INTERNACIONAL
Del sueño de volar a un prototipo real: cómo es el dron tripulado creado por estudiantes argentinos que busca revolucionar la movilidad aérea
La escena reúne dos elementos que hasta hace pocos años parecían lejanos entre sí: un grupo de estudiantes y exalumnos de una escuela técnica argentina, por un lado, y una aeronave eléctrica capaz de elevarse sin pista, por el otro. De ese cruce surgió el Atol Mamba, un eVTOL monoplaza que ya realiza vuelos tripulados en Argentina y que sus desarrolladores ubican entre los primeros proyectos de este tipo en América Latina.
El término eVTOL responde a la expresión inglesa electric vertical take-off and landing, que define a los vehículos eléctricos de despegue y aterrizaje vertical. Se trata de aeronaves que suben y bajan como un helicóptero, pero emplean motores eléctricos y hélices en lugar de una turbina convencional. El Mamba adopta ese principio en una plataforma de un solo asiento, con controles inspirados en los drones y una estructura orientada a la movilidad aérea personal.
El proyecto nació como una inquietud entre jóvenes que todavía cursaban la secundaria. Con el tiempo, ese interés tomó forma en prototipos, pruebas técnicas y un equipo multidisciplinario que reunió perfiles de ingeniería aeroespacial, mecánica, industrial, electrónica y diseño industrial. La propuesta dejó de ser un desarrollo académico aislado y pasó a operar bajo la marca Atol, la compañía que concentra la evolución del vehículo.
La empresa quedó formalmente constituida como Atol Tech S.A. en abril de 2026. Sus fundadores son Nicolás Maculan, Matías Felizia y Francisco Yennaccaro, quienes impulsaron los primeros diseños del proyecto. Felizia estudia Ingeniería Mecánica en el Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), mientras que Maculan está vinculado con la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (FIUBA).
Los antecedentes del grupo incluyen competencias universitarias y experiencias relacionadas con ingeniería y aeronáutica. La idea inicial tomó impulso después de una competencia vinculada con la NASA, donde algunos de los futuros integrantes conocieron iniciativas de aeronaves eléctricas tripuladas pensadas incluso para carreras. A partir de entonces, el desafío cambió de escala: ya no se trataba de analizar tecnologías ajenas, sino de fabricar un vehículo propio.
El resultado actual conserva el carácter experimental de sus primeras etapas, pero ya incorpora componentes, sistemas de control y medidas de seguridad propias de una aeronave tripulada. La empresa sostiene que el modelo completó vuelos con una persona a bordo y que busca consolidar una plataforma con aplicaciones más amplias que una demostración tecnológica.
Ocho motores, autonomía eléctrica y sistemas de respaldo para un vuelo sin pista
La arquitectura del Mamba se aparta de la lógica de una avioneta. No necesita recorrer una pista para tomar velocidad antes de elevarse, porque sus motores producen el empuje vertical necesario desde el inicio. Esa cualidad amplía las posibilidades de uso en sitios donde no existe infraestructura aeroportuaria, aunque cada operación depende de límites técnicos, meteorológicos y regulatorios.
El vehículo utiliza ocho motores eléctricos dispuestos en pares coaxiales. En esta configuración, dos hélices comparten un mismo eje, una sobre la otra. El diseño busca aportar la potencia necesaria para levantar la aeronave y, a la vez, distribuir funciones críticas entre varios propulsores.
La clave está en la redundancia. Según la información difundida por Atol, cada motor cuenta con una alimentación independiente. Si uno deja de responder, el sistema conserva recursos para que el piloto mantenga el control y realice un descenso controlado. Esa capacidad no elimina el riesgo de un vuelo, pero reduce la dependencia de un único componente y ofrece un margen adicional ante una falla puntual.
La seguridad reúne otras capas de protección. El Mamba incorpora una celda de seguridad para la cabina, arnés de cuatro puntos, sensores redundantes y un paracaídas balístico. Este último mecanismo funciona como un recurso de emergencia: ante una situación crítica, puede desplegar un paracaídas para desacelerar la caída de toda la aeronave.
El uso de varios sensores también apunta a evitar que una lectura errónea altere de forma decisiva la respuesta del sistema. En un vehículo de despegue vertical, los datos sobre inclinación, altura, posición y potencia resultan determinantes. La computadora de vuelo procesa esa información y asiste al piloto para conservar la estabilidad del aparato.
La forma de conducción toma referencias del universo de los drones. Los comandos se relacionan con tres acciones principales: la potencia para ascender o descender, la inclinación para avanzar o retroceder y el giro para cambiar de dirección. La asistencia electrónica ayuda a sostener el equilibrio de la aeronave, pero la compañía aclara que esa simplificación no reemplaza la formación.
