'Popular Mechanics' Honors Aerovironment

A Monrovia company was recognized this week with one of Popular Mechanics magazine's 11 "Breakthrough Awards" honoring scientific achievements that "will transform the world for years to come."

Aerovironment, the local technology company known for and , received the award for its unmanned aircraft that looks and flies like a hummingbird.

"Their creation, a machine that looks and flies just like a hummingbird, shows the wild potential of tiny remote-controlled aircraft," the magazine wrote.

Aerovironment showed off the capabilities of the tiny aircraft in .

The government hopes technology like the hummingbird drone will "usher in a new class of aerial surveillance vehicles capable of identifying targets, collecting intel and locating hostages indoors, not just on the battlefield," Popular Mechanics wrote.