100 aircraft have gone missing while aloft and never been found. How is this possible? We'll look at some of these unsolved mysteries, as well as other bizarre airline mishaps.

By Patrick J. Kiger Flight / Modern

How can a plane land at the wrong airport?

It happens. And when it does, the consequences can include not only red-faced pilots, but also inconvenienced passengers, endangered planes, damaged airfields and maybe some free peanuts for everyone involved.

By Nicholas Gerbis Flight / Modern

10 Non-murderous Things Drones Do Every Day

Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a ... drone? Turns out, drones are doing all kinds of harmless -- and even heroic -- things all the time. Find out how drones are changing the way we farm, fight fires and make movies.

By Nathan Chandler Flight / Modern