Honda Civic Type R (2017) review: The hot hatch hooligan

When you think hot hatch, there are typically three letters that immediately spring to mind: G.T.I. Over the past four decades, Volkswagen’s souped-up Golf has developed into one of the auto industry’s most endearing and successful icons, blending sporty-yet-subtle styling with practicality and, most importantly, a driving experience that few rivals can hold a candle to.

In recent years, though, there have been a number of challengers to the Golf GTI’s front-wheel-drive crown, none more diametrically opposed to the ethos of Wolfsburg’s hot hatch hero than the Honda Civic Type R. In fact, the latest iteration – known inside the Japanese manufacturer as “FK8” – doesn’t just hold a candle to the Golf GTI, it has stormed into the wax factory brandishing a flamethrower.

This is, without a doubt, the most extreme front-wheel drive hot hatch Honda has ever made. Come to think of it, it’s the most extreme front-wheel drive car any manufacturer has ever made. Just look at it.

Honda Civic Type R (2017) review: The styling

Okay, we’ll admit that the FK8 is no traditional beauty. “Reserved” isn’t really a word the styling department seemed to consider when putting pen to paper. The thing is that, while the standard Civic we first drove back in February may appear a bit fussy, the new Type R version puts all its little flicks and creases to good use.

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Using lessons learned from its participation in the World Touring Car Championship, the chiselled front splitter now features a winglet at either end designed to add downforce without increasing drag. The lower bonnet line means that there’s a new intake scoop on the hood, feeding fresh air to the 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine. More importantly, it looks cool.

It’s the same story at the rear, where “vortex generators” at the back edge of the roof improve the airflow over the rear wing. Yes, frickin’ vortex generators. According to Honda’s engineers, the little shark fins help to “optimise the pressure difference” over the wing. This has enabled the rear wing’s aerofoil section to be slimmed down, again reducing drag.

All this work has resulted in a hot hatch that provides genuine downforce, rather than simply reducing lift, something that no other manufacturer is able to do with its own high performance hatchbacks. We can detect more than a few wry smiles from the usually reserved Japanese engineers back at HQ.

Honda Civic Type R (2017) review: The cockpit

When it came to the last-generation Civic Type R, some of the most fervent criticisms came once you had plonked yourself into the black-and-red bucket seats. The driving position was a little too high and, while the sweeping dashboard with its separate digital speedo looked super space-age, it was actually a bit of a pain in the arse to live with.

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Honda has, therefore, put in the hours to improve almost every element of the interior. The new buckets seats (complete with extra side padding) are mounted 40mm lower, improving the car’s centre of gravity, while also providing a more sports car-like driving position.

The traditional analogue dial cluster has been switched out for a modern LCD instrument display too which, thanks to the controls on the steering wheel, is much easier to navigate through, allowing you to check out your cornering g-forces, turbo boost pressure and a number of other geeky statistics. Oh and, huzzah, the speedo can be seen at all times, something that seems especially important in a family hatchback capable of hitting 169mph.

Elsewhere, the general quality of the cabin’s materials has been improved dramatically, with swathes more Alcantara – including on the door linings – and the option of extra carbon interior trim to provide an even more extreme sporting ambience.

Honda Civic Type R (2017) review: The techy bits

When you drill right down into the hot hatch experience (disclaimer: we don’t condone drilling into your hot hatch) it’s all about the power and the driving dynamics. Despite this, it’s a bit of a disappointment to see Honda persist with a rather cheap infotainment system in the central console.

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The unit’s response time isn’t as sharp as its competitors and the Garmin-based navigation system seemingly makes it as difficult to navigate around a city as possible. On our drive around Dresden we eventually lost count of the number of times we made a wrong turn due to  misunderstanding the sat-nav’s slightly garbled instructions.

However, while the infotainment system is nothing special – and seems an unnecessary cost saving in a car that is priced at nearly £1,500 more than a five-door Golf GTI, albeit with an added glug of power – Honda doesn’t fail to impress with some of the other tech loaded into the 2017 Civic Type R.