La autonomía marca otra frontera para este tipo de aeronaves. En sus primeras pruebas, el equipo informó vuelos de alrededor de 20 minutos y velocidades de hasta 70 kilómetros por hora. La información actual de la compañía fija como objetivo entre 25 y 30 minutos de vuelo por carga, con baterías de litio que pueden reemplazarse en menos de dos minutos.
El peso vacío del prototipo, con las baterías incluidas, es de 115 kilos. Ese dato influye de manera directa sobre el desempeño: una aeronave más liviana necesita menos energía para elevarse, aunque los materiales deben resistir vibraciones, esfuerzos mecánicos y eventuales impactos. Por esa razón, el diseño exige un equilibrio entre peso, resistencia, potencia y capacidad energética.
La sustitución rápida de baterías aparece como una solución para reducir los tiempos entre vuelos. En lugar de esperar la recarga completa de un paquete, un operador podría colocar otro conjunto ya cargado. Sin embargo, esa modalidad requiere controles estrictos sobre el estado de las celdas, la temperatura, los conectores y la trazabilidad de cada batería.
Atol busca definir el marco regulatorio y proyecta usos recreativos, deportivos y de rescate
El origen del Mamba estuvo ligado a la curiosidad técnica y a la posibilidad de construir una aeronave eléctrica personal. Con la evolución del prototipo, sus creadores identificaron escenarios de uso que abarcan actividades recreativas, operaciones de rescate y aplicaciones deportivas. Cada una de esas alternativas plantea requisitos diferentes.
En zonas de montaña o lugares de acceso limitado, un vehículo de despegue vertical podría ofrecer una ventaja por su capacidad para operar sin pista. Para tareas de rescate, de todos modos, la autonomía, la carga disponible, las condiciones del viento y la formación de los operadores definen los límites reales de cualquier misión. El Mamba es un monoplaza y su configuración actual no equivale a la de un helicóptero de evacuación.
El campo deportivo adquirió un lugar relevante dentro de la estrategia de la empresa. Atol trabaja en la idea de una categoría de competencia aérea eléctrica, con vehículos que pongan a prueba velocidad y maniobrabilidad. La comparación con el automovilismo sirve para explicar ese enfoque: las carreras podrían ofrecer un ámbito exigente para evaluar componentes, sistemas de control y rendimiento de baterías.
Esa proyección comercial depende de un paso que todavía no está resuelto: la regulación. Que una aeronave experimental consiga despegar y completar vuelos no significa que pueda operar de forma comercial ni circular en cualquier espacio aéreo. La certificación busca comprobar que el vehículo cumple requisitos de diseño, fabricación, mantenimiento y seguridad antes de una habilitación.
Los desarrolladores mantienen conversaciones con la Administración Nacional de Aviación Civil (ANAC) y estudiaron el marco de la Administración Federal de Aviación de Estados Unidos (FAA, por sus siglas en inglés). El objetivo consiste en definir bajo qué categoría podría encuadrarse el Mamba y qué condiciones deberá cumplir en su evolución hacia un producto comercial.
Los eVTOL desafían los esquemas tradicionales porque combinan características de helicópteros, drones y aeronaves eléctricas. Las autoridades deben resolver cuestiones como las licencias de los operadores, los espacios autorizados para el vuelo, las exigencias de mantenimiento, las comunicaciones y las respuestas ante una emergencia. También deben establecer parámetros para las baterías y los sistemas automáticos de estabilización.
El camino que enfrenta Atol incluye demostrar que el vehículo puede operar de manera segura y repetible más allá de los vuelos de prueba. Para ello, deberá sumar ensayos, documentación técnica, capacitación y procesos de certificación. La meta ya no se limita a comprobar que el Mamba despega: consiste en definir las condiciones que permitirían que una aeronave nacida de una idea escolar encuentre un lugar dentro de la aviación regulada.
INTERNACIONAL
FlyDubai co-pilot accused of cockpit attack was grounded by Oman Air before joining airline: report
Investigators probe terror link in alleged flydubai hijacking
Former Israeli National Security Council chief Eyal Hulata analyzes an alleged in-flight attack on a FlyDubai flight traveling from Dubai to Israel after an Omani co-pilot stabbed the captain. Hulata details how the captain unlocked the cockpit door, enabling passengers to restrain the suspect before an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a passenger jet mid-flight and nearly causing a catastrophic crash was grounded by Oman Air in 2024 after the airline discovered he had been visiting radical Islamic websites, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Authorities believe the co-pilot moved to Dubai later that same year, according to the source, who also told Fox News the co-pilot spent a significant part of his life outside Oman, including with his mother, who is from Syria.
