pilots

California is testing and evaluating solar panels built over irrigation canals, an approach that generates renewable energy while shading water and reducing evaporation. Early lessons from pilot projects are offering insight into how the technology performs at scale, and the findings are drawing attention as the state weighs ways to expand clean energy and conserve water at the same time.

Senator Mark Kelly said President Trump is 'stuck' with Iran and wants to 'get back to where he was before' the war started, arguing the president did not anticipate being drawn into a prolonged conflict with Tehran. Kelly, a former Navy pilot and frequent critic of Trump's foreign policy, suggested the administration is now searching for an exit from a confrontation it did not want.

HSBC is rolling out artificial intelligence across its trade finance operations, aiming to speed up document checks, reduce manual processing, and cut fraud risk in one of banking's most paperwork-heavy businesses. The move underlines how major banks are shifting AI from pilots to core transaction banking workflows.

The US Air Force has taken delivery of its first 'robot wingman' drones, autonomous aircraft designed to fly alongside crewed fighter jets. The delivery marks the start of trials into autonomous warfare, testing how unmanned drones can support pilots in combat missions. The programme is seen as a major step toward integrating AI-driven aircraft into military operations.

Vietnam has unveiled a memorial plaque honoring North Korean soldiers who fought alongside North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The gesture highlights the long-standing military and diplomatic ties between Hanoi and Pyongyang, and draws renewed attention to North Korea's little-documented role in the conflict, which included pilots and other personnel sent to support the North Vietnamese side.

The U.S. Senate has approved legislation addressing mental health support for pilots and air traffic controllers. The measure aims to make it easier for aviation professionals to seek treatment without automatically facing career penalties or loss of certification. The bill now moves to the House, with supporters saying it addresses longstanding stigma in the aviation industry.

Scientists are set to hold a press conference about W.R. Grace's plastics pilot project in the Baltimore area. The company, a specialty chemicals firm, is running the pilot, and researchers are expected to present their assessment of the effort. Details of the findings and what the project means for local plastics processing were not immediately available ahead of the briefing.

The US Senate has passed the Hauser Aviation Act, a bill addressing pilot mental health and the medications pilots are allowed to take. The legislation is expected to relax current rules that can ground pilots for seeking treatment, a long-standing concern in aviation safety debates. Details of the vote and next steps in the House remain unclear from available reporting.

Wausau's Public Health and Safety Committee has an agenda covering an update to the city's homelessness strategy along with extensions for local businesses. The Wausau Pilot & Review reported the upcoming meeting items, which touch on how the city plans to address homelessness and whether affected businesses will get more time to comply with local rules.