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A Flying Motorcycle Prototype Completes First Flight Test

A model of the Aston Martin Vision Volante Concept aircraft is displayed at the Farnborough Airshow, south west of London, on July 17, 2018. (AFP/Ben Stansall)
A model of the Aston Martin Vision Volante Concept aircraft is displayed at the Farnborough Airshow, south west of London, on July 17, 2018. (AFP/Ben Stansall)
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A Flying Motorcycle Prototype Completes First Flight Test

A model of the Aston Martin Vision Volante Concept aircraft is displayed at the Farnborough Airshow, south west of London, on July 17, 2018. (AFP/Ben Stansall)
A model of the Aston Martin Vision Volante Concept aircraft is displayed at the Farnborough Airshow, south west of London, on July 17, 2018. (AFP/Ben Stansall)

The makers of a luxury vehicle billed as a 'flying motorcycle' that can travel upwards of 300mph have completed flight testing their first prototype and are ready to take preorders, The Daily Mail reported.

Jetpack Aviation envisions its Speeder—a jet-powered, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft—as both a pleasure craft and a mission vehicle well-suited for medical teams and fire and rescue operations. The company's P1 prototype has an aluminum chassis and was tethered during recent flight testing in Southern California, where it hit several benchmarks that 'demonstrated the Speeder's ability to take-off, climb, hover, yaw and perform slow transitions into forward flight,' Aerospace Testing International reported.

The Speeder can reach an altitude of up to 15,000 feet and will ultimately be capable of producing a maximum thrust of 1,200 pounds.

With cargo on board, an automated Speeder could hit speeds of 300 mph, though a manned version would be slower so the pilot could safely see and breathe.

The cost of the Speeder was initially reported at $380,000, but that's likely to increase, according to Jetpack Aviation CEO David Mayman. The Speeder is small enough to be transported in a trailer and doesn't need charging before taking off.

Unlike a jetpack, there's not a lot of prep work needed to launch: 'You'd just hop on and fly,' New Atlas reported. JA is already working on its next iteration, the P1.5, which will use a smaller frame with carbon-fiber body panels.

It will look closer to the final production model and will fly without a tether. The next experimental model, the P2, will have a fully-formed body and small removable wings. While Speeder prototypes use four engines, the final production model will have up to eight.

JetPack Aviation has received backing from venture capitalist Tim Draper, an early investor in Elon Musk's Tesla and SpaceX, CNBC reported. Right now the Speeder can be powered by jet fuel, diesel or kerosene, but Mayman is committed to adopting zero-net carbon fuel moving forward.

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Varieties

Saudi Arabia Ranks 5th Globally, 1st in Arab World for AI Sector Growth on Global AI Index

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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Saudi Arabia Ranks 5th Globally, 1st in Arab World for AI Sector Growth on Global AI Index

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked fifth globally and first in the Arab world in artificial intelligence sector growth, according to the Global AI Index, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

This marks a national achievement that builds on the Kingdom’s steady progress in artificial intelligence and reflects the effectiveness of its development plans and its ability to achieve high international competitiveness under Saudi Vision 2030.

During the period measured by the Global AI Index, Saudi Arabia launched a wide range of national initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). These initiatives strengthened Saudi Arabia’s position on the index.

They included several projects, notably the Rowad Package initiative, which supports entrepreneurs and startups by enabling them to verify customer data through electronic linkage with the National Information Center’s databases.

SDAIA also launched the AI Ethics Incentive Badges initiative to raise awareness of ethical practices and promote responsible use of technologies. The initiative provides a clear framework to help organizations and developers adhere to global best standards. More than 50 accreditation certificates have been granted to national AI companies for developing AI-based products serving priority sectors.

The generative Gaia AI accelerator, supported by SDAIA and the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) in collaboration with New Native, has helped numerous startups enter the market more quickly and efficiently.

These efforts also extended to the SDAIA Academy, which has focused on building national capabilities and empowering young talent through advanced training programs in data and AI, offered in partnership with international organizations.

As part of its efforts, the SDAIA Academy trained more than one million Saudi men and women in data and AI skills through the SAMAI initiative, conducted in collaboration with several government entities. The initiative is considered one of the world’s largest training programs targeting the general population.

These achievements highlight SDAIA’s success in the field of data and AI, both nationally and internationally. They reinforce its role as the Kingdom’s central authority for regulation, development, and application, and advance the nation toward leadership in data- and AI-driven economies.