According to the source, FlyDubai did not check with Oman Air about the co-pilot before hiring him.
FLYDUBAI PILOT SHOWED WORLD ‘THE HIGHEST FORM OF COURAGE,’ INDIA’S PM SAYS
A FlyDubai aircraft carrying Israelis who experienced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia is seen parked at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (Ariel Schalit/AP)
The new details come as The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the Omani national had previously been banned from flying over concerns he had adopted radical ideological views before later being hired by FlyDubai. The newspaper reported it was unclear whether Omani officials shared those concerns with other countries or airlines.
Fox News has not independently verified the reason the co-pilot was grounded by Oman Air.
The alleged attack unfolded Wednesday aboard FlyDubai Flight 1073 as the aircraft traveled from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
UNITED FLIGHT FROM CHICAGO MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER PASSENGER’S ‘MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS’ TO BREACH COCKPIT
A plane takes off as a flydubai aircraft sits on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.
According to passengers and officials, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, sending the aircraft into a steep dive that nearly tore it apart before two reserve pilots aboard the flight regained control and safely diverted the aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew members then helped overpower the suspect, according to accounts of the incident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described the incident as terrorism, saying the attacker had undergone «Islamic radicalization.»
«He came to crash the passengers on board,» Netanyahu said, according to the Wall Street Journal.
UK AIRBASE TERROR SUSPECTS BEING RELEASED ON BAIL AS IRAN DENIES CONNECTION
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who allegedly was attacked on a FlyDubai plane heading to Israel on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (Israel Foreign Ministry)
Netanyahu also said Israeli authorities are investigating whether the suspect acted alone or had assistance from others.
The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation into the incident. A UAE spokesperson declined to comment to the Journal on the suspect’s background, saying officials did not want to prejudice the outcome of the investigation or interfere with its course.
The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of airline pilot vetting procedures and aviation security on flights serving Israel. Aviation security analysts told the Journal the episode represented a significant security failure and raised questions about how warning signs may have gone undetected before the co-pilot entered the cockpit.
FlyDubai has suspended flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv following the attack.
FlyDubai did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
world, airlines, middle east, saudi arabia, benjamin netanyahu, foreign
INTERNACIONAL
Obama judge halts Trump firing bid as decades-old legal authority tees up possible major reversal
An Obama-appointed judge blocked President Donald Trump from firing court-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Roger Rogoff, ordering the Justice Department to recognize Rogoff as the rightful officeholder and restore his ability to serve.
«This is yet another ruling from an activist judge trying to thwart President Trump’s agenda and undermine his constitutional authority. U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President,» White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Digital.
Judge Stanley Bastian, who was first nominated by Obama in 2013, issued a preliminary injunction reinstating Rogoff and barring the administration from treating him as having been lawfully removed. The ruling sets up a legal fight over whether a president can fire a U.S. attorney appointed by federal judges. A 1979 Justice Department opinion and a 2000 federal appeals court ruling both concluded that the president has that authority.
«We disagree with the decision and intend to seek an immediate stay and will appeal,» the DOJ Rapid Response account wrote.
TRUMP ADMIN FIRES US ATTORNEY IN SEATTLE MINUTES AFTER HE WAS APPOINTED
Some legal experts and conservative attorneys took to social media to sharply criticize the ruling, arguing it infringes on the president’s constitutional authority over the executive branch.
«Another lawless and dangerous ruling. Violating the separation of powers. By another Democrat activist judge. This time? Seattle Obama Judge Stanley Bastian,» wrote Article III founder and president Mike Davis.
«Democrat judges handpicked their own U.S. attorney. The President, through his attorney general, fired him. Under Article II of the Constitution, the President clearly has the executive power to fire Justice Department officials,» Davis added.
Davis also noted Bastian’s first name was misspelled in the order, missing the «e» in Stanley.
‘ROGUE’ OBAMA JUDGE’S SMACKDOWN OF TRUMP ELECTION RULES PROVOKES OMINOUS WARNING FROM WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY
«The Federal Judge misspelled his own name in his order. That’s how you know it’s quality legal work,» wrote one user.
«Now Judge Bastian created an unnecessary constitutional crisis by essentially ordering a coup at the Justice Department, by ordering the removal of the President’s pick and putting in Bastian’s judicial puppet. The Ninth Circuit must fix this. Or the Supreme Court will have to step in. Again,» Davis concluded.
