Technology

Korea's cardboard drones address UAV shortages and climate crisis — inspired by the Ukraine war, drone inventor looked for the most easily sourced and repairable materials

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

Oct 28, 2025

TL;DR

AI Generated

A South Korean firm, WOW Future Tech, introduced the AirSense UAV drone made from eco-friendly packaging boards and paper fiber at the Boom-Up Festival 2025. Inspired by the Ukraine war, the CEO aimed to address drone shortages using easily sourced and repairable materials. The cardboard drones are cost-effective to manufacture at around $1,400, offering sustainability benefits over carbon fiber drones. The drones are also easily repairable with tape or layered paper products, making them quick to deploy. The non-military use cases of the cardboard drone have attracted interest from the Korean Defense Ministry and Ground Operations Command.

Read Full Article

DARPA calls for proposals for autonomous underwater drones — gov't looking for a small, cheap autonomous sub that can be developed and built quickly

DARPA has issued a call for proposals to develop a small, affordable autonomous underwater drone that can be quickly built and deployed. The program, known as Deep Thoughts, aims to create flexible AUVs using readily available parts with a rapid development timeline. This initiative reflects the military's interest in expanding drone capabilities beyond aerial vehicles to the deep sea. The U.S. government seeks innovative approaches to building autonomous underwater systems to keep pace with evolving technologies and cost-effective solutions in the drone space.

Tom's Hardware•

5 days ago

Russian-made Shahed drones are ‘disintegrating in the air before reaching their targets’ due to shoddy manufacturing, video shows — commentators call Russian clones of Iran's drones 'flying garbage'

Russian-made Shahed drones are facing criticism for disintegrating in the air before reaching their targets due to poor manufacturing quality. Video footage from Ukrainian Sting interceptor drones reveals defects like missing body panels, stray wiring, and deformed wingtips on the drones. The drones are said to be produced in Russia's Alabuga Special Economic Zone with minimally trained workers using inferior Chinese parts. This decline in quality has led to a decrease in the hit rate of these drones in Ukraine, turning them into tools of attrition rather than precision.

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

Is carbon removal in trouble?

Microsoft, a major player in the carbon removal market, has reportedly paused its carbon removal purchases, causing concern in the industry. Carbon removal technologies aim to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for permanent storage. Microsoft, which aims to become carbon-negative by 2030, has been a significant buyer of carbon removal contracts. The company's decision to pause purchases may impact the industry's growth and reliance on corporate support. Industry experts suggest that government mandates and policies are needed to ensure the scalability of carbon removal efforts.

MIT Technology Review•

2 weeks ago

MIT Technology Review

The quest to measure our relationship with nature

The United Nations is working on a Nature Relationship Index (NRI) to measure how well countries interact with the natural world. The NRI aims to shift the narrative from humans being destroyers of nature to fostering a green, abundant world. The index will assess three key questions: whether nature is thriving and accessible, if it is being used with care, and if it is safeguarded. The NRI will debut alongside the 2026 Human Development Report, encouraging countries to compete and improve their scores. The goal is to engage people's hopes and dreams for a better relationship with nature.