Solar UAV Lands After Record 2 Weeks Aloft

[razgriz19]

LONDON - British defense research company Qinetiq has landed its Zepyhr solar-powered UAV after a record-breaking flight of 14 days and 24 minutes from the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

The vehicle, launched July 9, beat the current world record for unmanned flight of 30 hours, 24 minutes previously held by Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk.


Zephyr carried a British Ministry of Defence communications relay package as part of the test flight.

The company says the production-ready machine also has surveillance capabilities in military and civilian applications.

The machine has a wingspan of 22.5 meters, is launched by hand and weighs a little more than 50 kilograms.

Solar arrays power the aircraft by day. At night, lithium-sulfur batteries - recharged by the arrays during the day - cut in to provide the power source.

Qinetiq's chief designer, Chris Kelleher, said the Zephyr design withstands temperatures between more than 40 degrees Celsius on the ground and less than minus-75 degrees Celsius at altitude, and can cope with storms and high winds.

 

[gogbot]

i thought stuff like this was still on the drawing board.

24 hour air support can soon become a reality

 

[BATMAN]

No the technology exsisted from quite some time, it wa sjust matter of application requirement followed by design.

Such UAV can be developed very fast... within a year.

Only technological development i fto be counted is the advent of high efficiency solar panels.

 

[ejaz007]

Solar UAV Lands After Record 2 Weeks Aloft
By ANDREW CHUTER
Published: 23 Jul 2010 13:54

LONDON - British defense research company Qinetiq has landed its Zepyhr solar-powered UAV after a record-breaking flight of 14 days and 24 minutes from the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

The vehicle, launched July 9, beat the current world record for unmanned flight of 30 hours, 24 minutes previously held by Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk.

Zephyr carried a British Ministry of Defence communications relay package as part of the test flight.

The company says the production-ready machine also has surveillance capabilities in military and civilian applications.

The machine has a wingspan of 22.5 meters, is launched by hand and weighs a little more than 50 kilograms.

Solar arrays power the aircraft by day. At night, lithium-sulfur batteries - recharged by the arrays during the day - cut in to provide the power source.

Qinetiq's chief designer, Chris Kelleher, said the Zephyr design withstands temperatures between more than 40 degrees Celsius on the ground and less than minus-75 degrees Celsius at altitude, and can cope with storms and high winds.

Solar UAV Lands After Record 2 Weeks Aloft - Defense News