«The President’s power to remove U.S. Attorneys must be unfettered consistent with Article II of the Constitution. Judge Stanley Bastian is wrong here to order Rogoff reinstated. I predict Judge Bastian will eventually be reversed, whether at the Ninth Circuit or by the Supreme Court,» said Oversight Project litigation vice president Jeff Clark.
WHITE HOUSE RIPS ‘ACTIVIST’ BIDEN JUDGE WHO UPENDED TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER
«Judicial overreach, plain and simple. The judiciary does not get to run the Executive Branch. Period,» said Holtzman Vogel partner Brian Nieves.
In Myers v. United States (1926), which centered on President Woodrow Wilson’s firing of a postmaster without Senate consent, the Supreme Court ruled that the president generally has constitutional authority to remove executive branch officers.
More recently, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel concluded in a 1979 opinion that the president’s statutory authority to remove «each United States attorney» also extends to prosecutors appointed by federal judges.
The case is the latest in a string of legal fights over President Trump’s U.S. attorney appointments, following similar disputes in New Jersey, Virginia and New York.
A similar dispute unfolded in New Jersey after the administration sought to keep Alina Habba leading the U.S. attorney’s office after her interim term ended. Federal courts ultimately rejected the administration’s effort to maintain her authority, although the judges’ original appointee, Desiree Grace, did not simply take over the office.
Rogoff’s case goes a step further, directly testing whether a president can remove a U.S. attorney appointed by federal judges under the statutory process for filling a vacancy.
federal judges, donald trump, justice department, law
INTERNACIONAL
Dems demanding Venezuela brief face State Dept fury as senators leave town without answers
The State Department is accusing Democrats of performative «grandstanding» by demanding a sweeping Venezuela oil deal briefing then postponing it so the Senate could leave town early.
Four senior Senate Democrats demanded documents they already knew were coming, according to material reviewed by Digital. Then, the Senate rescheduled a congressional briefing on the agreement planned for Oct. 1, 2026, so it could break for fall recess.
The group of lawmakers were seeking more information on the Pentagon’s involvement in an agreement with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) that gives the Department of War a 35% stake in one of Venezuela’s largest oil producers.
TRUMP TOUTS ACCESS TO 65 BILLION BARRELS OF VENEZUELAN OIL IN DEAL HE SAYS WILL SLASH GAS PRICES
State says the lawmakers had known for weeks that administration officials planned to brief the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and provide documents on the deal on Thursday.
The department went forward with delivering copies of the U.S. government’s strategic partnership agreement with NABEP to the committee, claiming it did so despite the briefing being pulled down «as a courtesy.»
«Copies of the USG Strategic Partnership Agreement with NABEP for your Members are in the SFRC front office,» a senior State Department official wrote. «Each Member has a folder with their copy.»
State Department Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson claimed Senate Democrats canceled the briefing so they could «skip town and go on vacation.»
«This is pure grandstanding,» Johnson wrote on X. «When they sent this letter, they had known for weeks that we planned to brief them and provide the documents today, on October 1.»
A congressional source familiar with the planned briefing disputed State’s characterization, telling Digital that lawmakers had not been told the written NABEP agreement would be provided before writing the letter and that the briefing was intended as a broader update on U.S. policy toward Venezuela, not specifically the oil deal.
And emails reviewed by Digital show the briefing postponement request itself came from a Republican majority staffer on the Foreign Relations Committee, who told State early Oct. 1 that «the Senate has left town» and asked to move the briefing until November.
A State Department official told Digital the staffer was acting on behalf of the full committee.
The congressional source said Republican leadership had ended legislative business for the week, with senators on both sides of the aisle preparing to leave Washington ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
The group of Democrat lawmakers demanding the briefing are challenging the legality and prudence of the Trump administration’s agreement with NABEP, which would give the Pentagon rights to a 35% stake in one of Venezuela’s largest oil producers.
Under the arrangement, the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital would receive rights to the stake through so-called penny warrants, while the State Department would receive preferential rights to purchase 20% of the company’s production at cost.
The unusual structure is part of the administration’s broader effort to revive Venezuelan oil production and expand U.S. economic influence after Nicolás Maduro’s ouster. Democrats argue the Pentagon may lack legal authority to take the stake and have raised questions about the administration’s vetting of NABEP and its leadership.
The administration argues the structure could generate substantial returns for the U.S. without requiring taxpayers to buy the stake up front. The White House has said the government’s 35% position could ultimately be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in equity and dividends if NABEP succeeds in developing the fields.
