World First: US Navy refuels jet mid-air with unmanned drone

Published

5 years ago

June 8, 2021

Anthony Lucas

The US Navy has refueled an aircraft using an unmanned drone for the first time in history

The drone, dubbed MQ-25 Stingray, uses the Navy’s probe-and-drogue refuelling method.

The operation took place near Mascoutah, Illinois, with an FA-18 Super Hornet.

The Navy says the carrier-based drone will be the world’s first unmanned tanker to provide critical aerial refuelling and intelligence.

During the flight, the Super Hornet approached the drone from behind and were as close as 20 feet from each other, Boeing said.

Mid-flight, the hose extended from the drone, and the Super Hornet connected with the drogue at the end of the hose to receive the fuel.

Boeing’s drone transferred 325 of the 500 pounds of fuel available during the approximately 4.5-hour test flight, Dave Bujold, Boeing’s MQ-25 program director, said during a press conference Monday.

The US Navy says the carrier-based drone will be the world’s first unmanned tanker to provide critical aerial refuelling and intelligence.

“This is a significant and exciting moment for the Navy and shows concrete progress toward realising MQ-25’s capabilities for the fleet,”
US Navy Captain Chad Reed said.

It comes as the US military juggernaut faces ever-increasing challenges around the world, particularly in the South China Sea.

OpenAI and Anthropic launch faster, smarter AI tools for enterprise coding

OpenAI and Anthropic launch advanced coding models, revolutionizing enterprise software development and intensifying the AI tooling competition.

Published

2 days ago

February 6, 2026

Harvey Vargas

OpenAI and Anthropic launch advanced coding models, revolutionising enterprise software development and intensifying the AI tooling competition.

OpenAI and Anthropic have unveiled powerful new AI coding models aimed at transforming enterprise software development. GPT-5.3 Codex operates 25% faster than its predecessor, tackling complex tasks and following real-time directions without losing context.

Claude Opus 4.6 introduces ‘agent teams’, allowing multiple AI agents to work on tasks simultaneously. The update also includes a one-million-token context window, enabling large volumes of text and code to be processed in a single prompt.

GitHub now supports multiple coding agents, letting developers compare AI approaches on the same problems. Both OpenAI and Anthropic are pushing for enterprise adoption, highlighting the potential for professional applications across industries.

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#AI #MachineLearning #TechNews #EnterpriseTech #OpenAI #Anthropic #SoftwareDevelopment #Coding

Tech

Nvidia and Amazon explore massive OpenAI funding round

Nvidia CEO downplays $100B OpenAI investment, as Amazon eyes $50B stake in AI startup

Published

6 days ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Nvidia CEO downplays $100B OpenAI investment, as Amazon eyes $50B stake in AI startup

In Short:
– OpenAI aims to raise up to $100 billion, with Amazon considering a $50 billion investment.
– Funding will support Project Stargate and address projected losses of $14 billion by 2026.

Nvidia’s CEO has confirmed the company will participate in a major funding round for OpenAI, though the previously mentioned $100 billion commitment is not final.

This investment comes as OpenAI seeks to raise up to $100 billion, potentially valuing the AI startup at around $830 billion. Amazon is also reportedly in discussions to contribute up to $50 billion.

The funding is intended to support OpenAI’s ambitious $500 billion Project Stargate, aimed at pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence.

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News

Big Tech earnings spark investor unease over AI spending

Investors monitor Big Tech’s AI investments, with Meta thriving while Microsoft and Tesla face uncertainty over growth and returns.

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Investors monitor Big Tech’s AI investments, with Meta thriving while Microsoft and Tesla face uncertainty over growth and returns.

Investors are reacting sharply to Big Tech earnings this week, sending a clear signal that massive spending must translate into real growth. Markets are becoming less forgiving as companies pour billions into artificial intelligence, data centres and future tech while returns remain uncertain.

Meta has delivered a standout performance, posting a 24 percent jump in revenue for the December quarter, fuelled by AI-powered advertising. The company is doubling down on its strategy, with aggressive investment in AI and infrastructure expected to drive a further 33 percent growth this quarter.

Microsoft and Tesla tell a more cautious story. Microsoft reported only modest growth in its Azure cloud business, raising questions about its exposure to OpenAI, while Tesla plans to double spending on AI and autonomous driving. Analysts warn of a widening gap between bold AI ambitions and what investors expect in returns.

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