The world's first satellite launching drone, developed by a US-based space startup, will will be able to carry a new payload into orbit every 180 minutes, the firm claims. Aevum says the massive 80ft long drone, named the Ravn X, is fully autonomous, 70 per cent reusable, and can take off and land on runways as short as a mile long. Working in partnership with the US Space Force, the firm says it is'completely reimagining access to space' by focusing on autonomy and better logistics. The drone can take off from any runway to reach high altitude where it deploys a second stage that takes a small payload the rest of the way to space. After it has launched the second stage rocket into low Earth orbit, the drone flies itself back to its home runway, lands and then parks up in its hanger.

A space launch every three hours could soon be a reality. Alabama-based startup, Aevum, is testing a rocket-drone plane that can send small satellites into orbit from a normal runway. The firm claims that its fully autonomous system will drive down the cost of launches and make them as frequent as commercial flights. The rocket-drone plane will send small satellites into orbit from a normal runway. 'Ravn is designed to launch every 180 minutes,' Jay Skylus, Aevum's CEO and chief launch architect, told Space.com.