There are now three drive modes (instead of the previous two), with the extreme “+R” mode now complemented by Comfort and Sport settings. These adjust the throttle and steering responses, along with the new adaptive dampers.

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Anyone who drove the last generation Type R will have been blown away by the mechanical limited slip differential. Honda has found a way of improving this too, adding Agile Handling Assist – an electronic system that can brake the inside wheels to aide turn-in or can send more torque to the outside wheels – to improve traction under acceleration.

Honda Civic Type R (2017) review: The oily stuff

Turbocharging the Type R was meant to be a sacrilegious move – a bit like asking for ketchup with your Michelin star dinner. Yet, when the previous-gen model was launched just over 18 months ago, it became readily apparent that the 2.0-litre VTEC powerplant was an absolute cracker.

This fact hasn’t been lost on Honda. It’s gone down the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” line in the 2017 model. Under that low-slung bonnet, the Tyre R’s engine is – ostensibly – the same as that in the previous model. But, this being Honda, it hasn’t gone completely untouched.

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A single-mass flywheel has been fitted in place of the old dual-mass unit, improving the throttle response dramatically. Similarly, an electric wastegate out of the turbocharger helps to make the whole thing feel a little bit more zingy – an effect that is amplified by the shorter gear ratios of the FK8.

The car’s cooling has also been improved, with a new air-to-water intercooler and pistons featuring their own oil gallery, which help to keep the motor from getting too hot-headed. All this has allowed Honda to boost the engine’s maximum output to 320hp at 6,500rpm (with peak torque of 400Nm developed between 2,500 and 4,500rpm).

Honda Civic Type R (2017) review: The drive

All of this wouldn’t mean anything, however, if the 2017 Honda Civic Type R was a donkey to drive. Thankfully, the touring car looks are genuinely backed up with a front-wheel driving experience unlike any other – and for all the right reasons.

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Our initial experience isn’t particularly extreme, cruising out of Dresden across a number of cobbled streets. Switching the Type R into Comfort mode, it quickly becomes apparent that the new adaptive dampers have a wider range of abilities than ever before, gently soaking up the imperfections. By compare the old car would have been crashing over each bump.

There also seems to be less road noise (despite the slightly wider tyres and new 20-inch wheels) meaning that the Type R is now a genuinely appealing day-to-day prospect.

It first shows its character when we hit an unlimited section of autobahn, rapidly storming its way up to 160mph in a way that would no doubt leave a few German sports cars looking a little embarrassed. The new Type R is mightily fast in a straight line and, with that new triple tailpipe exhaust it actually sounds rather fruity too.

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The old car’s soundtrack – while not augmented or synthesised like a number of competitors – sometimes sounded a little unpolished. Not any more. In the middle of the rev range, the centre tailpipe adds a satisfyingly gravelly note, while at high rpm, a negative pressure effect reduces booming and adds a shrieking, race car-esque vibe.

Of course, none of this lets us know how the latest Civic Type R actually fares when faced with a corner, which is a pretty integral part of a hot hatch’s repertoire. Luckily, some time on track really lets us explore the limits of the completed redesigned chassis.

Stiffer and lighter than before, the Type R also features a proper multi-link suspension setup at the rear for the first time. Coupled with a lengthened wheelbase, the setup is specially tuned to provide stability under braking and, by gawd, does it work well.

With the help of the massive Brembo calipers, you can stand on the anchors impossibly late into even tighter hairpins without unsettling the Civic’s back end. In fact, the harder you push, the more it just wants to stick, seemingly egging you on to ever greater acts of hooliganary.

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In terms of front-wheel drives cars, the new Honda Civic Type R is very much the 911 GT3 RS equivalent in its sector. Ridiculous aero, stunning grip, and a dynamic prowess that puts all its competitors in the shade.

Yet, it’s not out of its depth in the real world too. Switch back into the standard Sport mode and, on the road, there’s a level of compliance that the old version can’t match. It feels nimbler, the steering has more weight and greater feel and, with the shorter gear ratios, you can actually make better use of the beautifully slick six-speed shifter without having to reach licence-losing speeds.

