Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 464,272 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,251 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 317,863 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,251 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 317,863 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,217 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 464,272 cutting edge ideas.

Cardboard Delivery Drones

DARPA's ASPARA Systems Make One-Way Trips

— February 1, 2017 — Tech
DARPA's ASPARA systems are the latest piece of unmanned aerial vehicle technology aimed at supply essential goods and products to incredibly remote areas. What sets the ASPARA systems apart from other drones is that they aren't designed to be durable. Just the opposite, ASAPAs are intentionally designed to make only a single flight over the course of their lifetimes.

The system is part of DARPA's Vanishing Programmable Resources initiative, which looks to develop self-destructing electronics in order to prevent sensitive military equipment from falling into the wrong hands. As such, ASPARAs are made out of heavy duty cardboard with biodegradable circuitry; they are just strong enough to complete long-distance cargo flights, but too flimsy to be used more than once.

Once implemented, the systems have the potential to be an inexpensive means of delivering things like medical samples to isolated areas.
Trend Themes
1. Single-use Drones - Developing drones that are intentionally designed to make only a single flight over the course of their lifetimes presents an opportunity for a new market for disposable drones.
2. Biodegradable Circuitry - The use of biodegradable circuitry in drone technology presents opportunities for sustainable manufacturing and environmental sustainability in the electronics industry.
3. Remote Delivery - The implementation of unmanned aerial vehicle technology for remote delivery has the potential to revolutionize the delivery industry and improve access to essential goods and products in remote areas.
Industry Implications
1. Drone Manufacturing - The development of single-use drones presents opportunities for manufacturers to create a new market for disposable drones with potential cost savings for delivery companies.
2. Electronics Manufacturing - The use of biodegradable circuitry in drone technology presents opportunities for sustainable manufacturing in the electronics industry while reducing environmental impacts.
3. Delivery Services - The implementation of unmanned aerial vehicle technology for remote delivery presents opportunities for delivery companies to improve access to essential goods and products in remote areas and expand their customer base.
6.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness