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Los Angeles (AFP) July 16, 2010 An ultra-light unmanned aircraft powered by solar energy and designed for military surveillance and other uses has stayed in the air a record seven days, its manufacturer said Friday. The British-based firm QinetiQ said its 22.5 meter (74-foot) long Zephyr, weighing just 50 kilos (110 pounds), continued to fly over a US military testing ground in Arizona, and could stay aloft for another week. The flight doubled the unofficial world record for the longest duration unmanned flight of 82 hours by the same aircraft in 2008. Zephyr's records will not become official until the aircraft is back on the ground. "The current goal is to fly for a further week and prove Zephyr is the world's first truly eternal plane, capable of providing a low-cost, persistent surveillance capability over months rather than days," a company statement said. "Potential applications include earth observation and communications relay in support of a range of defense, security and commercial requirements." The latest model of the carbon-fiber Zephyr is around 50 percent bigger than earlier versions, giving it more space for batteries. The batteries are charged by the sun to allow it to continue flying at night.
earlier related report The unmanned Phantom Eye craft can fly at 65,000 feet and stay airborne for four days at a time, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday. A prototype, unveiled in St. Louis, will be shipped to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California to start testing. "Phantom Eye is the first of its kind and could open up a whole new market in collecting data and communications," Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works, said. The 150-foot wingspan plane can carry a 450-pound payload and is eco-friendly, company officials said. "The hydrogen propulsion system will be the key to Phantom Eye's success," Drew Mallow, Phantom Eye program manager said. "It is very efficient and offers great fuel economy, and its only byproduct is water, so it's also a 'green' aircraft." Following ground tests, the aircraft's first flight is expected to take place in 2011, The Daily Telegraph reported.
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India eyeing UCAVs in global marketNew Delhi (UPI) Jul 13, 2010 Indian armed forces have entered the global market in search of stealthy, unmanned combat air vehicles. Local news reports suggest that the military authorities have requested information from defense companies in Europe, Israel, the United States and Russia about the aircraft. Defense News reported that the information request concerned unmanned combat air vehicles with "low rad ... read more |
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