Verdict

Yes, the huge box arches, boy racer wing and myriad of vents may not make the new Honda Civic Type R the most shy and retiring hot hatch in history. Actually, it even manages to make the last generation look a little demure.

However, in terms of and out-and-out performance – both on the straights and in the squiggly bits – Honda has played a blinder, providing sports car levels of fun and dynamism, without compromising on day-to-day usability. Every little area where the old Type R came in for criticism has been reworked, with the end result being a vastly improved car.

When the mood takes, the new Type R is comfortable, quiet and reserved (at least from inside) but, with the flick of the mode switch, it can transform into a complete lunatic. And we like that. We like that a lot.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 storage to start at 64GB

Korean news site Osen has quoted an official Samsung spokesman as saying the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 will have 64GB and 128GB storage options. Both phones will also have a microSD card slot that will let you expand the storage up to 256GB.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 8: What’s the story so far?

The previous Galaxy Note 7, which met its demise after just a couple of months being on sale, only had a 64GB storage option with a microSD card slot.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 phablet could be unveiled on 26 August, according to a recent rumour, although this hasn’t been officially confirmed by Samsung. It’s also expected to launch in September, but for the mighty high price of £870 or $1120.

Elsewhere it’s expected to follow a similar to design to the Galaxy S8, that being an Infinity Display with virtually no bezels around the edge of the screen. It was thought Samsung would be able to fit the Note 8 with a fingerprint scanner under the screen, but a recent set of renders suggest it will in fact be placed on the rear of the phone.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs Galaxy Note 7: What’s the rumoured difference?
• These amazing Galaxy Note 8 renders reveal Samsung’s next phablet
• Samsung shows off dual camera tech, destined for the Galaxy Note 8?

The scanner will sit alongside the dual camera, a first for a Samsung phone, heart rate sensor and LED flash, in a protruding rectangle lens. The Note 8 will also be thicker than the S8 and S8+, mainly due to the fact the phablet will come with the S Pen stylus, which will have a slot inside the phone to stay in.

Pocket-lint UK deals of the day: Motorola Moto G5 for £164.99 today

Welcome to Pocket-lint deals of the day where we scour the internet to find you the very best deals that are available in the UK today.

We will be regularly updating this page, so bookmark it and check back regularly to make sure you don’t miss out on some of the best tech deals online.

Amazon have announced Prime day this year will be on Tuesday July 11th with deals starting from 6PM Monday July 10th 2017 onwards. 

• Amazon Prime for £59 – save £20 today
• The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire free Amazon Kindle download.
• Sign up for a 1 month free trial to Amazon Prime – cancel anytime
• Amazon Prime Music membership – 4 months for 99p
• Motorola Moto G5 16GB – £164.99 on Amazon.
• Battlefield 1 (Xbox One) – £22.00 on Amazon today.
• Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controller Pair – Neon Red/Neon Blue – £58.48 on Amazon.
• Hozelock Starter Hose Set 15m – £9.99 exclusive for Prime members.
• DYSON V6 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner – £161.49 with code 15FLOORCARER on Currys.
• MICROSOFT Xbox One S, FIFA 17 & Wireless Controller Bundle – £199.99 on Currys with code XBOX20.
• A Song of Ice and Fire, 7 Volumes (Game of Thrones) – £23.99 on Amazon today.
• Qi Wireless Fast Charger for Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus – £6.99 on Amazon.
• AGM Latest 2nd Generation Micro USB Magnetic Adapter Charger Charging Cable – £4.99 on Amazon.

