Flatworms, Ion Channels, and Burning Mouths
Summary
DroneXL coverage of the DARPA Lift Challenge highlights AVIDrone's Katana helicopter achieving a 3.84:1 payload-to-weight ratio, the best result of the week, and the fact that no entry reached the 4:1 target. The report analyzes energy density constraints, conventional rotorcraft architecture, and implications for future heavy-lift drones and agricultural applications.