The deal could also give Washington a new source of relatively low-cost crude at a time when the administration is trying to increase global supply and bring down fuel prices. State would have the right to buy 20% of NABEP’s production at cost and the right of first refusal on the remaining output, which the administration says could help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and supply U.S. military and other sensitive needs.
The White House also says millions of barrels of additional Venezuelan production could eventually flow through U.S. refineries and be developed using American drilling equipment and infrastructure, generating investment and jobs in the United States.
NABEP produces roughly 220,000 barrels a day and has said it plans to more than double production to 500,000 barrels a day by late 2028. The administration is betting that private investment can revive fields that have suffered years of underinvestment and mismanagement.
The agreement is part of a much broader U.S. effort to remake Venezuela’s economy after the dramatic removal of Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
On Jan. 3, U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transport them to the United States to face federal charges. The administration has characterized the operation as a law enforcement mission supported by the military and has since made rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector a central part of its stabilization strategy.
Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, has remained in power while cooperating with Washington, even as Venezuela’s political transition remains unsettled and opposition figures continue pressing for elections.
The White House has described the NABEP agreement as part of a three-part strategy of stabilization, reconstruction and eventual democratic transition, arguing that restoring oil production is necessary to rebuild Venezuela’s economy and reduce the influence of China, Russia and other U.S. adversaries in its energy sector.
TRUMP ‘SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING’ PLAN TO MAKE VENEZUELA AND ITS $40 TRILLION IN OIL PERMANENT PART OF USA
Senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.; and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., challenged both the legality and prudence of the deal in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Among their central questions is whether the Pentagon office being used to structure the investment has the legal authority to acquire an equity position in a foreign oil company. The senators also demanded the agreement itself, details about how State would pay for oil and information about the administration’s vetting of NABEP and its leadership.
«The proposed agreement is unlikely to reduce high energy costs for Americans, and it risks undermining the Venezuelan people’s transition away from a dictatorship,» the senators wrote.
Digital reached out to the offices of all four senators who signed the letter for comment.
The unusual Pentagon role has drawn scrutiny since the deal was announced. Rather than immediately purchasing shares with taxpayer money, the Office of Strategic Capital’s position is structured through penny warrants that give the government the right to acquire equity for a nominal price.
The Democratic senators argue that structure does not resolve the underlying legal question.
They contend the statute establishing the Office of Strategic Capital authorizes loans and loan guarantees but does not explicitly empower the Pentagon to acquire equity stakes in private foreign companies.
«It is unclear,» the lawmakers wrote, «why the American public should support this attempt to entangle the United States with a relatively unknown foreign oil company that lacks the capacity or credibility to develop oil fields of the magnitude described.»
The senators also raised concerns about NABEP Chairman Alejandro Betancourt, noting past money-laundering investigations involving the Venezuelan businessman. Betancourt has not been charged with a crime, and Rubio has previously said he is not under active U.S. investigation.
The dispute could form the basis for broader congressional scrutiny of one of the Trump administration’s most unconventional efforts to expand U.S. economic influence in Venezuela.
venezuelan political crisis, state department, foreign policy, congress, nicolas maduro, politics, national security
FlyDubai co-pilot accused of cockpit attack was grounded by Oman Air before joining airline: report
Obama judge halts Trump firing bid as decades-old legal authority tees up possible major reversal
Del cambio de intendente a la “crisis de seguridad”: la otra Mar del Plata que rodea al Coloquio de IDEA
Jornada financiera: los activos argentinos tuvieron una recuperación parcial, pero el riesgo país siguió en máximos del año
Sandra Pettovello desplazó a la subsecretaria de Trabajo, Claudia Testa
El último adiós a Ricardo Soulé: el velatorio será en Quilmes este viernes y sábado
Antes de viajar a París, Milei les envió un mensaje a inversores franceses: “Son bienvenidos para venir a llenarse los bolsillos”
Bombshell report exposes healthcare fraud schemes as taxpayers lose up to $521 billion annually
Elecciones en la UTA: se pone en juego la conducción del poderoso gremio de colectiveros
Jugueterías en crisis: “Se han cerrado más de doscientas en el último año”, afirmó el presidente de la Cámara de la Industria del Juguete
POLITICA2 días agoLey de Tierras: la CGT repudió el fallo de la Corte Suprema y le exigió a Diputados que rechace el DNU de Milei
- POLITICA3 días ago
La CGT descartó un paro general, pero hará una movilización el 8 de octubre en defensa de la industria
- POLITICA6 horas ago
Milei volvió a dar un discurso en la Argentina Week de París y se emocionó en el cierre