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Tech and Gadgets

• AMD Ryzen 5 1600 Desktop CPU – £188.99 on Amazon.
• PANASONIC HC-VX870EB-K 4k Ultra HD Camcorder – Black – £399.00 on Currys.
• Toshiba Exceria 128GB Micro SD Memory Card – £37.89 on Amazon.
• Plextor 256GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Solid State Drive – £63.99 on Amazon.
• HP Pavilion 14-al118na Laptop, Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, NVIDIA 940MX, 14″ Full HD – £599.95 on John Lewis.
• NeeGo Raspberry Pi 3 Kit – reduced from £100 on Amazon today to £39.99.
• Oral-B Smart Series 4000 Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush – £39.99 on Amazon.
• Asus RT-N12E N300 Eco Series Wireless Router – £9.99 on eBuyer.
• Pebble 14 mm Time Round Smartwatch – Silver/Red – £59.98 on Amazon.
• Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Mouse is reduced on Amazon today from £69.99 to £36.99. 
• HP Pavilion x360 15-bk150sa 15.6-inch 2 in 1 – Silver laptop is £499.00, saving you £150 off on Currys.
• Microsoft Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard is £32.99 today reduced from £99.99 on Amazon.

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Phones

• iPhone 7 like new O2 refresh for £303.00.
• Wileyfox Swift 2 – £109.00 get it today on Amazon.
• OnePlus 5 128GB available now at O2.
• Huawei Honor 5C – £124.95 on Argos.
• iPhone 7 32GB Black with 2GB data – £135.00 upfront, £22.99 per month, £686.76 total cost over 2 years at Mobiles
• Google Pixel 32GB Black with 5GB data – £25.00 upfront cost £27.99 per month £696.76 total cost over 2 years at Mobiles
• Diamond X 4G Andorid 6.0 – £75.68 on Amazon.
• Huawei Honor 5C – £124.95 on Argos.
• Apple iPhone 7 256GB in red – £799.00 on John Lewis.
• Bush Spira D3 – £99.95 on Argos.

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Games

• Homefront The Revolution + DLC and a free T-shirt for £6.85 on ShopTo.
• LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham – £9.85 on ShopTo.
• Mario and Luigi: Super Star Saga + Bowser’s Minions (Nintendo 3DS) – £27.99 on Base.
• Horizon Zero Dawn – £26.86 on ShopTo.
• Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition – £79.99 on Amazon.
• Rayman Legend Definitive Edition (Nintendo Switch) – £29.99 on Amazon.
• Prey (PS4) – £22.93 on Amazon.
• Xbox Live 3 Month Gold Membership and Rocket League for free – £14.99 on Amazon.
• Sony PlayStation VR – £315.00 on Amazon.
• Mortal Kombat XL (PS4) – £13.85 on Base.
• Dead by Daylight (PS4) – £19.99 on Amazon.
• Yakuza Kiwami Steel Book Edition (PS4) – £23.85 on Base.
• Rime (PS4 & Xbox) – £17.49 on Argos.
• Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PlayStation Vita) – £7.49 on Base.
• Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Day One Edition (Xbox One) – £8.54 on Amazon.
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Inc The Peruvia PS4 – £26.86 on ShopTo.net.

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Audiovisual

• LG 49UH770V 49 Inch SMART 4K Super Ultra HD TV with HDR – £512.10 using code TVS10.
• HISENSE H49M3000 49″ Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR LED TV – £369.00 on Currys.
• LG 43UH603V 43 inch Ultra HD 4K Smart TV – £379.00 on Amazon.
• Lenovo 65CDGAC1UK ThinkVision X24 OLED FHD Monitor has been reduced from £179.99 to £119.99 on Amazon.
• Philips 55PUS6401 55 Inch SMART 4K – £499.00 on Amazon.

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Entertainment

• Heroes complete box set in Blu-ray is £17.99 using code BINGE10 on Zavvi.
• John Wick 2 – £19.99 on Zavvi.
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Blu Ray – £15.00 on Amazon.

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The Morning After: Friday, June 30th 2017

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

On June’s final day, we’re checking in with Elon’s tunnel project and celebrating the return of ‘Sense8.’

Start digging.Elon Musk’s first tunnel runs straight to SpaceX

After a bit of teasing, SpaceX and Tesla-head Elon Musk showed off more of The Boring Company’s work. It’s digging a tunnel apparently connecting a SpaceX building in LA to the parking lot across the street, complete with an elevator for cars.

