Thomas Top Five 2024: SpaceX’s Rocket Catch and the H1 Robot’s World Record for Speed

Honored to have the Switchblade named in Thomas Industry Top Five alongside SpaceX

In automotive news, Samson Sky’s Switchblade, a flying sports car 14 years in the making, successfully completed its first test flight. With a top flight speed of 190 mph, the $170,000 vehicle can transition from road to air in minutes and requires a private pilot’s license for operation. You can watch our video to see the vehicle in action.

Moving on to the robotics industry,  the H1 humanoid robot from Unitree Robotics broke the world speed record for bi-pedal robots, reaching 7.38 mph and potentially up to 11 mph, surpassing Boston Dynamics’ Atlas. Check out more information about the $90,000 robot’s record-breaking run earlier this year.

In other news this year, Seabike introduced its portable underwater bike, which uses a pedal-driven propeller to help swimmers glide faster and is compatible with scuba setups. Available in various models, the lightweight and safe device also supports snorkeling tours and arm-powered propulsion. Learn more about the innovative device from our video and article.

The aerospace industry saw SpaceX test mechanical arms to catch a Super Heavy booster mid-air a few months ago. The Starship’s upper stage continued into orbit, simulating lunar and Earth landings, while the reusable booster returned to the launch pad after producing 16 million pounds of thrust during liftoff. See the successful catch in our video.

Our final story highlight of 2024 is the demonstration of Boeing’s compact laser weapon system. The 5-kilowatt lasers took down Group 3 uncrewed aerial systems during the U.S.-Saudi Red Sands exercise, defeated small drones at Fort Drum, and successfully neutralized almost 500 drones across multiple deployments. Take a look at what the system is capable of in the field.

Audrey Altmann, Author