Varieties

Saudi Arabia: Newest State-of-the-Art Film Production Hub Launched in Qiddiya City

Located at the heart of Qiddiya City, PlayMaker Studios sits just 40 minutes from Riyadh
Located at the heart of Qiddiya City, PlayMaker Studios sits just 40 minutes from Riyadh
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Saudi Arabia: Newest State-of-the-Art Film Production Hub Launched in Qiddiya City

Located at the heart of Qiddiya City, PlayMaker Studios sits just 40 minutes from Riyadh
Located at the heart of Qiddiya City, PlayMaker Studios sits just 40 minutes from Riyadh

Qiddiya Investment Company has announced the official opening of PlayMaker Studios at Qiddiya City, marking the launch of Saudi Arabia’s newest state-of-the-art film production hub. The opening represents a major milestone in the Kingdom’s rapidly advancing film and creative industries.

The launch of PlayMaker Studios marks a strategic addition to Saudi Arabia’s production infrastructure. The studios feature two high-spec, purpose-built soundstages, flexible workshops, and fully integrated production facilities designed to meet the needs of large-scale international and regional productions. The complex also includes modern production offices and on-site support amenities, offering a seamless, end-to-end production environment.

With strong demand already recorded for studio space, construction has begun on two additional world-class soundstages, scheduled for completion in 2026, which will significantly expand PlayMaker Studios’ capacity and enable it to host multiple major productions simultaneously.

Qiddiya Investment Company has also established a dedicated on-the-ground team to provide hands-on support for producers across permitting, logistics, and operational services. In addition, PlayMaker Studios offers streamlined access to Saudi Arabia’s industry-leading 40% production cash rebate, one of the most competitive incentives globally.

As part of its long-term development strategy, PlayMaker Studios will introduce dedicated post-production, visual effects, volumetric, and music studios, further strengthening the Kingdom’s creative and production ecosystem. The complex is set to become both a creative powerhouse and a core pillar of Qiddiya City’s entertainment offering.

Qiddiya Investment Company Managing Director Abdullah Aldawood said: “PlayMaker Studios is a cornerstone of Qiddiya City’s ambition and builds on Saudi Arabia’s growing success in the creative industries. It marks an important step in strengthening this momentum and realizing our vision to create a world class destination where innovation, culture and entertainment come together, and where the global film industry can find a new home in the Kingdom.”

Located at the heart of Qiddiya City - the world’s first destination where culture, sport, and creativity converge - PlayMaker Studios sits just 40 minutes from Riyadh, offering producers integrated logistics solutions, premium accommodation options for production teams, and direct access to a dynamic entertainment environment designed to inspire world-class content creation.

Varieties

Brigitte Macron Visits an Old Friend in China: Giant Panda Called Yuan Meng

FILE - French First lady Brigitte Macron attends a naming ceremony of the panda born at the Beauval Zoo, in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France, on Dec. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool, File)
FILE - French First lady Brigitte Macron attends a naming ceremony of the panda born at the Beauval Zoo, in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France, on Dec. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool, File)
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Brigitte Macron Visits an Old Friend in China: Giant Panda Called Yuan Meng

FILE - French First lady Brigitte Macron attends a naming ceremony of the panda born at the Beauval Zoo, in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France, on Dec. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool, File)
FILE - French First lady Brigitte Macron attends a naming ceremony of the panda born at the Beauval Zoo, in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France, on Dec. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool, File)

French first lady Brigitte Macron caught up with an old friend — a giant panda born in France — at the tail end Friday of a visit to China with President Emmanuel Macron.

At a panda reserve in southwest China that Yuan Meng now calls home, the first lady marveled at how big he has grown. She helped choose his name — which means “accomplishment of a dream” — when he was born in a French zoo in 2017.

“When they're born, they're like this,” she said, holding up two fingers a short distance apart. Meanwhile, the chunky male roamed in his enclosure, feasting on bamboo and ignoring bystanders who cried out his name, hoping to elicit a reaction.

“They have a very independent character,” she said. “They do only what they want.”

For decades, China has deployed what's often called “panda diplomacy” to smooth and promote relations with other countries, gifting the animals to friendly nations and lending pandas to zoos overseas on commercial terms.

Emmanuel Macron’s state visit this week to China, his fourth as president, included meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other officials, discussing Russia’s war in Ukraine, trade ties and other issues.

The China Wildlife Conservation Association said during the visit that it signed a letter of intent to send two of the animals to the Beauval Zoo south of Paris in 2027 under what would be a new 10-year round of panda cooperation with France.

The French zoo sent two 17-year-old pandas — Huan Huan, a female, and her partner Yuan Zi — back to China last month after 13 years on loan in France.

Yuan Meng was their cub, conceived using artificial insemination.

Despite being made in France, he officially belonged to the Chinese government. Yuan Meng bid ‘’adieu’’ to France in 2023, sent off to a new life in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China where Brigitte Macron, considered to be his “godmother,” dropped in to see him.

Huan Huan and Yuan Zi also produced female twins in France in 2021.

Huanlili and Yuandudu are also expected to leave the Beauval Zoo for China in the future. The China Wildlife Conservation Association has previously said that it expects them to remain at the French zoo until January 2027.