The SNES Classic could be Nintendo’s last retro machine.The case against an N64 Classic

A spotty game catalog and odd controller make it unlikely we’ll see a Nintendo 64 follow-up. Even though the NES Classic flew off store shelves, and the SNES Classic looks like a hit in the making, David Lumb thinks it’s the end of the line for Nintendo nostalgia. Making things worse, licensing hits like Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark could be difficult.

Lock it down.Microsoft is building ransomware protection into Windows 10

Ransomware is a rapidly spreading scourge, but Microsoft may have a new tool to fight the criminals. Its latest Windows 10 Preview build is testing a feature called Controlled Folder Access. It restricts folders so unauthorized apps (or sneaky malware) can’t edit, overwrite or encrypt the data. Testers, give it a trial run now before it comes to everyone in an update this fall.

Congratulations, fans.‘Sense8’ is coming back for one more episode

When Netflix cancelled its sci-fi series Sense8, fans worried they’d never get a resolution to season two’s cliffhanger ending. Now, Lana Wachowski has announced that — in response to fan demands — there’s a two-hour holiday special on the way.

Really, you should just watch ‘Baby Driver.’What we’ve been watching in June

In the latest installment of our new IRL series, Engadget editors chime in with opinions on their recent TV and movie viewing. Attack on Titan, GLOW and even Jurassic Park made the cut this month — take a look and see if they were worth the watch.

The joy of being a beta testerI don’t regret being an iPhone early adopter

Sure, the iPhone lacked things like GPS and 3G when it launched in 2007, but Nathan Ingraham explains what it was like to pick up Apple’s mobile device at launch. Even a six-month lead time between reveal and launch couldn’t kill its considerable hype, and its touchscreen, YouTube app and unique UI were the payoff.

It’s very familiar.macOS High Sierra preview: It’s what you can’t see that counts

As you may have guessed from the name, the next version of macOS is more focused on fixes than high-profile improvements. Still, everything Apple is adding under the hood will go a long way toward preparing the OS for bigger changes down the line.

But wait, there’s more…

• The Army is flight testing helicopter-mounted laser weapons
• ‘Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow’ game is now available on Android and iOS
• Sony will get back into vinyl-record production — next year
• ‘AMC Premiere’ app will let cable subscribers stream ‘The Walking Dead’ ad-free

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t 17subscribe.

Japan wants to put a man on the moon before China does

Japan’s space agency JAXA has submitted an ambitious proposal to the country’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology: it wants to fly and put a man on the moon by 2030. The agency is either directly challenging China’s plans to do the same thing by 2036 or is planning to work with China to reach their identical goals at the same time. We offer the latter as a possibility, no matter how small, because a JAXA spokesperson told CNN that the plan is to be part of a multinational manned lunar probe. A Japan-only mission would be a bit too expensive for the agency.

That unnamed multinational mission would apparently start preparations by 2025 — take note that Japan doesn’t have a guaranteed seat yet, but it’s hoping to get one by contributing to the project. JAXA will reveal more details about its space exploration dreams at Japan’s International Space Exploration Forum in March 2018. We’re guessing it has other big missions on the docket, seeing as China and India are already making waves in what’s dubbed as the “Asian space race.”

In addition to sending an astronaut to our planet’s natural satellite by 2036, China also intends to explore the dark side of the moon in 2018. India successfully tested its first reusable space shuttle in 2016 and set a record for launching 104 satellites aboard a single rocket earlier this year.

Source: CNN

Samsung Planning to Build World’s Largest OLED Display Factory

Samsung Display is planning to construct the world’s biggest OLED display manufacturing plant, with more than 30 percent higher production capacity than the company’s current biggest factory, according to Korean website ETNews.

“iPhone 8” mockup designed by Benjamin Geskin for iDrop News
The report, citing unnamed industry sources, suggests the tentatively named A5 factory could begin mass production in 2019, with a peak yield of between 180,000 and 270,000 display panels per month.

Samsung Display has reportedly also been expanding its existing A3 plant since the second half of 2015 in order to fulfill demand for OLED displays from both its sister company Samsung Electronics and Apple.

Apple is widely rumored to release its first iPhone with an OLED display, known as the “iPhone 8” for now, later this year. Reports claim Apple has ordered between 70 and 92 million OLED panels from Samsung for the device.

