Airbus Defense and Space and the US military have set a new record for longest drone flight with the Zephyr solar drone. For more than 40 days, the solar drone has been orbiting the Yuma test site in the Sonoran Desert of the US Southwest. The drone, which operates at an altitude of up to 20 kilometers, has broken its own record: in 2018 it was in the air for almost 26 days.
As the science portal “Space” reports, the drone took off from the US military’s test site in the state of Arizona on June 15 for its ongoing test flight. It is the first Zephyr flight this year.
Zephyr has completed numerous new tests
The solar drone not only broke its own flight time record, but also achieved several other breakthroughs for the first time – the first flight over water, the first trip to international airspace, the longest flight away from the starting point and the longest long-range flight exclusively coordinated. by satellite communications.
25 meters wingspan at 75 kilos weight
The duration of the flight is made possible by the structure of the drone: it consists almost entirely of wings and tail unit, which are covered with solar cells. Operating at an altitude of up to 20 kilometers and whose construction is reminiscent of a glider, the Zephyr has a wingspan of 25 meters but weighs only 75 kilograms. Maximum payload: 22.5 kilos. The aircraft is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and is equipped with batteries that are charged with solar energy during the day for the night.
Airbus and the US Armed Forces see potential as a surveillance drone in the Airbus Zephyr. Its high altitude allows it to cover an area of 20 by 30 kilometers with optical, infrared, LIDAR, radar or hyperspectral sensors on the ground. With its virtually unlimited flight time, it is of interest to the navy or border guards and can perform reconnaissance work for weeks.
Zephyr could provide internet access
Civilian applications are of course also conceivable: According to the manufacturer, the solar drone could also serve as a “flying mobile phone mast” due to its endurance and flying height, ie Internet in remote areas of the world. The drone would cover a much wider area than terrestrial transmitters and could also serve as a hub for other aircraft. According to Airbus – see video – a single Zephyr should replace 250 cell towers.
The Facebook group has also tested solar drones that should provide us with stratospheric communications services. However, the project was halted. Google also experimented with the internet from the stratosphere, but also discontinued its “Project Loon” with weather balloons last year. The American space company SpaceX, run by technology magnate Elon Musk, has already launched its Starlink satellite network.
Next test flight leads over the Pacific Ocean
In addition to the US, Great Britain is also testing the drones, the development of which was acquired by Airbus from British defense company QinetiQ in 2013. In the US, the solar plane begins its first crossing over the Pacific Ocean after the current test flight ends. The flight will begin “in the coming weeks” and aims to carry an unspecified “prototype payload” across several US command posts.
The Zephyr drone is being developed as a “high-altitude platform”. These are aircraft that remain in the stratosphere for weeks and are intended for Earth observation, espionage and communication services. Since these tasks are usually performed by satellites, they are also referred to as “pseudo-satellites”. In addition to solar drones, zeppelins are also being tested in this area.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
