science and technology Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Electric fire trucks are coming to the Pacific Northwest

By Tom Banse February 17, 2023

Portland Fire & Rescue would be the second department nationally to take delivery of an electric fire engine built by Pierce Manufacturing. This is the first one in service with the Madison Fire Department in Wisconsin

You probably no longer bat an eye when an electric car passes by on the road. More novel battery-powered vehicles are soon joining the parade to help operators achieve their sustainability goals. Electric ferries are coming to Puget Sound and hybrid electric airplanes are being tested in Washington. Now, several Pacific Northwest fire departments have ordered their first Read More

Department of Energy funds new EV battery plant in Moses Lake

By Dori Luzzo Gilmour December 20, 2022

REC Silicon in Moses Lake. (Credit: REC Silicon) Listen (Runtime 3:53) Read Moses Lake is quickly becoming a hub for green jobs in Washington. An electric vehicle battery factory is […]Read More

Amazon Drone Deliveries Nearly Ready For Prime Time With Oregon Crashes In Rear-View Mirror

By Tom Banse June 28, 2022

This latest iteration of Amazon's package delivery drones will be used to drop off packages in customers' backyards.

Amazon made news this month by announcing it will start package deliveries by aerial drone to real customers in a northern California town. In the run up to the U.S. debut, the company conducted extensive flight tests in Eastern Oregon, where it experienced a spate of crashes. Amazon said Monday the upcoming rollout of commercial drone delivery signifies the refined Read More

Santa’s Reindeer To Get Competition: Amazon Flight-Testing Package Delivery Drones In Pendleton

By Tom Banse November 19, 2021

The uncrowded skies at the Pendleton UAS Test Range have attracted Amazon to conduct package delivery drone testing. Amazon gave no details about the prototypes it is test flying there.

E-commerce giant Amazon confirmed to public radio that it has begun flight testing of package delivery drones at a test range in Pendleton, Oregon, as well as continuing near Seattle and elsewhere. Routine delivery of online orders to consumers by aerial drones remains a long ways off, though.Read More

When Will Drone Delivery Be A Thing? Slow To Take Off, But Now Building In Bend

By Tom Banse October 21, 2021

Volansi executives Mike Jackson, left, and Ahmad Ziada at the drone delivery company's nearly one year old Bend, Oregon, manufacturing facility.

With all the news about supply chain problems, you might be wondering how to get your online purchases on time. If only the promised future of aerial delivery by drone could be realized during the upcoming holiday shopping season.Read More