An earlier report out of Korea claimed Apple aims to switch its entire iPhone lineup to OLED displays by 2019.

Tags: Samsung, etnews.com, OLED
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Nikon D820 announcement in July, says report

There have been rumours circulating about a Nikon D820 for the last month or so, but it seems we won’t have to wait for something more official.

Dedicated website Nikon Rumors claims that the “Nikon D810 replacement” will be announced in July, with a September release planned. It cites information received from “several different sources”.

It does suggest a little caution, however. As the site has not received an exact announcement date, it suggests an announcement delay until August is still a possibility.

The Nikon D820, has been subject to a few specifications leaks over the last few weeks, but the name and details are unconfirmed naturally.

Indeed, it is even suggested the camera could be called the D850 instead.

Either way, it is said to come with a 45 or 46-megapixel sensor, improved high and low ISO levels in comparison to the D810, and a new and improved version of SnapBridge.

The leaks state that there will be no built-in GPS, as previously suggested, but it will come with a tiltable LCD scren, two memory card slots (SD and XQD) and the same Autofocus system as the D5.

To get yourself prepared, you can read our full, in-depth review of the Nikon D810 here.

Square’s personalized prepaid card is available to everyone

Digital payment service Square has been inviting customers to sign up for its prepaid debit card since May, and is now opening up the program to everyone. On Thursday, the company announced the Square Cash Card is available to order via the Square app or website.

The card essentially cuts out the middleman, allowing customers to use their Square Cash at brick-and-mortar stores instead of having to transfer funds to their bank account or rely on Apple Pay. In that sense, it’s probably more accurate to describe it as a prepaid card than a traditional debit card.

The sign-up process is relatively straightforward, but does boast a playful element that lets you create your own, custom laser-etched signature for the card, which has a minimal design (no lengthy card number here, just the solitary Visa Debit logo and the chip). Whereas Square CEO Jack Dorsey simply used his @Jack Twitter handle as his signature on the card he teased back in May (he’s also the CEO of Twitter, you see), other customers have been a bit more creative with their designs, as you can see in the tweets below. A word of caution: Square screens the signatures, so it’s probably best to keep things clean.

Loving my @SquareCash card which lets me have my signature in #Hindi. Have you gotten your #cashcard yet? It’s actually pretty dope. pic.twitter.com/u03CBjVqw8

— Rahul Thathoo 🤘 (@thathoo) June 29, 2017

I got a #cashcard for my Square account too. Not sure when I’d ever use it so… ¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/RArzNZZN2k

— Chris Schmidt (@WhollySchmidt) June 19, 2017

Knowing that Square previously abandoned plans for a credit card program, it does come as a bit of a surprise that its Cash Card turned out to be more than just an experiment — maybe it just wanted to beat its competitor Venmo to the punch.

Via: The Verge

Source: Jack Dorsey (Twitter)

Facebook’s internet-beaming drone managed not to crash on its second outing

Why it matters to you

The successful test flight is a major boost for Facebook’s efforts to take the internet to people in remote parts of the world.

Facebook’s internet-beaming drone, called Aquila, came down heavily when it landed at the end of its debut test flight in Arizona last summer. Widely defined in the media as a “crash,” Facebook made little of the incident in its lengthy analysis of the drone’s first outing, describing it only as “a structural failure we experienced just before landing.” A subsequent investigation into the accident pointed to windy conditions as the cause.

Having made some changes to Aquila’s design in response to lessons learned from that initial flight, Facebook on Thursday happily reported a successful second outing for its mammoth, solar-powered flying machine.

The unmanned, autonomous aircraft, which at 42 meters sports a wingspan greater than that of a Boeing 737, flew for 1 hour and 46 minutes in a test mission last month, and “landed perfectly on our prepared landing site,” Facebook reported. And just to prove it, the company even posted a video (below) showing it touch down. Smoothly.

