A cranial access drill includes a motor, a drill bit mechanically coupled to the motor, and a controller electrically coupled to the motor. The drill bit is configured to puncture a cranial drilling surface by guiding the drill bit along a drilling trajectory relative to the cranial drilling surface, and drilling the cranial drilling surface along the drilling trajectory with the drill bit using the motor. The controller is configured to detect an electrical parametric change at the drill bit that corresponds to puncturing the cranial drilling surface, and deactivate the motor in response to detecting the electrical parametric change. The cranial access drill may include an alignment component configured to align the drill bit with the target drilling trajectory. The alignment component may include a guide-hub configured to be placed against the cranial drilling surface, a position sensor system, or a combination thereof.

A constant rake planar cutting edge fluted drill bit and a method of manufacturing the same. The drill bit includes a planar cutting face formed at the tip end of the bit by a motion of a rotating machining wheel respective to a stationary blank in a first step. Once the cutting face is formed, the blank is rotated and translated in a direction parallel to an elongated axis, during which the rotating machining wheel creates a flute. Upon completion of the first flute, the bit is rotated accordingly and the processes are repeated to create each subsequent planar cutting face and respective flute. The process can also be completed in a slightly modified version of a reverse process, fabricating a flute prior to formation of the planar cutting face of the bit.