#Facebook‘s #Aquila #drone has successful second flight‼️ https://t.co/5N907Oaa2a $FB #AquilaBeach #Solarpic.twitter.com/SvWQTwLTvO

— Tesla New York (@TeslaNY) June 30, 2017

Martin Luis Gomez, Facebook’s director of aeronautical platforms, said in the post that modifications to Aquila’s design include the addition of “spoilers” to the wings to increase drag and reduce lift during the landing approach, and the inclusion of a horizontal propeller stopping mechanism to support a successful landing.

They also added hundreds of sensors to the aircraft to gather useful data, modifed the autopilot software, and put in new radios for the communication subsystem.

Gomez said the second test flight saw Aquila climb twice as fast as it did on its first outing, thanks in part to a smoother finish given to the drone that also came as part of its improvement program.

“This second flight was all about data,” Gomez said, some of which will be used “to refine our aerodynamic models, which help us predict the energy usage and thus optimize for battery and solar array size,” as well as “to understand how Aquila’s shape responds to flight in real-time.”

Landing

Satisfied with its performance in the air, the team turned its attention to the all-important landing. While the drone could one day fly for months at a time, the team don’t want a costly mess to clear up each time it returns to terra firma for a service, so it really needs to nail the touchdown.

The Aquila aircraft, Gomez explained, has no landing gear in the traditional sense, instead landing on Kevlar pads attached to the bottom of the motor pods; its low landing speed and descent rate allowed engineers to eliminate weighty wheels and struts for a more efficient design.

The landing pad comprises a 6-inch deep, 500-foot circle of level gravel, and as you can see in the video, the aircraft touches down without a hitch.

Gomez said the team was “thrilled” with how this second test flight went.

Facebook’s long-term aim is to one day have lots of these drones flying high above the clouds simultaneously, using on-board tech to bring affordable internet access to those in remote parts of the world.

“Connecting people through high-altitude solar-powered aircraft is an audacious goal, but milestones like this flight make the months of hard work worth it,” Gomez said.

This battery-free, LED bike light uses magnets to light the way

Why it matters to you

It’s a light you can just attach and forget about — you never have to switch it on or off, and there are no batteries to think about.

Reelight’s bike lights have been keeping cyclists safe for more than 10 years, but the team behind them is now aiming to score Kickstarter backing for an upgraded design.

If you’ve not heard of Reelight‘s frictionless light system, here’s a quick overview. It comprises two parts: the light, which attaches to the front or rear left fork of your bike, and a magnet, which attaches to a spoke. As the wheel turns, the magnet powers the light, which flashes as you ride and stays lit for up to two minutes if you come to a standstill, such as at a stop light.

The “always on” bike light flashes night and day when you’re riding, a factor that Reelight says significantly ups its safety credentials. In addition, its battery-free design means you’ll never have to worry about it suddenly dying on a ride home in the dark.

The all-new CIO light

Reelight, an award-winning bike-light firm based in Denmark, is planning to launch its latest design, the CIO, via Kickstarter. The upgraded version has been improved to offer greater light intensity for other road users and pedestrians — it can be seen up to 300 meters away — and includes decent side visibility for everyone around you.

According to Reelight, it takes just a few seconds to attach the light to your bike using a new patent-pending mounting system.

As for the magnet, Reelight has redesigned it to make it more powerful, and while the system used to consist of two 12-centimeter (4.7 inches) modules, it’s now just one small, coin-sized magnet.

Worried about someone nabbing your light? Reelight says, “Since the lights are being mounted with a key, it’s very difficult for a thief to steal it. The wire is made out of coated stainless steel and is very hard to break.”

The eight-person team is looking for about $40,000 in funding to start shipping the CIO in October, 2017. Early-bird backers can preorder a set (one white and one red) for about $40, which is around 38 percent off the expected retail price.

The new design “is just the kind of bike light that every avid biker was waiting for as it has no batteries, no friction, and can be easily mounted,” Reelight said. It certainly looks pretty appealing, and with the company’s lights already fixed to one in three bikes in Denmark’s main cities and 10 million sales made worldwide, this latest design could soon be lighting the way for many more cyclists before too long.

While you’re here, how about checking out Digital Trends’ pick of the coolest cycling gadgets on the market today.